YOUTH GRANTMAKERS CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GROWTH

A publication to help engage youth in community foundation development ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Karin E. Tice, Ph.D. is a Introduction Partner at Formative Evaluation Research Associates (FERA), an independent evaluation group Community foundations and is the lead evaluator for the I took two Youth Advisory are taking a key leadership role Council of Michigan Founda- Committee members along with by engaging youth as resources tions’ Youth Project (1991 – 2001). me to make a request to help us for problem solving and part- Trained as a social anthropologist, meet a challenge grant match to a ners in the growth of the com- Dr. Tice has conducted extensive very wealthy man not known for his munity. They are developing research in the community generosity. When he turned us Youth Advisory Committees foundation and youth develop- down, the youth had the courage (YACs) as permanent standing ment fields. to ask him why he did not want to committees. YACs assess youth contribute to his own community. needs and assets in their com- With training, youth After some discussion, munities, do proactive they convinced him to grantmaking, stimulate youth and adults can involvement as resources, and make a donation. successfully cross the collaborate with community generational divide —A community foundation trustee foundation boards on fund and work together to development. increase community outh involvement in This article focuses on foundation resources philanthropy is rapidly youth involvement in commu- for making a Ygrowing and has spread nity foundation fund develop- difference in their to 30 states in the U.S.A. and ment. It draws upon 10 years of communities. other countries including evaluation research by FERA on Canada, Great Britain, Northern youth in philanthropy, and Ireland, the Czech Republic, community foundation growth The Council of Michigan and New Zealand. While in Michigan. Currently there Foundations is an association of community foundations and are 86 Youth Advisory Commit- foundations and corporations United Ways are the most tees functioning within commu- which make grants for charitable common vehicles through nity foundations or their affili- purposes. As a membership which youth become engaged in ates in Michigan. Over 8,000 organization, our mission is to philanthropy, local govern- young people have been in- enhance, to improve, and to ments, schools, 4-H clubs, and volved in philanthropic activity increase philanthropy in other community groups are over ten years. Michigan. also involving youth.

COUNCIL OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATIONS • P.O. BOX 599 • GRAND HAVEN, MI 49417 • 616/842-7080 • FAX: 842-1760 Engaging Youth in Fund Development

ommunity foundations and community foundation funds to leverage another in Michigan began board members. These opportu- funder’s challenge dollars. C involving young people nities may include role playing in fund development when they presentations to potential donors, ❖ Using the group approach. were offered a challenge grant explaining fund development A number of youth with a 2:1 match. The purpose concepts, talking about the grantmaking committees have of the grant—the Michigan importance of relationship build- successfully approached service Community Foundations' Youth ing, and sharing current commu- clubs and other community Project—was to both increase nity foundation strategies. organizations about investing in their unrestricted grantmaking their work. The youth assets and to engage youth in ❖ Conducting potential grantmakers annually present philanthropy by establishing donor visits. the work of their grantmaking endowed Youth Funds advised Trained youth and trustees at a club meeting and request by Youth Advisory Committees. can be paired to talk with additional financial support for individuals or with corpora- the next year. While many youth have tions. They have an opportu- opportunities to participate in nity to talk about the YAC's ❖ Holding an annual event. car washes and other traditional work and to help ask for a YACs have been known to fundraisers through their major gift for the youth fund or annually hold an event, such as schools or other community other youth initiative of the doing their own theater produc- groups, few have the chance to community foundation. tion or operating a concession go on a corporate call or to stand at a basketball game as a participate in a major ❖ Presenting at and assist- means of gaining both visibility fundraising campaign. YACs ing with events. and obtaining additional funds have provided opportunities for YAC members often assist for their grantmaking. YAC youth to participate in a range with organizing and implement- members are sensitive about not of fund development related ing annual fund development being viewed as competitors to activities. During the challenge and other community founda- other fund-raising at their grant the focus was on raising tion events. They may talk schools and in their community. matching dollars. Since then, about their community needs YACs have worked to increase and asset assessments, ❖ Modeling youth in- the philanthropic dollars avail- grantmaking, and community volvement. able to support youth-related service activities at these events. YACs serve as a model for initiatives. YAC fund develop- One community foundation involving youth as resources. ment related activities include: celebrated the 10th anniversary Common held stereotypes about of its YAC at an annual meeting. youth are challenged, and youth ❖ Learning about fund YAC alumni spoke about how as well as the community development. serving on the YAC has made a foundation receive positive Youth grantmakers need to difference in their lives. media attention. Community first learn how community foundation staff and board foundations obtain the resources ❖ Leveraging resources. members usually wear many to make grants. By meeting YACs use many different hats in a community. YAC with staff and the fund develop- ways to leverage resources to members are often involved in ment committee, they learn meet the needs of youth in their other organizations as well. about concepts such as endow- communities. These include: 1) Ideas about new ways to involve ment, planned giving, challenge developing and submitting youth in non-profits and in grants, and other forms of proposals to other local founda- community problem solving leveraging resources. tions to obtain funding for big flow out through these individu- initiatives, 2) offering challenge als. For example, some non- ❖ Receiving training. grants to a program or initiative; profits have followed the YACs Some YACs provide joint 3) asking the community foun- lead and begun to involve youth fund development training dation board to co-fund propos- in fund development activities in opportunities for their members als; and 4) providing matching their own organizations. 2 COUNCIL OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATIONS • P.O. BOX 599 • GRAND HAVEN, MI 49417 • 616/842-7080 • FAX: 616/ 842-1760 Benefits

