Community Foundation Boulder County today announces $6,550 in 15 Forever grants to Attention Homes and The Inn Between of Longmont.
Community Foundation Boulder County today announces $6,550 in 15 Forever grants to Attention Homes ($3,550K) and The Inn Between of Longmont ($3K). Both grants are for general operating support.
15 Forever is a collaboration between Community Foundation Boulder County and YouthRoots, a national youth philanthropy organization that teaches high school students how to make the world a better place, while developing their leadership and life skills.
“The intention of 15 Forever is to address the needs and concerns of Boulder County youth from a peer perspective,” says Sarah Mikkelsen, the Community Foundation’s Grants and Programs Coordinator. “This year, our youth participants researched and identified youth homelessness as their focus because homelessness disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ youth, and contributes to food insecurity and education inequality.”
This year, 15 Forever students faced significant challenges due to COVID-19. The students demonstrated ingenuity by going remote for the later months of their program. In spite of the pandemic, this year’s cohort raised $6,550 – far more than in recent years.
15 Forever was established at Community Foundation Boulder County in 2006 to promote civic engagement and leadership among Boulder County youth. Since that time, this youth-driven program has granted more than $200K. Students involved in 15 Forever learn about philanthropy and local issues by managing their own grant cycle over the course of the school year. 15 Forever members prioritize the community issues they want to address, and raise funds to make the grants.
Applications for our 2020-2021 program are now open. Students who are racial or ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, differently abled, low-income, and/or members of other underrepresented communities are especially encouraged to apply.
