Annual youth-driven program grants $15K to Boulder County nonprofits.
15 Forever – a youth-driven grantmaking program of the Community Foundation Boulder County – seeks to address the needs and concerns of Boulder County youths from a peer perspective.
This year, the fund’s Youth Advisory Committee has awarded $15K in grants to the following four Boulder County nonprofits that are working to overcome educational inequalities among local youths: Collegiate Crossings, “I Have a Dream” Foundation Boulder County, Legacy of Learning, and the YWCA Boulder County.
“We believe in the ability of young people to make decisions that affect the youth community,” says Elvira Ramos, Vice President of Programs and Inclusive Leadership. “This year, we reviewed 14 worthy proposals with requests totaling $82,772. The young participants of the committee learned about issues related to youth in Boulder County, how the grantmaking process works, and – together – reached informed decisions about how best to address barriers to educational success.”
Specifically, grant support to current 15 Forever grantees will go toward:
Collegiate Crossings ($2,500)
Supporting workshops for 125 low-income, first generation, and/or Latino students – as well as their parents – in Boulder and Weld counties, with a focus on the St. Vrain Valley School District. Workshops will focus on the importance of higher education, college selection, financing and application processes, and more. Additionally, workshops will be open to other nonprofits working with local Latino students.
“I Have a Dream” Foundation Boulder County ($2,500)
Supporting the Pathways to College & Career program, which addresses a wide range of issues faced by low-income students through culturally relevant support – from college tours and access to computers and other research resources, to preparation for ACT/SAT and college applications, tutoring, and a scholarship for post-secondary education.
Legacy of Learning ($5K)
Helping early education students who have fallen behind their peers through Direct Instruction practices, thereby providing personalized, evidenced-based supplementary education to accelerate learning, increase self-esteem, and more.
YWCA Boulder County ($5K)
Supporting the Latina Achievement Support program, which serves some 75 at-risk Latinas at five Boulder County high schools each year. Culturally relevant programming is run by bilingual and bicultural staff, and includes academic tutoring, adult- and peer-mentoring, community service, technical education, test preparation, college field trips, leadership opportunities, and more.
