Youth Service Fund

The Youth Service Fund is a unique mission funding program within the United Methodist Church that is supported entirely by youth. Managed by the Virginia Annual Conference, it empowers teens to fund youth-led, youth-designed, and youth-benefiting ministry projects. These projects aim to address challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, absenteeism, and broader social justice issues through active participation in their churches and communities. This grant program is distinguished by its commitment to youth leadership and decision-making. All funding is contributed by youth and allocated to initiatives where young people are central to the project's conception, implementation, and impact. Eligible applicants must be youth from across the Virginia Annual Conference. Funded projects must align with at least one of five categories: Faith Sharing and Outreach, Leadership Development, Scholarship, Ministry with At-Risk Youth, and Agricultural/Vocational efforts. Each category offers a path for addressing spiritual growth, leadership skills, educational access, social justice, or community self-sufficiency. Priority is given to projects that demonstrate strong youth leadership throughout their lifecycle. Funded efforts must be new and aim for eventual self-sufficiency, as no project will receive more than three years of support and each year’s award is expected to decline. Projects are expected to be inclusive across racial and ethnic lines and preferably connected to the United Methodist Church's organizational structure. Cooperative projects with other denominations or secular organizations may also be considered if they meet Youth Service Fund criteria. Applications for the 2026 cycle open on October 1, 2025, and are due by February 2, 2026. Applicants will be notified of acceptance or denial by March 2, 2026. Projects must be implemented within one year of receiving funds. Each grant may be up to $1,500, and awards are made based on the completeness of the application, project relevance to youth, goal feasibility, impact potential, and other funding sources available to the applicant. Recipients are also expected to engage in further development activities. These include participating in a training session at the project’s outset and quarterly check-in meetings to receive support and coaching. These gatherings are held virtually and help ensure accountability and community among project leads. For questions about the grant or the application process, interested individuals can contact Dwayne Stinson, Director of Lay Leadership Development for the Virginia Annual Conference, via email at dwaynestinson@vaumc.org or by phone at 804-521-1135.

Projects must be youth-led, designed, and implemented with clear timelines and measurable goals. Incomplete applications or unclear project outcomes may reduce chances of approval.