One Youth Council member serves on AAACF's Board of Trustees with full voting privileges.

Youth Council members gain a deep understanding of our community's needs and issues related to youth, our local nonprofit sector, and how philanthropy and volunteering can make a meaningful difference in strengthening our community.
It’s a tradition that began in 1989 with a challenge grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Both Kellogg and AAACF recognized that given the opportunity, young people can provide an important voice and vehicle for strengthening local communities.
Since 1989, 266 high school students have served on AAACF’s Youth Council, awarding over $2 million in grants that have supported a wide variety of youth programs and projects throughout Washtenaw County.