Want to make a difference? Get something started? Need some money and support to make that happen? You my friend, have come to the right place.

United Way thinks it is important to fund youth-led projects to support young people who want to make things happen in their community. We want to see how you take your passion, interests and skills, and combine them into a project that will be fun and help the community. We are excited to hear about your way to have fun and make a difference! Check out a Google Map of all of the Youth Grants that went down in 2010!                                                    

Ben & Luke, 2010 Grant Recipients at Spencer House Seniors Centre

 The 2011 Youth Grants criteria:

1. The projects must be youth initiated and youth led
2. Youth must be 25 years or younger
3. The project must partner with a registered charity (we can help you find one if you don’t have one!)
4. The projects must take place in HRM
5. The grant amounts can go up to $500

Download the application form HERE!

Summer deadline: July 4th, 2011          Fall deadline: Sept. 29th, 2011

The United Way likes to see projects that:

• Build on the skills of youth (Asset-Based)
  We like projects that value youth’s skills and talents, not projects that are designed just to ‘keep youth out of trouble’.
• Help youth increase their skills and develop new abilities (Capacity Building)
  Tell us what youth are learning from participating in and organizing this project.
• Can show what they have accomplished (Making a Measurable Difference)
  What’s important about the project? How will you measure it?
• Work with different people and form new connections (Collaboration)
  Are you partnering with other youth projects, organizations, or schools? If you are then make sure you say so!
• Show that they will use the money in the most effective way (Stewardship)
  If you can show that you got materials donated or you borrowed items to make the project happen, include that in the application as well. It shows us that you are making the most happen with a small amount of money!

Not sure if you want to start a community project? Maybe volunteering on the Youth Grants Selection Team is for you instead. Click here to find out more...

Questions? Contact Emma Cooper by email or message me on Facebook. My Facebook name is Emma Helsinki Cooper. I'm here to help out!