Youth Leadership Grants FAQ
What are the Children of Abraham Youth Leadership Grants?
Youth Leadership Grants are $1,000 micro-grants that give high school students the opportunity to put their faith and ideas into action, learning valuable practical skills for leadership towards peace and social action. A different topic is selected each year to be examined through the lens of the three Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), and applications must be centered around that topic. Past topics have included compassion, fighting corruption, and environmental stewardship.
Who can apply for a Youth Leadership Grant?
High school students in grades 10 and 11 can apply for the grants. Grants can be awarded to individuals or to groups of students who wish to work on the same project. Everyone is welcome to apply, regardless of faith background.
How do I apply?
The application process is two-fold.
First, you’ll need to do some research and reflect on the topic. To show you’ve put some real thought into it, you’ll write a 4-page essay on the topic to submit with your application.
Second, you’ll write a 4-page proposal for a practical, teen-based project that relates to the chosen topic. Your project can be locally-focused, nationally-focused, or even internationally-focused.
What if I need more than $1,000 for my project?
Every Youth Leadership Grant recipient is encouraged to do some of their own fundraising and apply for a matching grant of up to $1,000. That means, if you raise just $1,000 on your own, you’ll end up with $3,000 for your project!
For groups, grant amounts will be awarded according to the size of the group, the proposed project, and FFC’s resources for that year.
Do I need to attend any events in order to apply?
The kick-off for the program takes place online, so you won’t have to go anywhere in person to get started – just come to our website. However, you will need to register so we know you want to participate and we can send you important information along the way.
Sometimes we will plan a workshop to help with brainstorming as well as the practical part of writing the essay and project proposal. You should do your best to attend.
Grant recipients are announced during the awards ceremony at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. You’ll get to hear an inspiring speaker, find out what other applicants are doing for their projects, and share about your own project. And, if your application is successful, you’ll get your grant!
What happens when my project is finished?
We hope you’ll consider mentoring a younger sibling or friend who wants to take over your project so the good work can keep on going.
At a certain point, we’ll ask you to submit a report on your project and how you used the grant money. And if it keeps going, keep in touch! We want to know how you and your project are doing, even after the formal process is over.
I’m going to need some help!
We know! That’s why every student or group who submits an application needs an adult sponsor who’ll help guide them through the process. We’ll also provide access to online resources, our own online mentors, and plenty of examples of projects that students have done in the past. Check here for some of those examples.
What if I have more questions?
We’ll post more specific information for each year’s program, such as the topic, guidelines, forms, and registration, as we go along. If you need more information than what you can find on our website, send an email to ffc@futureofchildren.net or call 202-364-2606.