Yolo Youth Service Awards

This program is designed to promote and reward Yolo County youth volunteering with local nonprofit organizations.  It also provides an incentive to Yolo County nonprofit organizations to engage with youth volunteers.

Yolo Community Foundation is looking for partners to fund their Yolo Youth Service Awards for the next school year. Can you help with any amount?

INTRODUCTION:

Purpose:  To fund our second year of our program, Yolo Youth Service Awards (YoYoSA).  This program is designed to promote and reward Yolo County youth volunteering with local nonprofit organizations.  It also provides an incentive to Yolo County nonprofit organizations to engage with youth volunteers.  It develops a sense of community and service in Yolo County young people and provides tomorrow’s leaders in local philanthropy.  It is aligned with the mission of Yolo Community Foundation (YCF) to promote philanthropy in Yolo County.   

We are actively soliciting funds from other sources. As far as we know our program is totally unique and we hope to expand the program this year. We feel this first year of the program was very successful in its approach and in the response it got from the community.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Issues Being Addressed: Two issues are important to the future viability of charitable organizations to maintain and improve the quality of life in our county:

1)     The continued supply of professionals and active volunteers in local organizations.  This requires educating young people in the need and personal rewards of giving time, talent and treasure.

2)     The relative lack of giving in rural, compared to urban areas.  A recent Irvine Foundation report showed that per capita giving from foundations to counties in our area was:

San Francisco.. $678

Sacramento……...49 

Yolo……………..30* 

Solano…………….3             

*Value after contributions to UC Davis are removed.

Outcomes to be Achieved:

1. Increase the number of Yolo County youth volunteering with local nonprofit organizations.
2. Increase the number of Yolo County nonprofit organizations seeking youth for volunteer positions.
3. Encourage Yolo County’s youth to take a more active role in community leadership.

Plans for accomplishing the outcomes and the timetable:

YoYoSA is an initiative by YCF to develop youth leadership within Yolo County.  YCF believes that leadership requires a commitment to service.  YoYoSA is designed to promote and recognize youth involvement in community life, including health and human services, arts, education and environmental sectors.

 YCF will seek applications from high school juniors and seniors who have volunteered a minimum of 60 hours with Yolo County nonprofit organizations during their junior and/or senior year of high school.  Depending on the amount of funding we receive this year, X number of awards of $1500 each will be made to applicants and nonprofits.  Criteria include: demonstration of 1) leadership, 2) commitment to others, 3) maturity, and 4) reliability.  The contribution that the nonprofit makes to enhancing the quality of life for Yolo County residents will also be evaluated.  $500 will support the work of the sponsoring nonprofit; $1,000 will be a scholarship to support the further education of the youth leader beyond high school. 

The program requires that the applicant have worked at least 60 hours with a recognized Yolo County nonprofit prior to the application.  Most high schools in Yolo County require a community service project as one of the requirements for graduation.  A joint application, submitted by the nonprofit, but with sections from the young person, briefly describe the nonprofit’s purpose and activities and how the young person’s services have supported its work.  The youth volunteer is asked to describe his or her experience and what volunteer service has meant to him or her.  We ask how this work has benefited the people of Yolo County.  The final section is an explanation of how the grant will be used.  The application should not exceed five pages. 

To donate, go to www.yolocf.org/giving