Annual youth-driven program grants $15K to Boulder County nonprofits
15 Forever – a youth-driven grantmaking program of The Community Foundation – seeks to address the needs and concerns of Boulder County youth from a peer perspective.
“It’s really cool to learn about the whole grantmaking process,” says 15 Forever participant Elena Granat of the program started by President Josie Heath in the foundation’s 15th year. “From coming up with a funding focus to reading the proposals [nine submissions this year] to deciding what programs to fund.”
Elena, 17, attends Niwot High School and also volunteers with the “I Have a Dream” Foundation. “After college, if I want to pursue a nonprofit career, I’ll already know the ins and outs of grantmaking,” she says.
Most 15 Forever participants get involved at age 15 and stay active in the program until they graduate from high school.
“15 Forever inspires civic engagement among young people, and provides an opportunity to learn and practice leadership,” says Program Director Elvira Ramos. “Participants learn about philanthropy, nonprofits, youth issues, and diversity and inclusivity issues.
“We also offer them a presentation of the Boulder County TRENDS report to help inform their chosen focus area. This year, the 15 Forever Youth Advisory Committee decided to emphasize mental health issues and suicide prevention.”
At a reception on Sunday, May 15, members of the current 15 Forever Youth Advisory Committee will present $15,000 in grants to five youth-focused agencies and programs:
- Attention Homes: serving at-risk, homeless youth, and providing mental health and substance abuse support for runaway and homeless youth.
- Alternatives for Youth (“iThrive” program): working with youth and parents to build awareness about substance use, mental health problems and suicide.
- “I Have a Dream” Foundation of Boulder County (Anti-Bullying Dreamers program): supporting Dreamers’ ability to communicate and act without violence, and respond appropriately to bullying.
- OUT Boulder (OUT Youth program): providing support groups and social activities for LGBTQ youth who carry more than five times the risk of suicide.
- Second Wind Fund of Boulder County: providing suicide prevention and intervention initiatives throughout Boulder County, including prevention programs in schools and free access to at-risk teens.
“We’re very intentional about the 15 young people we select every year,” says Elvira. “They come from all across Boulder County and represent a diversity of communities, schools, ethnicities, income levels and more.”
The 15 Forever Youth Advisory Committee meets monthly, September through May. For more information, or if you or someone you know is interested in the 15 Forever program, please contact Elvira@commfound.org.
