Announcing Youth Power Fund’s Third Phase $1.12 Million in Grants to Youth Organizing Groups

Young people are at the heart of intergenerational justice movements and are leaders on the front lines for lasting change.  

The Youth Power Fund (YPF) is excited to announce $1,120,000 in grants to 32 youth organizing groups in Northern California to collectively cultivate a powerful youth organizing ecosystem with shared strategies that engage more young people, expand power, and support transformative youth organizing practices in the field. YPF is a pooled fund that launched in 2019 and is supported by a growing network of foundations and individual donors, enabling YPF to increase the number and size of the grants in each phase of its funding. The grants, issued in January 2024, are the first of two annual grants in this phase, and with additional partners YPF can more deeply resource the field. 

"The Youth Power Fund is an example of how BIPOC young people are addressing some of the toughest challenges in our communities such as mental health, the climate crisis, gender justice and LGBTQ rights, housing, education, etc. The groups selected by YPF's youth and adult committee represent the creative, hopeful, and courageous ways those most impacted are transforming our societies,” said Josh Lee of the East Bay Community Foundation 

Launching the third phase of YPF’s work, these grants address youth leaders' top priorities: mental health, wellness and healing for youth and staff, and leadership roles for youth within organizations. The grantees represent 11 counties from the True North to the Central Coast and deepen YPF’s support in regions with emerging youth organizing ecosystems. In this phase of the work, YPF will continue to strengthen the youth organizing ecosystem through its annual Youth Organizing Institute, regional convenings, and capacity building trainings for grantees and the broader youth organizing field.   

YPF centers youth voice and power from a place of love and solidarity, building trust-based relationships where youth, staff, and funders treat each other equitably, recognizing each other’s experiences. YPF’s vision, strategy, and grantmaking decisions were co-created by youth leaders, adult staff from grantee organizations, and funders; and its Field Leadership Team of eight seasoned transitional-age-youth organizers provides on-going oversight, direction, and accountability to the fund.  

"As a funder, YPF provides a unique opportunity to work across issue areas, develop meaningful relationships with youth organizers, adult allies and other funders, and collectively grapple with what it takes to shift power," said Amy Price of the Zellerbach Family Foundation 

Young people are imagining a future where they lead with hope, courage, bold ambition, and dreams to create a world rooted in healing, education, economic justice, youth voice and governance, environmental and climate justice, and housing for all. Deep and sustained investment is required to bring about the fundamental improvements young people envision in their lives and communities.  

We invite you toJOIN and support a robust youth organizing ecosystem. 

Youth Power Fund Phase 3 Grantees: 

• 67 Sueños/American Friends Service Committee  

• Arab Resource and Organizing Center 

• Asian Pacific Environmental Network 

• BAY-Peace (Better Alternatives for Youth) 

• Black Organizing Project 

• California Youth Connection 

• Californians For Justice 

• Chinese Progressive Association  

• Communities for a Better Environment  

• Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice 

• Filipino Advocates for Justice 

• Hmong Innovating Politics 

• MILPA 

• Northern California Indian Development Council, Inc 

• Oakland Kids First 

• PODER (People Organizing to Demand Environmental & Economic Rights)  

• Project What/ Community Works West 

• Queer Humboldt 

• Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth  

• RYSE  

• San Francisco Rising 

• SIREN (Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network) 

• SOMOS Mayfair  

• South Bay Youth Changemakers 

• True North Organizing Network 

• Two Feathers Native American Family Services 

• Urban Peace Movement   

• Youth Alliance 

• Youth Leadership Institute 

• Youth Liberation Movement 

• Youth Together 

• Youth United for Community Action   

The Youth Power Fund is convened and administered by leaders in the field of philanthropy and youth organizing: Youth Organize! California serves as a convener, capacity builder, and strategist for engaging leaders in youth organizing; Northern California Grantmakers serves as funder convener and fund manager; and Amalgamated Foundation provides compliance and grants administration capacity.