The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois will accept applications for the In Youth We Trust grant program until 5 p.m. on February 8, 2018.

Applications must be submitted by local, youth-led groups or organizations using one of the application forms found on cfnil.org/grants/youth.  Submitted applications will be reviewed by the In Youth We Trust Council, a group of local high school students who convene monthly at the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois to learn about grantmaking, volunteerism, and community leadership.

Applicants can request a maximum of $2,500. Last year’s recipients have included the Auburn National Honor Society, Blackhawk Area Council, Gigi’s Playhouse, Harlem High School Veteran Project, Northwest Community Center 4-H Teen Teachers, Rochelle Township High School Interact Club, and the Talcott STEM Club.

“The In Youth We Trust grants program is an opportunity for high school students from all over the region to learn about and practice philanthropy.  The students help establish grant criteria, evaluate proposals, and recommend grant awards for youth-led projects.  In Youth We Trust empowers youth to expand their moral imagination and ‘see the good’.”

The IYWT Council looks for projects that:

– Promote collaboration and teamwork,
– Provide creative solutions to community issues,
– Create community awareness and understanding of youth issues,
– Have a clear, practical plan for implementation, and
– Have a realistic budget.

The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois established In Youth We Trust in 1994 with a grant from the Ford Foundation. In Youth We Trust teaches grantmaking and volunteerism to today’s youth, preparing them to be the positive change of tomorrow.