Fall Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!) Grants

The Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!) Grants are administered by the Howard County Government to support free and accessible youth-centered programs within the county. These grants are managed through the Office of the County Executive and reflect the county’s continued commitment to enhancing youth development, engagement, and wellness. Specifically targeted at nonprofit and community-based organizations, the YEP! grants are designed to fund programs that operate outside of traditional school hours and emphasize emotional and mental well-being. The primary objective of the YEP! Grants is to promote youth engagement by funding programs that deliver supportive services and enrichment opportunities for children and teens in Howard County. Funded programs must be free or low-cost and are expected to focus on areas such as social-emotional learning, mental health and wellness, and positive youth development. In addition to offering these services, applicants are encouraged to partner with other local community organizations to foster collaboration and expand the impact of their proposed initiatives. Spending under the YEP! program must align with the goals of youth engagement and community collaboration. The county supports programming that is not only educational or recreational but also addresses wellness and emotional health. The grants may be used for materials, facilitation, staff, and other resources necessary to operate these programs effectively, as long as the programming remains free or highly accessible to youth in Howard County. Eligibility for the YEP! Grants is restricted to nonprofit and community-based organizations that serve youth in Howard County, Maryland. Programs must take place in the county, and applicants must demonstrate a clear plan to provide consistent, supportive, and accessible services to local young people. Preference is likely given to programs with established community ties and a track record of effective delivery, although the evaluation criteria were not fully detailed in the source. Applications for the FY25 YEP! cycle were released in August 2024, with awards announced in the fall of that year. A total of thirty-three organizations were awarded grants in FY25 to support various types of programming ranging from mentoring and tutoring to climate education, esports, and cultural engagement. Contact for the grant is available through the Office of the County Executive at yep@howardcountymd.gov or by phone at 410-313-3939. The program appears to recur annually, as evidenced by the naming convention (FY25) and historical references to prior-year awardees. Although exact evaluation criteria and required documentation were not disclosed in the provided information, applicants can obtain clarification or ask questions by reaching out to the contact provided. This grant offers valuable financial support for organizations committed to expanding opportunities for Howard County’s youth in meaningful and impactful ways.