AAACF's Youth Council celebrates its 20th Anniversary!
Since its launch in the 1989-90 school year, 185 young people from Ann Arbor area high schools have served on AAACF's Youth Council.  They have awarded more than $1.37 million in grants to support a broad spectrum of projects and programs that serve young people in our region.

Established in 1989 with a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, AAACF's Youth Council gives young people an opportunity to help address community-wide issues that affect youth. Youth Council (YC) makes competitive grant recommendations twice each year.  YC also offers annual mini-grants to fifth grade students in Ann Arbor to support various community service projects and outreach.

Beyond providing direct financial support for community programs that benefit our region's youth, AAACF's Youth Council provides a rich and valuable learning experience for those who serve - planting philanthropic seeds that help develop future community leaders.  Throughout the year YC members participate in grant meetings to evaluate funding requests, site visits to learn more about local nonprofits, volunteer projects, statewide conferences and workshops, planning and leadership retreats, AAACF Board of Trustee meetings, and outreach efforts to recruit new members.   With very little guidance from adult advisors, this diverse group continues to make a huge difference in young people's lives throughout our region.

  • Mission
  • Goals
  • Grants
  • Become A Youth Council Member
  • Meetings
  • YC Alumni Association

    Mission
    The mission of the Youth Council is to:

    • Enhance the decision making skills of young people.

    • Provide a forum for youth interests, needs and problems.
    • Commit resources to youth-serving programs.
    • Involve youth in both volunteerism and philanthropy.

    Goals
    The Youth Council's goals are to:

    • Examine and prioritize needs of youth in the Ann Arbor area.

    • Develop practical approaches to addressing those needs.
    • Review grant proposals and make recommendations to the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation related to income from the youth fund.
    • Develop and encourage youth involvement in philanthropy and volunteerism.

     

    Youth Council Grants

    Youth Council awards grants twice each year - in the Spring and Fall.

     

    The Youth Council is particularly interested in programs serving youth that:

    • take place after school and/or weekends;

    • involve teens grades 9-12 in the development and implementation of projects;

    • appeal and respond to diverse needs and interests; and

    • whose content and methods address youth needs for safety, fun, friendships, mentors, as well as the  opportunity for teens to take a more active role in their community.

     

    Highest priority will be given to programs that address the issues of:

    • education

    • discrimination/diversity awareness

    • accessibility of arts programs

    • recreational activities

    • teen stress. 

    For information on how to apply for a grant,  click here.

    Membership
    The Youth Council is composed of 20-25 youth from area high schools, one adult staff advisor and 5 adults in an advisory support role. YC accepts membership applications in early September each year, and selects new members to replace graduating seniors. 

    For an application, click here.

    Meetings
    Youth Council meets monthly.  Subcommittees meet as needed.

    Youth Council Alumni Association

    The Youth Council Alumni Association was created to help re-connect  Youth Council Alumni to the Community Foundation and to each other.

    If you are a former Youth Council member, please click on the link below to fill out the data form. We’re seeking to collect current mailing, email addresses, and phone numbers of all YC Alumni. We’re also asking for information on graduation year and high school, information on experiences since high school, parents mailing addresses and phone numbers.

    We hope to create mentorship opportunities and other beneficial connections for our YC Alumni. For instance, the database will enable Alumni to connect to the wide range of people and organizations of the Community Foundation for internships or jobs. The Alumni Association will also serve to provide Alumni with opportunities to attend reunions, reconnect with Youth Council, and to participate in volunteer work and philanthropy in the Ann Arbor area.

    The Alumni Association is also beneficial for current Youth Council members, who can look to YC Alumni for advice and information on college or volunteer opportunities post high school. They might also be able to participate in joint volunteer activities in conjunction with YC Alumni.

     Youth Council Alumni Survey

     

     

    If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 734-663-0401 or youthcouncil@aaacf.org

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