Youth Sports Development Grant

Youth Sports Development Grant is sponsored by The Hershey Company. Supports organizations offering youth sports programs focusing on healthy living and active lifestyles.

Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Grants | Youth Service America Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes GYSD Grants Application Deadline: March 15, 2026 $250, $500, or $1,000 Youth Grants for awareness, service, and philanthropy projects or youth voice, leadership, and advocacy events in their communities during Youth Service Month (April 10 – May 10, 2026) & Global Youth Service Day (April 24-26, 2026).

In partnership with The Hershey Company, YSA will award Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Grants for Youth Service Month & Global Youth Service Day 2026 projects and events. Youth changemakers—aged 5 to 25—in the U.S. and Canada are eligible to apply for these grants to lead and engage their peers in awareness, service, and philanthropy projects or youth voice, leadership, and advocacy events in their communities.

This year, youth may apply for grants of $250, $500, or $1,000 depending on the number of youth who will be participating as project volunteers or event participants. A total of $50,000 in grants will be awarded.

Grant options include: $250 – at least 25 youth project volunteers / event participants $500 – at least 50 youth project volunteers / event participants $1,000 – at least 100 youth project volunteers / event participants Awareness, Service, or Philanthropy Project Youth Voice, Leadership, or Advocacy Event We’re looking for ideas straight from your heart that build meaningful connections and create more inclusive, empathetic, and kind communities.

Types of projects include: Awareness: Educating others and sharing information to positively change behaviors. Service: Volunteering, using creativity, time, and talent to directly meet community needs. Philanthropy: Giving through collecting and donating financial and in-kind support.

Suggested project focus areas include: Celebrating Diverse Cultures Creating a Kinder Community Fostering Meaningful Connections Building Intergenerational Relationships Addressing Social Isolation & Loneliness You can propose a project with a different focus / issue area as long as it has building empathy, inclusivity, kindness, and/or connection among volunteers as one of its goals.

We’re looking to support events that provide opportunities for youth voice, leadership, or advocacy in your community.

Types of events include: Youth Summit or Forum ; Youth-Facilitated Candidate Forums/Debates Youth Participation in Public Meetings (City Council, County Board, School Board, etc.) Youth-Led Training; Leadership Training for Youth; Youth-Adult Partnerships Training for Adults Youth Advisory Group Planning, Recruitment, Training, and Matching Event Community Mapping and/or Needs Assessments Activities Youth Advocacy Events – Advocating, speaking out, and joining others to influence policy/decision-makers.

Youth Rally, March, or Protest Youth Day at City Hall or State Capitol Youth Voter Registration Drive All events must be nonpartisan and cannot include lobbying / advocating for or against specific legislation or support for a candidate for office.

All proposed projects/events should engage a diverse group of youth volunteers from different social backgrounds and provide opportunities for those youth volunteers to create meaningful connections with their peers, caring adults, and community partners.

Proposed projects/events must be youth-designed and youth-led; Projects/events must take place during Youth Service Month (April 10-May 10, 2026), with some activity on Global Youth Service Day (April 24-26, 2026) strongly encouraged; Projects/events must take place in and impact the community where the youth applicant lives; Youth applicants must engage youth from different social backgrounds as volunteers (including, but not limited to young people of color; young people from low-income families or neighborhoods; and other youth who are usually served, but not asked to serve such as youth with disabilities, youth in the foster care system, youth from military families, youth in the juvenile justice system, youth who are immigrants or refugees, youth who are English Language Learners, etc.) as well as first-time volunteers; All youth ages 5-25 in the United States (including U.S. territories and military bases & DoD schools) and Canada are eligible to apply.

Need some inspiration? See stories of previous Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes grantees from GYSD 2022 and GYSD 2021 for ideas to get you started. The application deadline is Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm your local time .

All applicants will be notified of decisions by Wednesday, April 1. Grantees will be required to watch a program orientation video. Grantees will be required to submit final project/event plans by Thursday, April 9.

Grantees will be required to submit a post-project impact report by Sunday, May 31. If you have questions as you’re completing your application or about this year’s program, please check out the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions . If your question is not addressed there, you can contact the Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes youth grant administrator Scott Ganske at sganske@ysa.

org . This application is now closed.