Youth Grantmaking Board
In our community, high school students work together to fund local non-profits. Our teens are financial stewards leading us towards social change.
Wait, what? Teens can make grants?
Yes. The Youth Grantmaking Board, or YGB, is indeed unique. It is an opportunity for youth to have an active leadership role in the granting of monetary awards to local organizations that do good in our community. The YGB entrusts teenagers with a huge responsibility: studying local problems, stewarding financial resources, and being part of the solution.
The board begins in March each year by studying philanthropy and local issues in order to develop a Call for Proposals, which they release to local non-profit organizations in May. After we receive proposals for funding, board members conduct site visits in June and ultimately decide which applicants to fund.
After funded projects have been completed, the board conducts impact assessments in the fall by developing standard metrics to evaluate success, conducts follow-up visits to see projects, and creates a written report form for grantees. Board members come to their own conclusions about how to define success.
Meet the 2022 Board
The new 2022 Youth Grantmaking Board members are teens from towns in Westchester who are devoted to improving the well being of Port Chester and developing critical skills to better themselves along the way. We will begin accepting applications for our next year’s board in January 2023— if you are interested in this opportunity, please write to us at ygb@ccrye.org and introduce yourself!
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Hadley Hart
Hadley is an 11th grade student at Rye Country Day School and is a resident of Rye. She applied to the YGB because it sounded like an interesting opportunity to learn about the process of grantmaking and develop a better understanding of philanthropy. Hadley is a member of Christ’s Church Rye and enjoys playing lacrosse and field hockey in her free time.
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Orhan Eski
Orhan Eski is a 10th grade student at Port Chester High School. He joined the YGB because wanted the opportunity to learn how to make meaningful changes to his community and help those in need. He enjoys playing chess and the alto saxophone in the PCHS marching band.
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Valeryn Deras
Valeryn is a 10th grade student at Port Chester High School. She has lived there her whole life. She joined the YGB in order to help her community grow and change. Valeryn enjoys working with kids and being social with her community. Valeryn is a Carver scholar and she likes art and music.
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Liam Curnutt
Liam is a 10th grade student at Harrison High School. He currently lives in Harrison and before that, he lived in New York City. Liam found the YGB an interesting and exciting way to explore the world of grant making and meet some new people who share similar interests. In his free time, Liam enjoys to practice his track and field racing times, study computer science and play video games with his friends.
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Parker Yates
Parker Yates is a 9th grade student at Harrison High School and a resident of Harrison. She became a member of the YGB because she wanted the opportunity to have a more substantial impact on her community. Parker has enjoyed learning more about the grantmaking process and philanthropic world through the YGB. She enjoys reading and playing soccer and lacrosse.
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Ashley Monroy
Ashley is a 10th grade student at Port Chester High school. She is a lifelong resident of Port Chester. She joined the YGB because she wanted to help her community the best way she can. Ashley is also a member of the Carver Center’s scholar program.
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Ella Sheth
Ella Sheth is a sophomore at Rye High School. First, she lived in New York City, then started kindergarten in Rye. She became a member of the YGB because she had previously been involved in a grant through Christ’s Church over the summer and really enjoyed it. She wanted to know what really went into the whole process of grantmaking. Ella is a member of Christ’s Church Rye and spends most of her time at crew through RowAmerica Rye.
Our Past Grantees
The Youth Grantmaking Board was grateful to be able to award $15,000 in grants to seven organizations that serve residents of Port Chester. They received more than twenty applications totaling more than $130,000 in requested funds.
The New Guard | $500
5 Steps to Five | $2,000
Volunteer New York | $2,000
La Plaza de Paulo | $2,500
Port Chester Historical Society | $1,975
Meals on Main Street | $1,500
Port Chester Rye Brook Public Library | $4,500
Join the Youth Grantmaking Board in exploring exciting new ways for donors to be in relationship with giving.
Please consider making a gift to the fund in honor of these inspiring young people.
News
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YGB Featured in the Episcopal New Yorker
“It has been a delight and an honor to build a youth grantmaking board at Christ’s Church, Rye. I believe that this represents an exciting new model for not only outreach and charitable giving, but also for youth and young adult ministry” said Abby Nathanson.
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Episcopal Diocese of New York Spotlights YGB at Annual Convention
“A very little bit of funding can not only make a difference, but also deepen young people’s understanding about why we give and why it matters, not only for the recipient but for us, too.” - Rev. Kate Malin
Learn more about the YGB.
Let’s talk.
ygb@ccrye.org
Christ’s Church
2 Rectory Street
Rye, NY 10580