Youth as Solutions Program

The Youth as Solutions program is an initiative administered by the National Youth Leadership Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing service-learning and youth leadership across the United States. The program is designed to empower middle and high school students to take active roles in addressing real-world challenges within their communities. By pairing youth participants with adult mentors from schools, nonprofit organizations, or government entities, the program fosters collaborative leadership and civic engagement. It emphasizes youth voice and positions young people as capable problem-solvers who can design and implement meaningful community-based projects. The core purpose of the program is to support youth-led teams in identifying and addressing issues across key impact areas including education, community health, environment, and civics and democracy. Participating teams engage in a structured service-learning process guided by the IGNITE framework, which includes phases such as inquiry, research, planning, implementation, and reflection. Rather than allowing pre-designed projects, the program requires teams to conduct local research and use democratic decision-making processes to select a community issue. This ensures that projects are responsive to real community needs and that youth participants develop critical thinking and leadership skills. Program support includes training, coaching, curriculum resources, and access to a national network of peer teams. One adult mentor and two designated youth leaders receive specialized training to guide their broader team. Participants are expected to meet regularly, engage in both asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities, and complete a series of project activities over the course of the program. Teams must also document their progress through reports, multimedia submissions, and a documentary-style record of their work, reinforcing both accountability and storytelling. Eligible participants include youth teams composed of students in grades six through twelve, supported by an adult mentor affiliated with a public school, private school, nonprofit organization, or government entity. While international teams may participate in the program, only United States based organizations that meet specific criteria are eligible to receive funding. These criteria include having a qualified fiscal host such as a public or private school, a registered nonprofit organization, or a government entity capable of submitting required financial documentation such as a W9 form. Funding is available to support project implementation, but it is contingent upon successful program participation and completion of all required deliverables. Funds are not distributed upfront; instead, qualifying teams receive funding after fulfilling program expectations, including reporting and documentation. The program does not specify fixed award amounts, and funding appears to function as reimbursement or post-completion support rather than a traditional grant structure with predefined award tiers or ceilings. The application process requires submission of detailed organizational and team information, including descriptions of the team structure, mission, community demographics, and intended impact area. Applicants must also provide contact information for adult leaders and youth participants, demonstrate commitment to program requirements, and agree to participate in all training, reporting, and evaluation activities. The application emphasizes reflection on youth-adult partnerships and requires narrative responses explaining the team’s motivation and readiness to engage in service-learning. The program follows a defined annual timeline, with applications closing on August 28, 2026. Selected teams begin participation in early October and continue through mid-May of the following year. During this period, teams engage in training, project development, and community action. The recurring nature of the program suggests it operates on an annual cycle, with future application rounds expected to follow a similar schedule. For inquiries, applicants may contact the program representative via the provided email address, ensuring access to support throughout the application and participation process.

Emphasize authentic youth leadership, demonstrate strong community understanding, and clearly articulate commitment to full participation and reporting requirements