Youth Leadership Council Grant

The Youth Leadership Council Grant, offered by the Yakima Valley Community Foundation, empowers high school students to drive positive change through philanthropy and leadership. This unique program trains a diverse cohort of youth on topics like equity and community needs, allowing them to distribute $50,000-$100,000 annually to impactful projects. Focus areas include health equity, support for immigrant communities, and educational opportunities. Eligible organizations must serve Yakima County or the Yakama Nation and meet specific criteria.

Yakima Valley Community Foundation
A youth-led group of high school students in the Yakima Valley creating a positive impact through philanthropy and leadership. The program includes a selection of diverse students who receive training about diversity, equity, our community, grantmaking, philanthropy, and non-profits. The annual cohort is given $50,000-$100,000 to grant in the Yakima Valley where they believe they'd like to make a difference.
Focus Areas
Health EquityAccess to culturally relevant information about medical care and/or insurance coverageTreatments and/or preventions of substance use disordersAccess to and/or public awareness efforts about mental and/or behavioral health servicesPublic awareness efforts related to chronic disease prevention and/or pesticide exposureSupporting Immigrant/Migrant/Refugee CommunitiesInterpretation services in medical, legal, and educational settingsPromoting workplace safety and worker rightsEducationAssistance with accessing financial resources for post-secondary educationInternships and career opportunitiesOut-of-school time programs (Before and after school, summer programs)

Eligibility

Organizations serving Yakima county, or the Yakama Nation are eligible. Project Locations: Ahtanum, Brownstown, Buena, Cowiche, Eschbach, Gleed, Grandview, Granger, Harrah, Mabton, Medicine Valley, Moxee, Naches, Outlook, Parker, Satus, Selah, Sunnyside, Tieton, Toppenish, Union Gap, Wapato, White Swan, Yakama Nation Reservation, Yakima, ZillahThe applicant must be a public organization with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c) of the IRS, a federally recognized Tribe, or a unit of local government. The applicant must also be registered and in good standing with the Washington Secretary of State as a nonprofit corporation, nonprofit professional services corporation, or a non-Washington nonprofit corporation registered in Washington. Typically, we ask organizations to submit one grant request per year.

Ineligibility

We generally do not fund the following:Capital expenditures for real estate or construction
Individual school classroom support
Any organization that cannot affirm that it will not discriminate, withhold, exclude or deny services on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientations, political affiliation, religious beliefs or the lack thereof.