Serve Connecticut Youth-Led Service Mini-Grants

Organization

Primary Contact

First NameLast Name

Contact Title

Contact Email

example@example.com

Contact Phone

Please enter a valid phone number.

Organization Website

Organization Type

Project/Initiative Name

Provide a brief description of this project/initiative (2-3 sentences).

Is this Youth-Led Service Project/Initiative new or existing?

NewExisting

Anticipated Project/Initiative Start Date

Date

Anticipated Project/Initiative End Date

Date

Project/Initiative Adult Representative

First NameLast Name

Adult Representative Title/Role

Adult Representative Email

example@example.com

Adult Representative Phone

Please enter a valid phone number.

Has your project/initiative selected a Youth Representative at the time of application? If you answer yes, please complete the contact information fields below for the Youth Representative. If you answer no, please skip the contact information fields and provide a timeline for selection of a Youth Representative.

YesNo

Project/Initiative Youth Representative

First NameLast Name

Youth Representative Title/Role

Youth Representative Email

example@example.com

Youth Representative Phone

Please enter a valid phone number.

What is your process and timeline for selecting a Youth Representative for the proposed project/initiative?

Q1: Describe the sponsor organization’s mission and share its background in engaging youth in service, service-learning and/or other positive youth development activity. If applicable, be sure to include any experience/credentialing organization staff/leadership who will be supporting this project have in these areas.

Q2: Describe how many youth will be engaged in the proposed project/initiative and how the sponsor organization will prioritize equitable access to participation in the proposed project/initiative by underserved, underrepresented and/or disconnected youth in our state; how will the proposed project/initiative ensure diversity in youth representation on the project?

Q3: If known, describe the community (examples: school community, neighborhood, town, etc.) and/or cause (examples: veterans, seniors, animal welfare, etc.) the proposed project/initiative will serve and what beneficial outcomes the proposed project/initiative are intended to have to that community. If unknown because the project/initiative design includes participating youth making that determination, describe how the proposed project/initiative’s design will engage participating youth in that process.

Q4: If known, describe using evidence of community need for the youth-led service intended in the proposed project/initiative; please include any information regarding data gathered from and/or agreements with impacted community members, local community partners, and/or local community providers. If unknown because the project/initiative design includes participating youth making conducting a community needs assessment, describe how the proposed project/initiative’s design will engage participating youth in that process.

Q5: Describe in detail how the proposed project/initiative will engage youth voice and youth leadership in the design, development, and implementation of the proposed service project/initiative.

Q7: Describe how participating youth will be supported throughout the project/initiative by the sponsor organization while ensuring that youth voice and leadership are driving project/initiative activities. How will reflection and demonstration of learning be built into participating youths’ post-service experience?

Q8: Describe how the impact of the proposed project/initiative will be measured; what beneficial outcomes are anticipated and how will those outcomes be tracked and documented?

Q9: Provide a detailed timeline for each stage of the proposed project/initiative activities described above.

A fillable Microsoft Excel budget template can be downloaded for use here. Applicants should complete the budget, save it, and upload it to Q10 below.

The budget template looks like this for reference:

An Example of the Fillable Budget Template

Q10: Provide a budget that is aligned to the project/initiative design as described above and that demonstrates likelihood of supporting proposed activities. Use the template provided.

Please note that submission of this funding application certifies your organization's agreement to participate in required grant activities contingent upon receipt and acceptance of funding award:

Communication: Each awarded mini-grant recipient must designate one adult representative and one youth representative to act together as team as project/initiative liaisons with Serve Connecticut staff. Underserved, underrepresented and/or disconnected youth should be encouraged to serve in the youth representative role.

Training/Technical Assistance: Each awarded mini-grant recipient representative team must participate in one group orientation meeting in January/February 2025 and a minimum of two grant cohort group meetings during the course of the grant term. The content of these meetings will be designed to support mini-grant recipients with their project/initiative implementation and to introduce relevant youth service and service-learning resources and opportunities to youth and adult participants. These meetings will be held virtually at the mutually defined convenience of Serve Connecticut staff and mini-grant recipients.

Youth Service Mini-Grant Celebration and Youth Service Summit: Awarded mini-grant recipients are invited to participate in a Youth Service Mini-Grant Celebration and Youth Service Summit to be held on a date TBD in September/October 2025 in the greater Hartford, CT region. This event will feature the achievements of Serve Connecticut Youth-Led Service Mini-Grant recipients and their youth participants, and will also provide content designed to support youth-led community engagement and to elevate and enhance the work of youth service-learning and service opportunity providers across the state. Applicants are encouraged to include transportation costs associated with attending such an event (example, the cost of engaging a school bus or van) in their proposed budget.

Progress & Financial Reporting: Each awarded mini-grant will submit one mid-point and one final progress/financial report. The deadlines for each of these reports will be determined individually by the timeline of each awarded project/initiative. For example, a project/initiative conducted during the school year will have different reporting deadlines than a project/initiative conducted during a summer program. All final progress/financial reports will be due no later than September 30, 2025.

Media Coverage: Each awarded mini-grant recipient will be expected to participate in media coverage to 1) ensure that youth leadership and youth voice is centered in all awarded projects/initiatives, 2) promote a culture of youth leadership and youth voice through service and community engagement across the state, and 3) to document from youth and adult participants what worked well and what opportunities for growth were revealed as a result of participation in the Youth-Led Service Mini-Grant.
- Examples of media coverage include but are not limited to: Serve Connecticut Communications Staff attendance at project/initiative events to take pictures/film content; Serve Connecticut requests for pictures, “great stories” and/or written/verbal testimonials from mini-grant recipient youth and/or adult participants for inclusion in newsletters, news releases, legislative/gubernatorial outreach, and/or social media; etc.
- NOTE: Serve Connecticut will provide media releases to mini-grant recipients to be signed by any participating youth (with guardian signature required for those 17 and younger) and adults associated with the awarded mini-grant recipient. Serve Connecticut understands that some individual youth participants may not be able to be featured in photos or film or named in news releases or promotional documentation; Serve Connecticut will make all necessary accommodations to respect the privacy of those youth participants who must opt out of media participation.

Serve Connecticut Youth-Led Service Mini-Grants

Sponsor Organization

Proposed Youth-Led Service Project/Initiative

Proposal Narratives