National Post (National Edition)
Canadian Partnerships Are Leading the World in Innovative, Youth-Led Grant-Making
Every day, we can see and feel the need for communities that are built on a foundation of connection, compassion, and deep understanding of our interdependence and responsibility to one another.
At the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative Canada (YPI), building and nurturing this foundation is our mission. YPI is an award-winning public foundation focused on participatory, youth-led grant-making. Our partners and process embrace the idea that how money is granted can be as intentional and impactful as where grants are made. Every $5,000 grant we make to a social service charity is decided by a full grade of local high school students, through a process of youth-led research and advocacy designed to reach 2,000 community members. The premise of YPI is simple; it’s our national network of cross-sector collaborators — high schools, charities, and funders — that brings our complex outcomes to life.
YPI is not alone in the field. Youth-led grant-making is an international movement among non-profits, family foundations, community foundations, government programs, and school-based projects like ours that see youth as leaders and assets who are helping to bring about transformational change in their communities, themselves, and the way grantmakers work. They’re learning the real costs of real impact, and they’re learning how to challenge the attitudes and behaviours that have allowed inequalities to deepen.
At YPI, our partners are diverse across sectors, geography, and size. What they share in common is a desire to contribute to connected, compassionate communities and to create the conditions for systemic change. They share an unstoppable belief in young people and they show it through their actions. They listen to young people taking a stand with equity-seeking community members, movements, and charities, and support them in being part of the foundation of vibrant, caring communities we all need.
YPI just celebrated our $10 million milestone in grants made by 325,000 students since 2002 and we’ve been recognized by candid.org as a world leader in participatory grant-making. We know youth are a powerful force for more inclusive, kind, and connected communities. We invite more partners to join us in supporting and listening to them.