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BOSTON – Monday,
September 13, 2021 – Mayor Kim Janey, the Office of Health and Human
Services (HHS) and the Office of Public Safety (OPS) are pleased to
announce applications are now being accepted for the 2022 Youth Development
Fund (YDF) Fall Grant. The Youth Development Fund (YDF) is a yearly
competitive grant aimed at supporting nonprofit organizations that work
with Boston youth and young adults, ages 10-25.
A total of
$1,250,000 will be awarded to Boston nonprofit organizations providing
positive violence intervention, prevention, and response services
throughout the city. The YDF will award a total of $1,100,000 in Fall
Grants through this application process and at least $150,000 in Summer
Grants. The maximum grant award is $60,000 and awards will vary in size. Applications are now open, and responses are due Friday, September 24
at 4:00 p.m. Notifications to award recipients will be sent in
October.
“Developing and
protecting our youth are of the most important responsibilities we have as
a City,” said Mayor Janey. “As we continue to improve safety on our
streets, it’s crucial to listen to the needs of each individual
neighborhood. The Youth Development Fund is an essential tool to ensure
programming is available to support Boston’s youth and young adults.”
This fund aims to
increase the number and variety of youth development programs intentionally
contributing to metrics that prevent youth and young adult violence in
Boston neighborhoods. The Youth Development Fund will prioritize the
following types of organizations:
·
Boston-based
nonprofits in neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by gun or youth
violence
·
Youth-serving
entities with an intentional focus on outreach and engagement of high-risk/
proven-risk youth and young adults or other specified underserved youth
population
·
Organizations
using the Positive
Youth Development framework and/ or Meaningful
Youth Engagement
practices
There will also be a
concentration on supporting activities that implement evidence-based
prevention strategies intended to shape individual behaviors as well as
relationship, community, and societal factors that influence the risk for
violence. Examples of evidence-based Youth Violence Prevention strategies
include but are not limited to:
·
Strengthening
youth and young adults’ developmental skills
·
Connecting
youth to caring adults and a safe space when not in school
·
Creating
protective community environments
·
Intervening
to lessen harms and prevent future risk
"As we continue
to work towards an equitable recovery from the impacts of COVID-19, keeping
our young people safe and healthy is paramount," said Chief of Health
and Human Services Marty Martinez. "The upcoming investments being
made in community organizations that work directly with our youth, will
ensure that their safety and well being remain a top priority."
Of the 34
organizations or programs funded last fall, 30 are led by a person of color
and 12 are woman-led. In total, 2,401 youth were served across Allston,
Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica
Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, South End, West End and
West Roxbury. 85 percent of those served are youth of color.
"It is through
key partnerships with nonprofit organizations throughout the City that
we're able to ensure and measure the impacts of our violence prevention
strategies," said Director of Public Safety Dr. Rufus Faulk. "The
Youth Development Fund plays an important role in helping us support our
nonprofit partners by providing the funding to strengthen and expand the
opportunities they create for Boston youth."
Nonprofit,
youth-serving organizations and organizations using eligible fiscal agents
are invited to apply for an award. Please read the eligibility and program
requirements carefully as the grant design, priorities and applicant
eligibility of the Youth Development Fund have been significantly modified
from previous years. The City of Boston will make an effort to be
deliberate and intentional with giving in the Boston community, and will
look closely at which programs align with the unique needs of each
neighborhood.
For more information
about the Youth Development Fund, please visit here.
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