Express Yourself Challenge

The Express Yourself Challenge Series is a funding initiative led by Young Futures, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the experience of growing up in a digitally driven world. Young Futures works to support organizations that help young people and their families navigate the complexities of technology, identity formation, and social development. This challenge is supported by a network of philanthropic partners and is designed to fund early-stage, youth-centered solutions that address the intersection of gender identity and digital life. The initiative emphasizes both financial support and capacity building through participation in the Young Futures Academy, a structured accelerator program. The primary purpose of the Express Yourself Challenge Series is to fund solutions that help girls, boys, and trans and gender-expansive youth develop a strong sense of self while navigating what the funder defines as “digital tension.” This refers to the internal conflict young people experience between the desire to disconnect from digital environments and the reality that online spaces are essential for social, emotional, and practical engagement. The program seeks to support interventions that directly address how algorithm-driven content, platform norms, and online social pressures shape identity, belonging, and wellbeing during adolescence. The funding scope includes a total program allocation of at least 1.5 million dollars distributed across more than ten organizations, with individual awards ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 dollars. Applicants may request either project-based funding or general operating support depending on whether their proposed solution is a standalone initiative or central to their organizational mission. While specific restrictions on spending are not exhaustively listed, funds may not be used for lobbying activities, and solutions must include a human support component rather than purely digital tools. Programs must demonstrate sustained engagement rather than one-time events and must directly address digital pressures tied to gendered experiences. Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based entities with tax-exempt status, including 501(c)(3) nonprofits, fiscally sponsored projects, and schools or districts. Organizations must have appropriate youth protection policies if working directly with minors and must submit applications in English. Applicants are required to designate a senior organizational leader who can commit approximately ten hours per month to the five-month Young Futures Academy. Solutions must be early-stage but tested, meaning applicants should provide evidence of prior implementation with measurable outcomes such as participant feedback, retention, or demonstrated improvements in confidence or belonging. The application process consists of two stages. The first stage is a Letter of Interest accompanied by a five-minute video submission describing the organization and proposed solution. This stage is open from April 8 through May 19, 2026. Selected semi-finalists are then invited to submit a full application between June 17 and July 8, 2026. Applicants must select one of three program tracks aligned to the populations they serve: girls, boys, or trans and gender-expansive youth. Each track focuses on addressing distinct gender-related digital pressures while maintaining flexibility for shared learning across cohorts. Evaluation criteria emphasize alignment with the challenge focus, clarity of the problem being addressed, measurable outcomes related to youth wellbeing, and demonstrated early traction. Solutions must address at least one of three core challenge areas: norm pressure and identity stress, harmful gendered narratives and content, or technology-facilitated harms and loss of safety. Additionally, proposals must demonstrate youth-centered design, including direct involvement of young people in program development or implementation, and include strategies to reach underserved populations. Selected organizations will participate in the Young Futures Academy, which runs for five months and includes leadership development, fundraising support, storytelling training, and subject-matter expertise. The program begins with an in-person retreat and concludes with a virtual showcase where participants present their work to funders and partners. Final selections are expected to be announced between October and November 2026, with program participation occurring from January through May 2027. The challenge appears to be a structured, cohort-based initiative with defined timelines rather than a recurring annual open call, though future iterations may occur.

Ensure clear connection to digital tension; demonstrate measurable youth outcomes; show early traction with real participants; prioritize youth-centered design and underserved populations