A few weeks ago, the Multnomah Athletic Foundation’s Youth Grant Initiative (YGI) cohort reached an inspiring milestone: after months of thoughtful deliberation and collaboration, they awarded $2,500 grants to two exceptional nonprofits—Friends of Baseball and Girls on the Run.
Over the course of six weeks, this dedicated cohort of students embarked on a journey to learn the fundamentals of philanthropy. They explored what it means to give intentionally, examined the needs of...
Youth engagement is the center of the foundation’s mission. We often talk about the connection through education or athletic participation. There is another program that is important to us. The Youth Grant Initiative was created seven years ago to give 7th and 8th graders a hands-on experience in grantmaking. They learn about the community and the role of nonprofits while reading applications and making funding recommendation to the foundation’s board. In 2022 the Foundation made...
Join Multnomah Athletic Foundation YGI Committee members, YGI alumni, and program directors at one of the informational sessions being held this year.
Learn about the 2023 cohort experience, the interview process, the six sessions through the fall and so much more.
Two information sessions will be held this year, come to one or both!
A virtual Zoom webinar will be held on May 11th from 4-4:45pm PST, registration is required to attend this free session. Click here to sign up.
An...
MAF’s Youth Grant Initiative inspires new opportunities
May Day has traditionally celebrated the arrival of a warmer, more colorful season with dancing, singing, and sweet treats. Its roots lay in honoring the Roman goddess of flowers, and bloom-bedecked crowns still grace the heads of May Queens across Europe and around the world.
It seems symbolic, then, that the Multnomah Athletic Foundation begins accepting applications for its Youth Grant Initiative (YGI) on Sunday, May...
Life is celebrated in amazing moments. One of those moments happen on Sunday Nov 15 with the final presentation the 2020 Youth Grant Initiative cohort. After several months worth of working, learning and conversation came together, the cohort’s 7th and 8th graders made a presentation on how to thoughtfully invest $10,000 into the community. During those months, their purpose was to learn about philanthropy, the community, nonprofits and then the foundation’s community...
The foundation believes youth have distinct and exceptional insights into the needs of other youth! We host an experience designed to assist 7th and 8th graders to use their ideas to create positive change within the community.
Participants selected to be part the Youth Grant Initiative Team will learn about leadership, non-profit organizations supporting youth athletics AND decide how to award $5,000 in community grants from a provided pool of funds!
The Multnomah Athletic Foundation...
When Piper Winder*, Nolan Fiereck*, and Claire Cooney* applied to be a part of the Multnomah Athletic Foundation’s Youth Grant Initiative (YGI), they expected to help others and meet some other like-minded kids their age. But they didn’t expect to get to make all the decisions. They also didn’t expect to have so much fun. We spoke with each of them about their participation with the program, and they gave us four main reasons they’re glad they did it and think other kids should...
YGI Alumni take charge to raise more funds for community grant partners.
Each fall, 12 people gather to debate which nonprofit organizations should be awarded grants that meet the Multnomah Athletic Foundation’s mission. Now do a double take – because this group is made up of seventh and eighth graders. The Youth Grant Initiative teaches valuable leadership lessons through thoughtful deliberation and dive into the world of nonprofit giving with the six-week crash course culminating in...
