The Youth College Readiness Grant, administered by the City of Boston’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD), provides funding to nonprofit organizations that prepare 7th and 8th grade Boston students—especially first-generation college aspirants—for post-secondary success. This one-time opportunity is designed to strengthen college readiness pathways through structured programming that includes mentorship, tutoring, and career exploration. The program will fund services occurring between January and August 2026, with grant-funded activities required to conclude by August 31, 2026.
The OWD is Boston’s lead municipal workforce agency, administering funding from sources such as the City’s Operating Budget to deliver services related to education, training, and youth development. For this grant opportunity, $500,000 in total funding has been allocated from the FY26 City of Boston Operating Budget. Each awarded organization will receive between $50,000 and $150,000. This funding is intended strictly for existing programming—not for new pilots or untested initiatives. It must support public-facing services open to eligible students citywide, regardless of school enrollment.
Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations or apply with a fiscal sponsor. They must demonstrate existing partnerships with institutes of higher education, success in preparing students for post-secondary pathways, and a record of serving Boston’s youth population—particularly low-income students, public housing residents, and those who would be first in their family to attend college. Programs that partner with Boston Public Schools (BPS) may apply, but the programming must not be exclusive to a single school or limited to internal communities.
The application period launches on September 19, 2025, with a virtual information session scheduled for September 29, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. An optional letter of intent may be submitted by October 6, 2025, and completed applications are due by October 16, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Applications will be reviewed in November, with award announcements expected in January 2026. Activities funded through this grant must be completed by August 31, 2026.
All applicants must include documentation that illustrates their recruitment methods for reaching low-income and first-generation college students. Programs must be able to document the eligibility of participants and outline how their services transition students into long-term academic success. Selected grantees will be expected to participate in a showcase event, host a site visit, and submit one progress report and one final report to the OWD. Collaborative applications are encouraged, and organizations may include schools as partners so long as services remain publicly accessible.
For assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact Tatiana Joyce, Program Manager at the Office of Workforce Development, via email at tatiana.joyce@boston.gov or by phone at 617-918-5302.
Ensure program is existing (not a pilot); target first-gen, low-income, and public housing youth; document eligibility clearly
