If one ever wants to feel optimistic about the future for today’s teenagers, The Community Foundation’s 15 Forever is a great place to start.
On Feb. 22, 2015, 15 young community leaders will gather with a blank page: They will learn the process of grantmaking, with the goal of funding projects that will help low-income and at-risk peers in their own communities. Grant requests to the youth group are already rolling in, says Grants Administrator Stefan Reyes. They are due by 5 p.m. March 11, 2015.
Reyes says this weekend’s retreat will be all about learning to analyze proposals and taking a lot of notes — not exactly a lazy Sunday for these teenagers.
By March 11, the members of the 15 Forever Youth Advisory Committee will have trained in how to match their $15,000 with projects that meet certain criteria. Members of 15 Forever say the skills they are learning about the area’s needs — and the philanthropy to address it — are invaluable.
In turn, the teen committee members themselves, and their unique experiences and world views, are invaluable to the process.
Committee member Laya Krishnan is a 15-year-old who attends Fairview High School in Boulder.
“My family is from India so I speak my mother tongue Tamil fluently, and some of my hobbies include learning traditional Indian dance (bharatanatyam) which I’ve been learning for over five years, playing the saxophone, and for fun, I also play soccer and tennis,” says Krishnan, who has lived in Boulder County for seven years. The Wisconsin native has also lived in Boston.
“Every member of this diverse group has a unique perspective to offer when deciding what to focus our funding budget on, and that’s what makes this program work so well,” she says.
The request for proposals is ongoing.
