Scholarships & Grants

Welcome to the Grants and Scholarship opportunities blog. Whether you are a seasoned Venturer or just looking for funding opportunities, I hope you will find something helpful here. If you have come to the site from somewhere else, please look around and discover Youth Venture. The home page and the "Dream It" tab on the top are great places to start.

Other funding Sources:

This is a resource for Venturers seeking additional sources of funding. It contains both information about awards and other funding sources as well as websites and books that can lead you to other funding sources. More information will be added as new opportunities arise. Please leave a message here if you are looking for something specific or need help with an application.

Please post any comments or requests for specific kinds of opportunities here, and I will see what I can do! If you have won a scholarship or grant because of your hard work for your Venture, please let your regional office know. We would love to feature you in a regional newsletter and free publicity never hurts.

As always, you can email slloyd@youthventure.org for more information. Youth Venture does not endorse any other scholarships/funding opportunities and is not responsible for the contents of other organization’s websites.

Project 10 to the 100
Deadline: October 20th
Website: http://www.project10tothe100.com/index.html

Help as many people as possible! There are few guidelines, but entries are grouped into the following categories: community, opportunity, education, environment, health, education, shelter, and everything else. Visit the website for specific criteria, and the voting on ideas will begin on January 27th to choose 20 semifinalists. Google is committing ten million dollars to make five final ideas happen!

U.S. Soccer Foundation
Deadline: August 1st-October 15th - priority if submitted before September 15th
Website: http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/site/c.gpLPJQOpHkE/b.2766881/k.2AF1/An...

The U.S. Soccer Foundation funds soccer projects around the US, including equipment, uniforms, field renovation, coaches and referees fees and much more. For 2009, the Foundation will award Grants exclusively to projects and programs that develop players, coaches, and referees in economically disadvantaged urban areas encompassing populations of 50,000 or more. Please look at the website for more info.

William James Foundation Socially Responsible Business Plan Competition
Website: http://www.williamjamesfoundation.org
Deadline: August 1st – December 1st,
Want funding for a for-profit business with a social/environmental component? The William James Foundation offers cash and in-kind prizes for your business team. “Intent to compete” notifications are due December 1st with the deadline for summaries December 12th. Earlier submissions means that you will receive feedback.

Knight Foundation News Challenge
Deadline: September 2, 2008- November 1, 2008
Website: http://www.newschallenge.org/

Got a cool plan to use or create technology to benefit your neighborhood? The Knight Foundation is looking to give away up to $5 million this year to fund your idea. Check out the website for previous winners and ideas and the actual application will be available September 2nd.

Richmond Community Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Project
http://www.tcfrichmond.org/page2479.cfm
http://www.youthgiveback.org/
Deadline: October 12, 2008
A group of youth help determine what projects implemented by youth should receive funding from this Richmond foundation. The foundation awards between $500-$10,000 to organizations that work towards safe neighborhoods, strengthening families and academic achievement in Richmond, Henrico, Hanover and Chesterfield Counties in VA.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Website: http://www.prudential.com/spirit
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Prize: Certificate-$5,000
Prudential Financial awards Spirit of Community Awards to youth in middle and high school who have done a community-service activity or shown significant leadership in a group activity. Please read all of the instructions on the website carefully because your application must be certified by your school principal or the head of a designated youth service organization that also needs to review the instructions on the website carefully.

Do Something Awards/Formerly Brick Awards
The website is currently in the process of being launched. Look at http://www.dosomething.org/brick for more information soon! Deadline might be in October rather than the past December.

Youth Garden Grants
Website: http://assoc.garden.org/grants/
Deadline: November 1, 2008
The National Gardening Association awards grants for groups of more than 15 people between the ages of 3 and 18 who garden together. If you are passionate about the environment and would like to get your Venture team involved in creating a community garden, this grant may be for you.

Humane Teen of the Year Award
Website: http://www.nahee.org/awards/default.asp
Deadline: November 15, 2008.
The Teen of the Year is a teen who has worked to benefit animals, either directly or by educating others, and will be awarded a $300 cash prize and a feature story at Humane Teen.

Environmental Excellence Awards
Website: http://www.seaworld.org/conservation-matters/eea/index.htm
Deadline: November 28, 2008
Schools and community groups are eligible to apply for the Environmental Excellence Awards for community beautification, habitat restoration and other cool environmental projects. Winners will receive $10,000 for the project and a trip to SeaWorld.

AXA Achievement and Community Scholarships
Website: http://www.axaonline.com/rs/axa/about-us/33b_axa_achievement_access.html
Deadline: TBD, check on website throughout the Fall

The Volvo Adventure Award (US & Overseas applicants)
Website: www.volvoadventure.org
Deadline: January 31, 2009
$10,000-$4,000
Arranged in collaboration with the United Nations Environmental Programmed (UNEP) the Volvo Adventure Award rewards young people 13-16 years old who run their own environmental projects. Best projects are selected for an all-expenses paid trip to Sweeden and the first prize is $10,000.

