Quad City teens will grant $10,000 to nonprofits
The saying that youth are the future rings especially true in the Quad Cities, where the Quad Cities Community Foundation’s Teens for Tomorrow Program is helping create a bigger, better, and more active community. Teens for Tomorrow (T4T) is comprised of 30 students from Quad City-area high schools who are passionate about philanthropy. Every year, T4T immerses itself in the grantmaking process; the group learns about specific community needs, develops grant opportunities, evaluates applications, and awards grants to projects that directly tackle issues being faced by our community.
This year, T4T will be awarding a total of $10,000 to nonprofits dealing with one of three issues that are especially critical to address today: education equity, racial injustice, and social inequities. T4T found that these areas are central to the needs of our region, and took the time to learn about each through research and interviews with community leaders.
“Every year, the students in this program dig deep into issues facing our regional community,” said Kelly Thompson, vice president of grantmaking and community initiatives. “I’m especially proud of them this year—they’ve engaged in tough, honest discussions about equity and racism and have built a grant program that addresses issues meaningful to them.”
Grant applications are available now through February 15, 2021 here.
In the education sector, T4T will look for nonprofits that are directly supporting students with resources that are essential to a well-rounded education and long-term success. Similarly, organizations raising awareness of racial injustice by providing opportunities to marginalized communities are also being prioritized by the group, as are those promoting the wellbeing of individuals struggling with poverty, hunger, health, and/or homelessness.
Nonprofit organizations across Rock Island County, Illinois, and Scott County, Iowa are all eligible to apply for a Teens for Tomorrow Grant. Each application is evaluated according to its credibility, clarity, and potential impact. As part of the decision-making process, T4T members will contact each applicant to schedule a virtual site visit in late February or March, during which applicants will have the chance to answer questions about their program or project. Applicants will be notified in early May regarding a decision.
Founded in 2002, Teens for Tomorrow became a permanent program of the Community Foundation in 2010 thanks to an endowment created by Herb and Arlene Elliott, which funds the group’s operations and grants.
“It’s been extraordinary watching such young students grow into confident and capable philanthropists,” Thompson added. “I have no doubt that T4T will award incredible initiatives and projects with the capacity to radically change our community for the better.”
Applications for a Teens for Tomorrow Grant are due on February 15, 2021, and may be submitted via the Community Foundation’s online grant system. For more information on the grants, or if you know of a high school student interested in making a community impact by joining T4T, contact Thompson at (563) 326-2840 or by email at kellythompson@qccommunityfoundation.org.