With Youth For Youth (WYFY) Grant Program

The With Youth For Youth (WYFY) Grant Opportunities for Western New York represent a dynamic, youth-led initiative aimed at transforming out-of-school-time (OST) and youth sports programs through the power of youth voice and participatory leadership. Coordinated by Youthprise and funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, WYFY empowers young people across five regions in the United States—including Western New York—to redesign afterschool systems with youth at the center of decision-making. This initiative builds on two previous efforts—Generator Z and Powered by Youth Voice—both of which elevated youth contributions to program development, reinforcing the belief that youth-led leadership creates more relevant, inclusive, and impactful programs. The Western New York (WNY) WYFY Youth Advisory Board, composed of 24 young people aged 13–17 from both urban and rural counties, holds decision-making authority over the grant distribution process. With representation from Allegany, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties, the board engages in design-thinking sessions, leadership development, and experiential learning. Their aim is to support organizations that embed youth voice into their programming and reflect equitable access and systems-level improvements. The 2026 grant cycle offers more than $2 million in funding for eligible 501(c)(3) public charities and youth-serving organizations located in or serving the nine counties of Western New York. Eligible programs include a broad spectrum of OST initiatives—from arts and enrichment to civic engagement and workforce development—so long as they occur outside the traditional school day and demonstrate a meaningful commitment to youth leadership and inclusion. Notably, programs like tackle football, school-sanctioned athletic teams, and traditional sports equipment requests are ineligible, as are endowments, religious activities, and multi-year funding requests. Each organization is limited to one application. Applications must be submitted online via the Foundant Grant Lifecycle Manager. The application opened on January 20, 2026, and the deadline for submissions is February 23, 2026, at 4 p.m. No extensions or late submissions are allowed. A virtual information session will be held on January 21, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. All applications will be reviewed by the youth advisory board based on six structured evaluation criteria: youth voice and leadership, youth experience and benefits, mission and values alignment, use of funds, challenge analysis and solutions, and the program’s contribution to systems-level change. Final grant decisions will be announced in April 2026, with funds distributed in June for a one-year program period. Applicants are expected to provide clear and concise responses suitable for reviewers in grades 8–12. Required components include narrative questions on organizational mission, youth involvement, community impact, challenges, solutions, and goals, as well as written or video responses directly from youth participants. Programs should outline how they will integrate or expand youth decision-making power, and a final report will be due at the end of the funding year. This report will cover outcomes, budget expenditures, program impact, and feedback for WYFY as a youth-led grantmaker. In summary, the WYFY Grant Opportunity is not merely a funding stream—it is a platform to shift how resources are invested in youth. It seeks to uplift youth as co-creators and leaders, ensure equitable program access, and foster systems thinking across the youth development landscape in Western New York.

Ensure youth voice and leadership roles are clearly defined; use concise language suitable for youth reviewers.