Description

Youth Service America (YSA) is searching for Heartwarming Young Heroes with creative ideas to foster meaningful connections, promote inclusion, and teach empathy. With support from Hershey’s Heartwarming Project, YSA will award up to $50,000 in grants for youth-led service projects and community-building activities during Global Youth Service Day (April 28-30, 2023).

All youth ages 5-25 in the United States (including U.S. territories and military bases & DoD schools) and Canada are eligible to apply.

Focus Areas
We’re looking for ideas straight from your heart that build meaningful connections and create more inclusive, empathetic, and kind communities. Suggested project focus areas include:

Promoting Inclusion
Celebrating Diverse Cultures
Building Racial Equity
Teaching Empathy
Creating a Kinder Community
Protecting Mental Health
Fostering Meaningful Connections
Building Intergenerational Relationships
Addressing Social Isolation

You can propose a project with a different focus as long as it has building empathy, inclusivity, kindness, and/or connection as one of its goals.
See stories of twelve 2022 grantees and twelve 2021 grantees for ideas to get you started.

Grant Options
- $100 Miniature-Size Grant – for small family-and-friends-sized activities
(required to engage at least 10 youth participants as volunteers)
- $250 Standard-Size Grant – for medium-size group/club/classroom activities
(required to engage at least 25 youth participants as volunteers)
- $500 King-Size Grant – for larger community-wide activities
(required to engage at least 50 youth participants as volunteers)

Requirements
- Plan a youth-led service project or community-building activity for Global Youth Service Day.
- Engage at least 10, 25, or 50 other youth participants (volunteers) depending on grant size.
- Be located in and project take place in the United States (including U.S. territories and military bases & DoD schools) or Canada.
- Register your GYSD activity by April 2 and complete a post-project impact report by June 2.

Application Deadline
The application deadline is Sunday, March 5 at 11:59pm your local time.
Applicants will be notified of status the week of March 20.