The first-ever Durham Youth Leadership Fund (DYLF) was created in 2021 with support from Durham County and in direct response to the needs and dreams we heard about during the Durham Youth Listening Project.
DYLF 2021-2022Check out the 2021-2022 DYLF Impact Report in English and Spanish, which celebrates the successes of our first cohort of 13 grantees! The report also shares how our office created a participatory grant-making process, and what we learned in the first year of funding. Find out how $136,000 grew lasting relationships and partnerships, shifted how organizations engage with and relate to young people, and created paid leadership positions for youth!
Our second round of funding will continue in this legacy, being responsive to what's important to young people. The 2023-2024 DYLF: creates opportunities for young people to explore and find connection through art; enhances and supports young people’s mental health and wellness; and curates new safe, welcoming, and supportive "third spaces" and places for young people. Young people (ages 13-24 years), community groups, and organizations were eligible to apply for one-year grants ranging from $500 - $20,000! Up to 18 projects have been awarded. Check out the 2023-2024 DYLF Grantees and their Project Summaries in English and Spanish!
Focus of 2023-2024 Funding [NOTE THAT THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THIS YEAR'S FUNDING HAS PASSED; PROJECTS WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER 2023]Community-based projects that support:- Young people ages 13-24 years
- Black, Latinx, and Indigenous youth; LGBTQ+ youth; immigrant and migrant youth; youth who have experienced economic hardships, houselessness, interactions with law enforcement, or being pushed out of institutions, including education environments; youth who have recently aged out of foster care; and youth with disabilities, including physical, mental, and developmental
- Creating new opportunities for young people to explore and find connection through art;
- Creating new opportunities that enhance and support young people’s mental health and wellness; and
- Creating new "third spaces" and places (outside school/work and home) where young people feel safe, welcome, and supported
Contact A’lice at A’[email protected] or call or text (984) 260-6703 for any questions in English.
Contact Jeymi at [email protected] or call or text (347) 738-0694 for any questions in Spanish.
