Fund for Santa Barbara Accepting Applications for Youth Making Change Program

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/061209_fund_accepting_applications_for_youth_making_change_program/

By Geoff Green

The deadline is June 26 for the 2009-10 projects, in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria

Applications are available for local youth interested in participating in one of two 2009-10 Youth Making Change programs, one in Santa Barbara and one in Santa Maria, offered through The Fund for Santa Barbara.

Click here for an application, which is due June 26.

Youth Making Change is a yearlong program open to youths ages 13 to 19 in Santa Barbara County. Through the experience of creating and running a grant-making program, YMC board members learn a variety of skills, including meeting planning and facilitation, outreach, public speaking, program planning, proposal evaluation and group decision-making.

The YMC program was established to increase youth participation in philanthropy, support youth involvement in community change and promote youth service and giving.

Members reach out to youths in the community and encourage them to plan projects and apply for funds to carry them out. Board members review proposed project ideas and make decisions as a group about which projects to support.

The 2009-10 YMC boards each will distribute $10,000 in grants to projects they determine to have the greatest positive impact on youths in Santa Barbara County.

Participants will attend one all-day training on a Saturday and two two-hour meetings each month until May. There also will be independent work required between meetings.

The program is voluntary, but participants receive a $300 stipend.

For more information, contact YMC project coordinator Cristina Gonzalez at 805.962.9164 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

— Geoff Green is executive director of The Fund for Santa Barbara.

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/061209_fund_accepting_applications_for_youth_making_change_program/