ommunity foundations to contribute to their youth fund. ❖ Learning about fund can benefit in many They then challenged the board of development strategies. ways from involving trustees to contribute. C ❖ youth in fund development. Gaining fund develop- Key benefits are: ❖ New partners. ment skills Having youth involved as ❖ Increased assets. grantmakers can be an attraction ❖ Meeting community Community foundations to other funding partners. Fam- foundation donors and pros- can increase their asset levels by ily and private foundations have pects. establishing permanently en- provided matching grants to dowed youth funds. Potential community foundations for ❖ Learning about the donors often respond more youth committees to deal with connections between grant- positively to youth requesting issues such as violence preven- making, community leadership, dollars than they do to adults. tion. The role of these youth and fund development. As one trustee commented, “It is grantmakers was vital to the very hard to turn down an decision by the state of Michigan One YAC member said, enthusiastic young person who to distribute Tobacco Settlement “Serving on a YAC has taught wants to make a difference.” Funds through community me a lot about responsibility and foundations for healthy youth showed me that everyone has ❖ New networks. and healthy senior issues. the power within to make a YAC members open doors difference.” to new networks as they tell ❖ New source of energy their friends, family, grandpar- and enthusiasm. Ultimately, communities ents, and neighbors about what The dedication, pride and benefit when youth gain leader- they are doing. These networks commitment which is so evident ship and fund development all represent potential donors in the YAC participants can skills. A longitudinal study of and serve to increase community provide a sense of renewal for the YAC alumni is showing that foundation visibility. community foundation. Their young people’s experience with enthusiasm is hard not to re- philanthropy is encouraging ❖ New group of donors. spond to and is easy to catch. them to seek volunteer opportu- When youth establish a nities to engage in grantmaking relationship with community Young people also benefit in and fund development in the foundations through YACs, they many ways including: nonprofit sector. Others are often become current and future pursuing studies to prepare donors. One YAC had members ❖ Acquiring increased levels themselves for careers in the empty their pockets at the first of confidence in their own abili- nonprofit sector and/or the field meeting and found they had $89 ties to both contribute and to lead. of philanthropy.

Lessons Learned

everal important lessons crease their assets. As one can support. It can be an have been learned about community foundation donor important impetus for starting S engaging youth in com- said, “It is hard to say no to a new community foundation munity foundation fund devel- these articulate youth.” or for reviving a sleepy inactive opment. They are: one. ❖ Involving youth in ❖ Linking youth to fund philanthropy and in fund devel- ❖ Teaming youth with a development efforts can help opment provides a content focus trustee for one-to-one visits with community foundations in- that everyone in a community potential donors helps the

3 COUNCIL OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATIONS • P.O. BOX 599 • GRAND HAVEN, MI 49417 • 616/842-7080 • FAX: 616/842-1760 youth feel more comfortable and board members who are ❖ Youth need training and with their fund development working on fund development encouragement to be effective opportunity. strategies. A current best prac- fund developers. So do many tice states: “Community Foun- adult community foundation ❖ Engaging youth in fund dations’ staff, board members, board members. Offering joint development is easier when and volunteers should be en- training provides a unique there is a challenge grant or couraged to include YAC mem- opportunity for youth and adults other specific goal to work bers in their Fund Development to learn and grow together. toward. Plan to assist with the continual growth of the community foun- ❖ The visit to a potential ❖ It is important for YACs dation.” This can be done donor needs to be scripted to purposefully be included in a through active participation on without losing spontaneity. foundation’s fund development fund development calls to pro- Adult board members need to plan. This requires good com- spective donors, community/ give the young people accompa- munication, and opportunities organization presentations, and nying them time during the visit for interaction between YAC other opportunities to talk about to describe their experiences as a the community foundation. youth grantmaker.

Conclusions

outh involvement in and requires challenging both facilitate this shift. When new fund development adults’ and youths’ thinking. ways of collaboration are mod- Y benefits everyone— Having structures in place such eled by community foundations community foundations, the as opportunities for adults and and their YACs, they can spread youth, and ultimately commu- youth to interact in meaningful throughout the community nities. Changing the paradigm ways and specific links between serving as an impetus for from youth as problems to foundation and YAC fund change. youth as resources takes time development efforts can help

Resources

Organizations Selected resources Council of Michigan Mawby, Russell G. 1992. Why Tice, Karin E. 1998. Empower- Foundations—www.mcfyp.org Youth? Why Community ing Youth: Lessons Learned Foundations? W.K. Kellogg From the Michigan Commu- Coalition of Community Foundation: Battle Creek, nity Foundations’ Youth Foundations for Youth — MI. Project (1991-1997). Council www.ccfy.org of Michigan Foundations: Rosen, Matt. 2001. Changing the Grand Haven, MI. Vancouver Foundation — Face of Giving: An Assess- www.vancouver.org ment of Youth Philanthropy. The James Irvine Foundation: Youth as Resources — San Francisco, CA www.yar.org (www.irvine.org).

Youth on Boards — www.youthonboard.org

Production made possible with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 4 COUNCIL OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATIONS • P.O. BOX 599 • GRAND HAVEN, MI 49417 • 616/842-7080 • FAX: 616/ 842-1760 Litho in the USA.