Durham Youth Leadership Fund

Durham Youth Leadership Fund is sponsored by Durham County. The Durham Youth Leadership Fund invests in projects led by young people and community groups that build youth leadership in Durham, North Carolina, and respond to community priorities.

Durham Youth Leadership Fund | Durham, NC Stage 2 Water Shortage Response in Effect Departments & Offices A-E Community Partnerships & Engagement Durham Youth Leadership Fund Durham Youth Leadership Fund *** Stay tuned for an announcement of this year's projects, and check out the Past Impact section to see last year's funded projects .

*** The 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 is an opportunity for the Youth Services Division to invest in projects led by young people and community groups that build youth leadership in Durham and respond to community priorities.

Each cycle, a youth-adult grant-making team decides on funding focus areas, selection criteria, and final recipients of funds. We use a trust-based “participatory” model where building community is valued, and the people making funding decisions include people who are experiencing the needs and dreams the funding is meant to address.

Young people (ages 13-24 years), community groups, and organizations applied for one-year grants ranging from $500 - $25,000 for projects that centered any of the following focus areas: Community & Cultural Empowerment – Creating opportunities for young people to explore, develop, and strengthen their cultural and social identity & community connections Mental Health Support – Creating new opportunities that enhance and support young people’s mental health and wellness through both creative and traditional outlets.

Alternative Education – Creating spaces for learning and skill-building opportunities for youth outside traditional classrooms. Please reach out to us with any questions, thoughts, or concerns you may have about the grant program. Contact A’lice at A’ [email protected] or call or text (984) 260-6703 for any questions or support in English.

Spanish access is also available if requested. A detailed summary about how we created DYLF and what we learned in our first year of funding can be found in our 2021-2022 DYLF Impact Report in English and Spanish .

The report also celebrates the successes of our first cohort of 13 grantees who grew lasting relationships and partnerships, shifted how organizations engage with and relate to young people, and created paid leadership positions for youth! Our DYLF 2023-2024 projects wrapped up in November 2024!

We awarded $300,000 to a total of 18 projects focused on: creating opportunities for young people to explore and find connection through art ; enhancing and supporting young people’s mental health and wellness; and curating new safe, welcoming, and supportive "third spaces" and places for young people. Check out the list of 2023-2024 DYLF grantees below and read their Project Summaries here in English and Spanish !

*Starred listings indicate projects submitted by and led exclusively by young people* Autism Support and Advocacy Center - Torchlight Residency Program ($10,000) Black and Belonging - Designing Next-Level Fashion to Make Sure Our Generation is Seen, Acknowledged, and Supported ($18,900) Blackspace - Black Youth Revival ($20,000) BUMP: The Triangle - The Fahari Leader Project ($10,000) Center for the Nuevo South - Youth Media Brigade ($17,584) Empower Dance Foundation - Mind Movement Empower ($18,000) * Haptic Happenings - Exploring Identity Through Figure and Touch ($19,800) * QCHEX - Healing Circles for QTBIPOC Youth ($11,000) Kultured Sprouts - Kultured Sprouts ($19,500) LGBTQ Center of Durham - Transitional Age Youth Project Fellows - Queer Support Program ($20,000) * Northern High School - GSA Club Room ($2,500) * *OutVenture Outing Club for LGBTQ+ Youth ($1,510) * Perpetual Butterfly - Youth Empowerment Partnership Program ($20,000) Prism Design Labs - Durham Youth Design Workshops ($20,000) Pupusas for Education + Spoken Words in Motion (SWIM) + Heal Restore Transform Durham: Restorative Justice (HRT) - People for Equity Youth Artist Project ($28,000) Purpose Learning Lab - The Haven 360 Project ($20,000) Sol Space - Soul Space ($24,000) Terreio de Arte e Cultura - Project Bantu ($18,000) Government Websites by CivicPlus®