Click HERE to downlad a PDF copy of this Request for Proposals (RFP)

The YouthBoard of YouthRoots is now accepting grant proposals from registered 501(c)3 tax-exempt youth-serving organizations that meet at least one of the following needs in the Denver community (in no particular order):

• Early Childhood Education 
  The YouthBoard determined that early childhood education may be a path and critical need to alleviate poverty; especially generational poverty. 

• Childhood Poverty
  The YouthBoard hopes to aid those organizations that combat childhood poverty. 

• Emotional Well Being
  The YouthBoard has determined that an underlying cause of many issues facing youth today may stem from a decrease in emotional well being. They will be funding organizations that help increase the emotional well being of youth - these organizations that increase youth’s emotional well being may curb and lower issues such as high school dropout rates, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and sexual health*.  

*Please note that these are just some of the “symptoms” the YouthBoard have identified, and they are open to hearing from any organization that increases youths’ emotional well being. 
 

Q: What is YouthRoots?

A: YouthRoots believes that passionate youth can change our world today.  

We use philanthropy as a vehicle to engage high school youth in personal development, community partnerships and innovative ventures to foster leadership, integrity and social action. If we empower them to change the world today, we cultivate a network of thriving adults who envision a better future and realize their full human potential.

YouthRoots is a board of 15 Denver-area high school students who were selected to be a part of this philanthropic YouthBoard. The students conduct a needs assessment, determine their funding priorities and strategically grant away their funds to organizations that best meet those needs in the community. 

The Details

Schedule

February 1, 2012: Grant Application Due: Please complete the Colorado Common Grant Application and mail it to P.O. Box 6289 Denver, CO 80206. It must be received by 5pm Feb 1^st, 2011.  You will be notified by email within a week that it was received (so make sure you provide us with an email). You can also drop it off at 1127 Sherman St, Suite #100, Denver, CO 80203.

April 3, 2012: Presentation: You will be notified if you are a finalist by March 20. If you make it into the finals, you will be asked to present to the YouthBoard on April 3. The presentations will be 10-15 min presentations given anytime between 6:15-8:30pm at the Daniels Fund. The presentations will be a brief summary of your organization and program with time left for a Q & A session. 

April 18, 2012: Grant Winners Announced. You will hear of the YouthBoard’s final decisions by April 18. 

July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013: The funding period. The CO Common Report is due by August 31, 2013.

Expected average grant size and type: 

We anticipate multiple awards between $500 and $2,000 for either general operating support or program support.

Please read over our Grant Making Policy below as it will provide you with more information.  Also, our website has some helpful information: www.youth-roots.org

Good luck and please do not hesitate to email me with any questions: lacey@youth-roots.org

Grant Making Policy 
for YouthRoots  

The Board of Directors, from time to time, can amend the following:

The YouthBoard of YouthRoots will have final say in where their money raised can go. However, there are some guidelines and they are as follows 

• In order to further our exempt purposes, grants must be made to youth-serving (youth is defined as persons 13 -18 years old, unless otherwise obvious in funding priorities description) 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations. Individuals are not considered. 

• Grants must ultimately serve youth in and around Denver, Colorado. 

• YouthRoots will operate in parallel with a typical school year, August through May. Grants will be accepted once funding priorities are set, sometime in the 4^th quarter (October-December). Each grant will be considered once the money is pooled from that particular YouthBoard, usually this occurs in the first quarter of the year (January-March). Grants are made in the spring each year, most likely in the 2^nd quarter (April-June). 

• Whenever it is considered necessary or desirable, the YouthBoard will make site visits to the applicant’s program. Also, presentations by applicants may be necessary or desirable and those would take place early spring of each year. 

• Once a grant is awarded, a follow up report using the Colorado Common Grant Report, is requested for monitoring purposes within 1 year of award date. 

• Grants are typically for one year only. Both the YouthBoard and Board of Directors will vet exceptions to this rule. 

• The YouthBoard will sign a conflict of interest policy similar to the board of director’s policy. 

For applicants:

• The grant must specify the responsibilities of YouthRoots and the responsibilities of the grantee. 

• The applicant must use the grant funds only for the purposes for which the grant was made. 

• The applicant must use the Colorado Common Grant Report form to account how the grant funds were used. 

• Applicant acknowledges that YouthRoots has the authority to withhold and/or recover grant funds in case such funds are, or appear to be, misused.