Lenawee YOUTH Council grant process

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller 

You might think that it would be much easier to distribute funds than to raise them, but if you asked Lenawee Community Foundation volunteers, they would tell you it is hard work. It is not an easy job to ensure that you are awarding donated dollars to achieve the greatest good.  

The important work of determining grant recommendations was recently conducted by an incredibly dedicated group of young volunteers – Lenawee YOUTH Council.  

Twenty-six years ago, the Lenawee Community Foundation received a $1 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation to engage youth in community philanthropy. Through our Lenawee YOUTH Council, local teens conduct a grant-making process annually. To date they have awarded over $900,000 in grants to local youth programs and the million-dollar fund has grown to more than $1.3 million. Additionally, the teens have volunteered, sponsored college visits, explored careers, offered summer leadership camps, and served on nonprofit boards, including the Lenawee Community Foundation board. That’s the power of endowment – investing in our youth and investing in endowed funds for the future of our community!