KaBoom! Challenge Grants
Website: http://kaboom.org/

Dedicated to making sure every child has a place to play, KaBoom! Helps build playgrounds and skateparks across America by providing challenge grants to communities across the U.S. to build a playground or skate park. Check and see if you area qualifies.

Visit http://ysa.org/AwardsGrants/tabid/58/Default.aspx to sign up to receive grant announcements from Youth Service America!

Captain Planet Foundation
Website: http://captainplanetfoundation.org/
Deadline: March 31st, June 30, September 30, December 31st
The Captain Planet Foundation awards between $250 and $2,500 for hands-on environmental projects for youth ages 6-18 with appropriate adult supervision. Winners are notified four months after the deadline, so please plan carefully.

Pay it Forward Foundation
Website: http://payitforwardfoundation.org/educators/grant.html
Deadline: Anytime, notification within 60 days
Email: info@payitforwardfoundation.org.
Your school, church or community youth group may apply for this $500 mini-grant to fund a one time project with a Pay It Forward focus. Applications will only be accepted by email to grants@payitforwardfoundation.com

Changemakers Competitions
Website: http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/competitions
Deadline: Multiple ongoing and upcoming competitions

Changemakers, an initiative of Youth Venture’s parent organization Ashoka, offers open international competitions for people to propose solutions to the world’s most complex problems. Entrants post their projects online and they are discussed for approximately 11 weeks before 12 finalists are chosen and three winners win a US $5,000 prize. Regardless of if you want to submit an entry, the ideas proposed are amazing!

Magic Johnson Foundation Grants
Website: http://www.magicjohnson.org/grants.php
Email: grants@magicjohnsoncharities.org.
Deadline: Varies
501(c)3 Ventures working on HIV/AIDS education programs and located in specific geographic regions are eligible for funding for the Magic Johnson Foundation for specific programs or projects. Please check the website for instructions on mailing a 2-3 page letter of inquiry to request funding before receiving the full application.

National Caring Awards
Website: http://www.caringinstitute.org/caringawards.html
Deadline: September 28, 2008
The National Caring Institute is accepting nominations for the person who best exemplifies a commitment to service. Young adults will receive an education award (amount unspecified).

The Kids Hall of Fame
Website: http://www.thekidshalloffame.com/

No money is involved in this award, but winners may receive significant media attention which would be superb for your Venture. You can either nominate yourself or ask someone to nominate you. Nominations are made in specific categories or you may create your own category. Regardless of if you decide to go for this nomination or not, there are some very powerful and inspirational stories on this website to check out.

Plum Grants
Website: http://www.dosomething.org/plum_grants
Email: grants@dosomething.org

These outstanding $500 grants are given to youth who have already started an organization and need more money to fund it. No 501(c)(3) status is necessary. One letter of recommendation is required. A winner is chosen every week and will be featured on the website.

Mix It Up Grants
Website: http://www.tolerance.org/teens/grants.jsp

The Southern Poverty Law Center awards Mix It Up Grants for youth-led projects that work at knocking down social boundaries within school communities. This project must bring different groups together to work together, and the project should be an ongoing effort. Applications are accepted anytime and you will be notified after four weeks if your project has been accepted.

Youth Service Opportunities (no money involved)

Interested in Habitat for Humanity? Learn about youth programs here: http://www.habitat.org/youthprograms/int/default.aspx

www.kickbuttsday.org On April 2, 2008 youth and adults will unite to raise awareness of the harmful tobacco industry. Check out how you can get involved on Kick Butts Day.

May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month. Check out http://noys.org/YouthTrafSafe/toolkit.html for a list of project ideas/activities and more information

Books

If your Venture is in need of books for children, there are several places where you can try getting books donated. You need a 501(c)(3) status. If you don’t have it, I would suggest pairing up with an organization that does have 501(c)(3) status and would also benefit from books.

The Lisa Libraries
Website: http://www.lisalibraries.org/frames.html
Email: books@lisalibraries.org
The Lisa Libraries donates children’s books to small grassroots non-profit organizations that serve low-income children. They have donated books to day-care centers, after school programs and prison visiting areas for children of incarcerated parents.

First Book
Website: http://register.firstbook.org/#book_bank

This organization offers nonprofits the opportunity to get books at a highly discounted price. It offers several programs based on your specific needs, but generally organizations need to be working with low-income children and/or incorporate literacy or reading into their programs.

Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnobleinc.com/our_company/sponsorship/sponsorship_loc...

Unfortunately Barnes and Noble does not give out grants or scholarships. However, they may offer you fundraising opportunities at the local level. Applications must be made to the store manager or community relations manager at your local Barnes and Noble branch. If someone successfully holds a fundraising event with Barnes and Noble, please tell me about it so I can be more specific about what they offer.

Another website that has lists of additional scholarship and funding opportunities is The Freechild Project , found here: http://www.freechild.org/funds4progress.htm. The website also provides more information about issues that youth all over the U.S. are working on.