Victoria S. and Bradley L. Geist Foundation: Supporting Transitioning Foster Youth Grant

The Victoria S. and Bradley L. Geist Foundation provides grants to support transitioning foster youth in Hawaii. This initiative, aligned with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, aims to enhance youth outcomes in areas such as education, employment, and housing. Grant proposals should focus on engaging youth and fostering supportive relationships. Eligible applicants include tax-exempt organizations serving current or former foster youth aged 14-24. The foundation prioritizes projects that demonstrate measurable impact on youth development.

The Foundation supports the Hawaii Youth Opportunities Initiative, a Co-Investment site with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. In concert with this initiative, the Foundation is offering a Request for Proposals to provide support to Hawaii’s transitioning foster youth through projects that are aligned with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and the Hawaii Youth Opportunities Initiative. Grant seekers are encouraged to align their proposals with the goals of the initiatives and to visit the Jim Casey website for more information.
Funding Priorities
Preference will be given to proposals that align with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities
Initiative. Successful projects and programs will demonstrate youth engagement in development
and be designed to result in improved youth outcomes in one or more of the following areas:

• Permanence – Every young person has an adult to rely on for a lifetime and a

supportive family network. Education – Young people acquire education and training that enable them to obtain
and retain steady employment. Employment – Young people support themselves by obtaining and retaining steady
employment. Housing – Young people have safe, stable and affordable housing and have access to
transportation for work and school. Physical and Mental Health – Young people have health insurance and access to
services for both physical and mental health. Social Capital – Young people have supportive relationships in the
community that help them achieve their personal goals. Financial Capability – Young people manage their budgets and achieve their
financial goals.

Eligibility

Tax-exempt Hawaii organizations are eligible to apply.This includes nonprofit
organizations, 501(c)(3) organizations, religious organizations that are exempt from
taxation, and units of government.Programs must preferentially and primarily (more than 50%) serve current or former
foster youth, age 14-24, who were in state child welfare or mental health systems
after their 14th birthday, even if they were adopted or legally reunited with their birth
families prior to the age of majority.Requests are considered in relationship to the size of the organization’s operating
budget.Unless the organization’s clientele are solely legally recognized as current or former
foster youth up to the age 24, administrative fees are capped at 5% per grant award.The Foundation reserves the right to determine those costs that are administrative and
subject to the limited percentage.Requests for up to three years will be considered.If funded, subsequent years will be
contingent on the submission of satisfactory progress reports.

Ineligibility

Capital requests and endowments will not be funded.