Youth Service America (YSA)Grant

$2,000 Youth Council Leadership Grant

Oct 25, 2026 23:59:00 ET

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

United States

Deadline

Oct 25, 2026 23:59:00 ET

About this opportunity

Youth Service America, with funding from an AmeriCorps MLK Day of Service grant, is awarding $2,000 grants to 25 US organisations that want to start a youth council or grow an existing one. Grantees work with that youth group to run a citywide, regional or statewide Youth Leadership Summit around MLK Day 2027, then keep young people in leadership and decision-making roles through The Civic Season (Juneteenth to July 4).

What you get:

A $2,000 grant, one of 25 awarded from a $50,000 pool
A place at YSA's virtual, full-day Youth Service Institute training (tentatively Wednesday, November 18)

What you'll do:

Create a new youth council or similar youth leadership group, or expand an existing one
Plan and run a citywide or statewide Youth Leadership Summit with that group, between January 11 and January 25, 2027, as close to MLK Day (January 18) as possible
Engage at least 200 youth and adults, with training in youth-adult partnerships, youth voice and leadership, and service project design
Keep offering youth voice, leadership and decision-making opportunities through The Civic Season, Juneteenth to July 4
Match the grant with $1,000 in local funding, cash or in-kind

Key dates:

Applications close October 25, 2026 at 11:59pm in the applicant's local time
Youth Service Institute training, tentatively Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Youth Leadership Summits run January 11 to 25, 2027, around MLK Day on January 18
Ongoing youth opportunities through The Civic Season, Juneteenth to July 4, 2027

More information:

Questions: Mike Minks at mminks (at) ysa.org
YSA asks applicants not to use AI to write their responses, and says it does not use AI to review applications
Applicants first complete a short sign-up form, then the full application

Who can apply

Organisation based in the United States, with activities benefiting people in the United States (includes American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C.)
Eligible types: K-12 schools, higher education institutions, out-of-school time and afterschool programmes, positive youth development organisations, community-based organisations, faith-based organisations, state governments and local governments
Must operate citywide, regionally or statewide
Must provide and document $1,000 in match funding, cash or in-kind
Must engage at least 200 youth and adults through the Summit or later youth leadership opportunities
Must attend a virtual, full-day Youth Service Institute training
Grant funds cannot pay staff salaries or benefits, or AmeriCorps-prohibited activities such as lobbying, partisan political activity and voter registration

AI Verification

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Good to know

+A $2,000 grant, one of 25, from Youth Service America with AmeriCorps MLK Day funding
+Pays for starting or growing a youth council that gives young people a real say in decisions
+Free to apply

Worth checking yourself

!Closes 25 October 2026 at 11:59pm in your local time
!Only US organisations such as schools, colleges, youth programmes, community groups or local government can apply; a young person cannot apply alone
!You must match the grant with $1,000 in local cash or in-kind support
!You must run a Youth Leadership Summit between 11 and 25 January 2027, reach at least 200 youth and adults, and attend a full-day virtual training

Sources checked

OPopportunitiesforyouth.orgOfficialYSysa.orgApplyYSysa.orgApplyTFtfaforms.comOfficialYSysa.orgApplyYSysa.orgApplyYSysa.orgApplyYSysa.orgApplyLIlinkedin.comOfficialYSysa.newswire.comOfficial

LOT finds and checks opportunities from public sources. Always confirm details on the organiser’s own page before applying.