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Opportunity Youth Grants

Funds recreational programs benefiting youth and ensure that all young people enter adulthood prepared to pursue opportunities to live well.

 

In 2015, The Columbus Foundation commissioned a research report from Jobs for the Future to better understand the challenges youth and young adults in Franklin County ages 18 to 24 were facing. At that time, it was found that 20,500 young people, referred to as opportunity youth, were not on track to graduate and/or were disconnected from society. This presented an opportunity for our community to reach out to them, intensify our efforts to reconnect, and facilitate pathways to success and self-sufficiency.

 

A cross-sector group of community stakeholders, including The Columbus Foundation, worked in collaboration to arrive at the theory of change that all youth should be able to enter adulthood prepared to pursue opportunities to live well. Six focus areas were identified: Civic Engagement, Education, Health and Wellness, Housing, Support Systems, and Workforce.

 

This Opportunity Youth coalition continues to work together to create a continuum of support that both engages youth who are currently disconnected while working upstream to ensure all youth enter adulthood prepared to pursue opportunities to live well.

ELIGIBILITY

The Columbus Foundation continues to seek grant investment opportunities among the Opportunity Youth coalition, as well as with youth-serving nonprofit organizations that may be engaged and impacting the six focus areas of the theory of change.

DEADLINE

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. For questions or to apply, please contact the staff member listed below.

STAFF CONTACT

For assistance, please contact Dr. Mark Lomax, II.

RESEARCH REPORTS

Opportunity Awaits
Opportunity Awaits

Reconnecting Franklin County Young Adults to School and Work by Dave Alstadt with Mamadou Ndiaye, Mary Wright, and Dudney Sylla.

Franklin County Opportunity Youth Initiative
Franklin County Opportunity Youth Initiative

This report acknowledges the broad scope of issues faced by Opportunity Youth and outlines how we can work together to re-engage them toward stability and success.

Cultivating Opportunities for Youth to Flourish in Franklin County
Cultivating Opportunities for Youth to Flourish in Franklin County

This report emphasizes youth voice to fundamentally drive change and develop solutions to alter how youth are engaged and retained in services and programs.

Ensuring all of our youth have equitable access to opportunity is the best way to keep our community strong and thriving."
Mark A. Lomax, II, DMA
Director, Arts & Generational Grantmaking