NEW ORLEANS — The NOLA Coalition has announced the 2022 Youth Master Plan Grant opportunity to expand and deepen services for the city’s young people. The online application process will open on Sept. 7.
The coalition is a new group of nearly 400 nonprofits, civic organizations and businesses aligned to support public safety and invest in youth services. It has secured $756,300 in undesignated funding for the initial cycle of YMP grants via business and philanthropy to help local youth-serving nonprofits grow their impact and drive generational change. In June, members distributed $500,000 via Summer Impact Grants, bringing the coalition’s total grant awards to more than $1.25 million.
United Way of Southeast Louisiana will oversee the three-year competitive RFP process designed to fund long-standing programs and upstart nonprofits and smaller neighborhood organizations.
“In a city where the majority of our young people are struggling to survive, we’re fortunate to have a detailed, strategic plan which outlines exactly what’s needed to improve youth well-being and the future of our city,” said Michael Williamson, UWSELA president and CEO, in a press release. “Thanks to the NOLA Coalition, we finally have the resources to implement the Youth Master Plan Grants and see the results so many partners have worked years to realize.”
Eligible programs may focus on a wide variety of youth issues or be narrowly focused, but they must align with the YMP, a comprehensive roadmap for creating and sustaining a positive, youth-development-focused and results-oriented New Orleans that works for all our young people.
“The children and youth of New Orleans are worthy of investments that sees their greatness and value and intends to lift up ways to advance paths for their success and positive development, as framed through the Youth Master Plan, said Karen Evans, executive director, New Orleans Children & Youth Planning Board. “While it’s often said that children/youth are the future, we now have the awesome opportunity and challenge to align investments with that fact through this funding/grant process. I’m excited by this alignment and see it as an encouraging starting point in support of implementation of the Youth Master Plan.”
Interested programs must be headquartered and operate in Orleans Parish, align with the New Orleans Youth Master Plan, and focus on serving youth of color – birth to 24 – living at or below the ALICE Threshold. The first cycle will prioritize organizations with operating budgets below $500,000 and those that have not received dedicated NOLA Coalition funding.
The first round of grant applications must be submitted electronically by 4 p.m. on Sept. 22. Notification of grant awards – ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 – will be e-mailed the week of Oct. 17.
Review the complete list of requirements and apply online at UnitedWaySELA.org/YMPgrants.
