youth, Schools, and Community Organizations Powered by
$1 million+ in YSA Grants

Who receives the $1 million+ in YSA Grants?

• $300,000 to K-12 schools for a Semester of Service, during which students apply what they are learning in the classroom to solving problems in their communities.
• $444,000 to citywide and statewide community organizations to build partnerships that engage thousands of youth in high profile service events on MLK Day of Service and Global Youth Service Day. 
• $397,000 to youth leaders for projects that address issues like childhood obesity, environmental degradation, and childhood hunger.

What do YSA Grants do?

• Engage hundreds of thousands of youth, ages 5-25,  in service or service-learning programs. In 2011, YSA Grantees engaged 550,000 youth volunteers. In 2012, we expect YSA Grantees to engage at least 650,000 youth volunteers.
• Increase student achievement. In 2011, students in YSA's STEMester of Service program showed statistically significant gains in academic engagement, 21st century skills, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) measures as compared to a control group. We expect our school grant programs to show similar results this year.
• Strengthen communities. In 2011, youth volunteers in YSA Grants-funded projects served an estimated 1,417,000 hours of service and benefited at least 885,000 individuals. Based on the current value of a volunteer hour, these youth volunteers contributed $30,267,120 worth of time to their communities.

YSA Grants motivate others to give in support of GYSD.

• Several state service commissions, including Kansas, Utah, Idaho, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Montana, DC, Louisiana, and Iowa, distribute grants for GYSD. (Many of these are GYSD Lead Agencies, and match YSA Grant funds with local funds.)
• Local companies and foundations, working with YSA partners, support GYSD projects. For example, in Minnesota, Delta Dental of Minnesota has sponsored the "Serve a Smile" grant program for 9 years, providing over $350,000 in funding and in-kind donations.

• Some YSA National and Global Partners also offer grant programs for GYSD. For GYSD 2012, BBYO and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation provided grants for J-Serve projects. J-Serve is the International Day of Jewish Youth Service, and has been a part of GYSD since 2005.

Each year, we receive thousands of applications for innovative programs that engage youth in educating, serving, advocating, and giving to solve problems in their communities. We'll begin accepting applications for grants for the 2012-2013 program year in May; watch www.YSA.org/grants for the latest information on grant programs and opportunities.