February 14, 2024
High school students from Benton, Berwick, Bloomsburg, Central Columbia, Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech, Danville, Line Mountain, Lewisburg, Midd-West, Millville, Mifflinburg, Northwest, Selinsgrove, Shikellamy, and Warrior Run High Schools are serving as youth grantmakers through the Community Giving Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy program. More than 225 students participate in the program and each school’s group has the responsibility of granting up to $5,000 to youth-related projects.
Youth in Philanthropy can make philanthropic values, principles, and traditions come alive for young people and communities. The goal of the program is to provide meaningful engagement in the workings of the Foundation and to encourage interest in and understand of giving back. In addition, the students provide valuable input on the needs of youth and a new perspective that is helpful to the Foundation. Throughout the school year, students develop a set of funding priorities determined through needs assessment surveys that they conduct in their schools and communities. Students use the information collected to review grant applications.
Grant applications for Youth in Philanthropy must be completed and submitted through a web-based program. Each school group has their own service area, funding priority areas (see below), and application. Applicants may apply to more than one school. To access the grant application, visit csgiving.org/grants. Grant requests must be submitted online by 11:59pm on March 14, 2024.
For grant-related questions, please contact Karri Harter, Grant and Scholarship Administrator, at 570-752-3930 ext. 6 or [email protected]. For questions on the Youth in Philanthropy program, contact Alyssa Meyers-Sanonu, Director of Philanthropy, at 570-752-3930 ext. 3 or [email protected].
Funding Priority Areas
BENTON AREA HIGH SCHOOL
Benton Area School District’s Youth in Philanthropy program has been given $5,000 from the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund of Community Giving Foundation: Berwick. They will be accepting applications from nonprofit organizations and selecting recipients based on who will provide support for their community based on their needs assessment results. The needs assessment has indicated the needs are community mental health, cyberbullying prevention, school spirit, and food opportunities.
BERWICK AREA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The Berwick Youth in Philanthropy students wish to create a positive impact within their community and seek to improve the community by funding programs that help improve the lives of youth. The members of Berwick High School’s Youth in Philanthropy are looking for ways to help better their community by distributing grants to interested organizations. According to their peers, the top priorities for the youth in their community are motivation, transportation, and community opportunities.
BLOOMSBURG AREA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Bloomsburg High School Youth in Philanthropy is giving out grants up to $5,000 to local organizations that will help their community. Some of the needs they are concerned with include students in need of clothing, lack of food, and student engagement.
CENTRAL COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL
Central Columbia Youth in Philanthropy has $5,000 in their grantround to award for the 2023-2024 year. Their school’s top needs are student involvement/inclusion and mental health (support for students with stress or sense of belonging). Their group is very honored to be able to award this money and see it better their community.
COLUMBIA MONTOUR AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
The Youth in Philanthropy group from Columbia-Montour AVTS are giving out grants up to $5,000 to local organizations that will help their community. Some of the needs they are concerned with are students struggling with mental health, underfunded school programs, and social interaction opportunities.
DANVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL
Danville’s Youth in Philanthropy group does their best to reach the needs of their community each year. They have $5,000 to award to nonprofits. Based on their needs assessments, they are looking for nonprofits that target improving mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, and time management. They would also like to support programs that target other needs in their community.
LEWISBURG AREA HIGH SCHOOL
The Lewisburg High School Youth in Philanthropy group discovered the following needs during their survey to students and staff: health care/mental health services, cost of healthy food, transportation (paths/public transport), work/job, and recreation centers.
LINE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL
The Youth in Philanthropy group from Line Mountain Area School District is giving out grants up to $5,000 to local nonprofits that will help their community. After completing a needs assessment through focus groups at their school district, they would like to focus on the following three goal areas: lack of transportation, job opportunities, and public services.
MIDD-WEST HIGH SCHOOL
The Midd-West Area Youth in Philanthropy program has $5,000 in grant money to award to appropriate nonprofit organizations in the community. Students in the program have identified needs in their community to focus these grant awards. Focus needs include ways to help children with bullying, activities in the area, and safety. Organizations that can provide services targeting the focus needs are encouraged to apply.
MIFFLINBURG AREA HIGH SCHOOL
The Mifflinburg High School Youth in Philanthropy is a group of student leaders that seek to improve their community by promoting the art of giving, by partnering with local service organizations, and by granting money to people and programs that aim to help their community’s youth. Through a student survey at their school, results show that some of the main concerns are food pantry (access to more food, resources, and location), mental health resources, and physical activities for the community.
MILLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
The Millville Youth in Philanthropy group seeks to improve their school and community by granting money to organizations aiming to benefit local youth. Nonprofit programs are encouraged to apply if committed to addressing youth issues, including but not limited to vaping/substance abuse, bullying, stress, anxiety/mental health, and school spirit/culture. The Millville Youth in Philanthropy group has $5,000 to distribute back into the community. All grant requests must support services provided to youth residing in the Millville School District.
NORTHWEST AREA HIGH SCHOOL
The Northwest Area Youth in Philanthropy group is pleased to announce that they will be awarding $5,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations for 2023/24. This project is sponsored by the Community Giving Foundation: Berwick. Students completed an assessment regarding the needs of students from Northwest Area High School. As a group, they are seeking proposals that will positively respond to the following, equally important needs: mental health issues/stress outlets, motivation, and school spirit/student involvement. All grant requests must support services provided to youth residing in the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund service area.
SELINSGROVE AREA HIGH SCHOOL
The Selinsgrove Area High School Youth in Philanthropy club provides grant opportunities to nonprofit organizations in the Susquehanna Valley. The group focuses on analyzing the needs throughout the community to provide assistance for local students and other community members. After a recent survey, the top needs identified in the survey were affordable, interactive experiences for Selinsgrove Area School District youth and separation from technology. The group currently has $5,000 to distribute between organizations that will provide for the community’s needs.
SHIKELLAMY HIGH SCHOOL
The JROTC Braves Battalion of Shikellamy High School is looking for applicants for their Youth in Philanthropy grantround. Nonprofit applicants must help with their three priorities for the community: health, transportation, and public safety. They have been granted $5,000 to give back to the community.
WARRIOR RUN HIGH SCHOOL
The Warrior Run High School Youth in Philanthropy is a group of student leaders that seek to improve their community by promoting the art of giving, by partnering with local service organizations, and by granting money to people and programs that aim to help their community’s youth. The group has recognized that Warrior Run students are struggling with mental health (specifically regarding stress and anxiety management), student connection, and promotion of positive self-image. They have been allotted $5,000 from the Warrior Run Education Foundation go grant to 501(c)(3) organizations that meet their student’s needs. If your group or organization supports youth in the community and/or addresses any of these important issues, you are encouraged to apply. All grant requests must support services provided to youth residing in the Warrior Run School District service area.