Youth Health Equity & Accessibility Grant

Youth Health Equity & Accessibility Grant is sponsored by Maine Youth Action Network (via Youth Grantmaking Council). This grant supports youth-led and youth-serving projects in Maine that promote health equity and accessibility, ensuring all young people have a fair chance to be healthy and can access spaces, services, and supports.

Youth Grantmaking Council — Maine Youth Action Network Youth Grantmaking Council What is the Youth Grantmaking Council? The Grantmaking Council was formed to create a space where young people have a chance to lead and shape funding decisions to address their communities’ priorities. Who better to decide where money should go and what projects for young people should be funded than young people!

Youth Health Equity & Accessibility Grant Health equity means making sure everyone has a fair chance to be healthy —not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and socially. ​ That includes access to things like safe spaces, supportive relationships, mental health care, and being treated with respect—no matter someone’s background, identity, or where they live.

Intentionally designing programs, spaces, and opportunities so people can participate fully without having to ask for special accommodations. ​It goes beyond whether a program is technically “open” and focuses on whether people can actually take part.

Barriers are things that make participation harder , such as:​ Transportation and location​ Language and communication​ Feeling unsafe, unwelcome, or unheard This grant supports youth-led and youth-serving projects in Maine that promote health equity and accessibility—making sure all young people have a fair chance to be healthy and can actually access the spaces, services, and supports meant for them, no matter their background, community, ability, or income.

These grants are awarded by the Youth Grantmaking Council , they will review applications, select projects, and make sure funding goes directly to initiatives that create real and meaningful change for Maine youth and their communities.

We are no longer accepting 2026 Applications provide grants to youth-led proj ects and initiatives across the state young people to leading and sh aping funding decisions that address their communities’ priorities 2026 Youth Health Equity & Accessibility Grant Recipients The “Voice of the Future” project brings youth across Aroostook County together for monthly, low-pressure events where they can hang out, have fun, and talk about real-life issues that matter to them.

Through games, food, and open conversations, youth build connections, share their voices, and grow as leaders in their communities. This work builds on the Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp (ATLC), a weeklong program where youth develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and topics like mental health, healthy relationships, and substance use prevention.

Youth Led Justice’s Building Peace Project will support 8–10 young people in creating their own personalized wellness plans through programming from June to September, shaped by their ideas and goals. Youth will have opportunities to reduce stress and build connections through experiences like spending time outdoors, including a possible camping trip.

The project also helps youth access local basketball and boxing gyms, creating safe, supportive spaces to strengthen both mental and physical wellbeing while building positive relationships. This project will grow a youth-led wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu program where young people can stay active, build skills, and feel like they belong.

Youth help shape practices, support each other as teammates, and take on leadership roles by helping coach younger participants. Funding will help cover tuition costs so more kids are able to join and participate. Maine Youth Creative Care Maine Youth Creative Care (MYCC) is a youth-led project that uses art and creativity to support young people’s emotional well-being in healthcare settings.

At the center of this work is Teen Cancer Care, which provides thoughtful care packages to siblings of pediatric cancer patients—making sure their emotional needs are seen and supported during a difficult time. MYCC also leads ArtRx, a program that works with healthcare providers and students to bring art-based activities into care, helping them better connect with and support young patients.

Together, these programs make healthcare spaces more compassionate, creative, and responsive to the needs of youth and families. This project will create a community garden where youth can come together to grow plants, learn new skills, and connect with their community. Funding will support materials like raised beds, soil, tools, plants, and seeds to help get the garden started.

The goal is to make this an ongoing, annual project that continues to bring people together year after year. Modern and Traditional Dance Classes for Maliseet Youth This project will offer a series of dance classes where youth can learn Contemporary, Jazz, Hip-hop, and traditional Jingle Dress dancing in a supportive and fun environment.

Over 5 weeks, participants will build skills, express themselves, and connect through movement at the Maliseet Fitness Center. The program will end with a recital where youth can share what they’ve learned with their families and community.

OUT Maine Youth Advisory Board This project will bring together LGBTQ+ youth ages 9–22 for two fun, outdoor events in Central and Midcoast Maine where they can connect, build community, and access helpful health and self-care resources. Youth will create their own personalized self-care kits filled with items that support their well-being, while also taking part in activities that build confidence, connection, and self-advocacy skills.

These events are designed to be welcoming and low-pressure, with the goal of learning from youth and growing more opportunities like this in the future. Sanford Middle School Passion Project This project continues a student-led effort to provide baskets of hygiene products in bathrooms across all grade levels, making sure everyone has comfortable and easy access to what they need.

By offering hygiene products directly in bathrooms, students don’t have to ask a teacher or the nurse, helping reduce stigma and make access more private and comfortable. The goal is to keep this project going long-term so it remains a reliable, supportive resource for all students.

Portland & South Portland Pearl Place Tutoring is a math tutoring program for students living in affordable housing communities through Avesta Housing, with weekly sessions in Portland and South Portland. Each session provides a welcoming space where 8–15 students can build math skills, confidence, and a stronger foundation for school success.

Funding will help provide healthy, filling snacks so students can focus and feel supported, as well as interactive math games and hands-on learning tools to make sessions more engaging and fun. SpeechSphere is a youth-led program that helps young people overcome language and cultural barriers through free tutoring, conversation practice, and supportive peer-led spaces.

Led by trained youth tutors, the program helps multilingual learners build confidence, improve language skills, and feel a stronger sense of belonging. This project will expand SpeechSphere’s work in Maine through virtual and in-person sessions, school partnerships, and outreach, making it easier for more youth—especially those in rural areas—to access consistent, welcoming language support.