TAG Youth Grants

The TAG Youth Grants program is administered by the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri through its Teens Active in Grantmaking (TAG) initiative. TAG is a youth-led committee established to encourage philanthropy and civic engagement among young adults while supporting projects that directly benefit youth in Quincy, Illinois. The program is designed to inspire lifelong community involvement and develop leadership skills among participating youth members, who are responsible for reviewing grant applications and making funding recommendations. The grant opportunity specifically focuses on programs and projects that positively impact youth within Quincy and the surrounding immediate service area. The TAG Youth Grants program provides awards of up to $2,500 for project-specific or program-specific activities. Funding is not available for unrestricted operational support or general organizational expenses. Eligible projects may fall within a range of areas including Arts and Culture, Community Development, Education, Health, and Human Services, provided that the proposed activities demonstrate a clear and direct benefit to youth. Preference is given to innovative projects and initiatives that include meaningful youth participation in project planning or are directly submitted by youth. The program seeks applications that address demonstrated community needs while fostering positive youth development outcomes. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status as well as eligible community organizations and units of government that are located in and directly serve youth in Quincy, Illinois and the immediate surrounding area. Organizations that do not possess 501(c)(3) status may still apply if they secure a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Applicants are required to have fully expended any prior TAG grant funding and submitted all required final reports before becoming eligible to reapply. The guidelines emphasize accountability, requiring applicants to demonstrate realistic implementation plans with measurable goals and clear project outcomes. The application process is conducted entirely online through the Community Foundation's grant portal. Applications for the 2026 funding cycle open on February 1 and are due by March 2 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. During the review process, TAG representatives may request a site visit or presentation from applicants to better evaluate the proposed project or program. Applicants are expected to remain responsive to communication requests from TAG representatives to ensure that all questions are answered and application details are fully understood during the review period. Grant review activities occur throughout March, including application evaluations and potential site visits or presentations. Grant award notifications are scheduled for April, followed by formal grant presentations in May. Organizations receiving funding are required to complete and submit a final grant report by February 1 of the following year describing the success and outcomes of the funded project. Applicants must also notify the TAG committee of any significant changes to the proposed project after application submission, and such changes must receive approval from the committee. The TAG Youth Grants program includes several restrictions regarding ineligible uses of funds. The program does not support operational or ongoing expenses of established programs, advertising purchases, annual or capital campaigns, debt reduction, national fundraising efforts, political campaigns or legislative advocacy, or specifically religious activities that require faith participation. The Community Foundation states that the overall goal of the TAG program is to assess community youth needs, establish clear grantmaking criteria, and support impactful ideas that improve opportunities and outcomes for youth in the Quincy community. Questions regarding the grant opportunity may be directed to Bailee Duesterhaus, Program Manager, at bduesterhaus@mycommunityfoundation.org.

Emphasize direct youth impact innovative programming and meaningful youth involvement in planning. Demonstrate a clear community need realistic implementation plan and measurable goals. Ensure prior grant reporting obligations are complete before applying.