Youth Initiative

The Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation, a private charitable organization, offers the Youth Initiative grant program to support direct service efforts that promote resilience, stability, and psycho-social health for youth aged 14 to 21 who have experienced trauma as a result of exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The foundation is one of the few to accept unsolicited Letters of Inquiry (LOIs), but due to a high volume of requests, only programs well-aligned with its guidelines are considered. Each year, approximately five new grants are awarded for each of the foundation’s three initiatives, including the Youth Initiative. Eligible programs must meet several requirements. They must serve youth aged 14 to 21 whose ability to thrive has been significantly hindered by trauma from ACEs. Programs should provide age-appropriate therapeutic interventions, activities, or services that build resilience, stability, and psycho-social well-being, and must use trauma-informed practices and policies with a demonstrated commitment to ongoing staff training. The grant is open only to new programs or new components of existing programs that are in development or within their first year of implementation at the time of application. Services funded must go beyond initial crisis intervention and safety establishment, and cannot be short-term shelter-based or crisis-only responses. A clear plan for evaluating program effectiveness using qualitative and/or quantitative measures is required, as is a component to enhance the relationship between the youth and at least one significant adult. The foundation prioritizes programs that actively solicit input from beneficiaries to guide program design, collaborate with other organizations to enhance curriculum or share trauma-treatment knowledge, take a multidisciplinary approach that considers the social and cultural context, provide education to significant adults in the youths’ lives, and serve historically underserved youth populations such as BIPOC youth, rural youth, youth involved with state systems, refugees, LGBTQ youth, and those who have experienced sexual exploitation. Applicants must be organizations classified by the IRS as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and operate within the United States. Applications from organizations with a fiscal sponsor are accepted if there is a signed Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement demonstrating substantial fiscal and program oversight; applications from fiscal agents are not accepted. The average Youth Initiative grant award is $30,000, and the foundation intends to support funded programs for up to three years, contingent upon annual review. Multi-year funding beyond three years is not available, and recipients are encouraged to plan for long-term sustainability. Renewal applicants must submit a Progress Report and Renewal Application. Restrictions include ineligibility for funding for emergency or short-term shelter programs, ongoing general operating support, capital projects such as land acquisition or building construction, grants or scholarships to individuals, lobbying prohibited by the Internal Revenue Code, conferences, endowments, and start-up costs for new organizations. The foundation’s decision-making process is guided by its goal of aligning funding with strategic priorities and ensuring meaningful impact. For the 2025 cycle, the deadline for LOI submissions is June 15. Interested organizations should carefully review the program’s requirements before applying to ensure a strong fit with the foundation’s guidelines.

Carefully assess program fit with Foundation guidelines before applying. LOIs limited to one per organization per year. Organizations not well-aligned with guidelines are immediately disqualified.