Youth Initiative Grant

The Youth Initiative Grant, provided by the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation, aims to support innovative programs that enhance resilience and psycho-social health for youth aged 14-21 affected by trauma from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Grants are available for new programs or therapeutic components within their first year. The foundation prioritizes organizations that actively engage with beneficiaries and implement holistic approaches to service delivery, ensuring long-term sustainability and effective evaluation of program impacts.

Program Goal
The goal of the Youth Initiative is to support direct service programs that promote resilience, stability, and pyscho-social health for youth ages 14-21 who have been traumatized by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Program Requirements
In order to be considered, programs must meet all of the following requirements. Programs that do not meet requirements will not be considered for a grant.
Directly serve youth who have been significantly traumatized by Adverse Childhood Experiences. At this time, the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation limits the definition of ACEs to the following:Emotional, physical or sexual abuseEmotional or physical neglectMother treated violentlySubstance abuse in the householdMental illness in the householdSeparation or divorceIncarceration of a household memberBe a new program for the organization, or a new therapeutic component to an existing program, currently in development or within its first year (from the date of application submission) of implementation.Offer age-appropriate therapeutic interventions, activities, or services that promote resilience, stability, and psycho-social health in traumatized youth.Provide services that go beyond crisis intervention and the establishment of initial safety. Short-term shelter-based or crisis-oriented programs will not be funded.Include a plan for evaluating program effectiveness, with metrics that demonstrate the impact of the program in helping participating youth and at least one significant adult, such as a parent, primary caregiver or other adult with whom the youth has a meaningful and ideally long-term relationship.Enhance the relationship between the youth and at least one significant adult, such as a parent, primary caregiver or other adult with whom the youth has a meaningful and ideally long-term relationship.Use trauma informed practices and policies, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing trauma training for involved staff.
Multi-Year Funding
The Foundation intends to support new programs for up to three years. While the Foundation will not commit funds for the second or third year without an annual review, it is the Foundation's intent to continue funding successful programs. Because programs will not be funded for more than three years, you are encouraged to plan for the long-term sustainability of the program.
Organizations requesting second- or third-year funding for programs approved the previous year must continue to submit an abbreviated Stage 1 Application by March 1. Organizations seeking second- or third-year funding and have submitted a Stage 1 Application, will automatically be requested to submit a Stage 2 Application. Organizations seeking third-year funding must also have submitted a grant report for the first year of funding by the required due date stated in the Grant Agreement to be considered for funding.

Eligibility

Organizations must be classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.Only programs operating within the United States will be considered.Applications from an organization acting as a fiscal sponsor will be considered when a Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement has been signed by both parties and submitted with the application. Fiscal Sponsor's must be able to demonstrate substantial and direct fiscal and program oversight.

Ineligibility

Applications from an organization acting as a fiscal agent will not be considered.The Foundation will not consider proposals for: Emergency and/or short-term shelter based programs.Ongoing programs or general operating support.Capital projects, including land acquisition or the construction of buildings.Grants or scholarships to individuals.Lobbying prohibited by the Internal Revenue Code.Conferences.Endowments.Start-up costs for new organizations.