A Vision for Equity: Celebrating Grantees Making an Impact Through Participatory Grantmaking

Oak Foundation commits its resources to address issues of global, social, and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. Oak Foundation’s Learning Differences Programme believes that every student should benefit from engaging and rigorous educational opportunities regardless of personal and social identifiers that privilege some students and marginalise others such as learning differences, race, income, language, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and religion. To bring this vision to fruition, Oak partners with not-for-profit organisations that create learning environments and promote educational equity to improve education for students with learning differences, particularly those who are furthest from opportunity due to racism and poverty. 

Enter the International Youth Foundation. For over 34 years, IYF has stood by, for, and with young people as they pursue opportunities to transform their lives and communities. We see ourselves as the connective tissue, bridging the gap between corporations, foundations, communities, and young people. While IYF’s strategy focuses on three interrelated objectives, for this partnership Youth Agency was our primary foothold. Through this goal we aim to support young people in developing life, leadership, and the civic skills they need to unlock their individual agency and take action in their communities.  

Following what some may view as serendipity and others as strategic alignment, Oak awarded IYF a $2 million grant. This funding supports a three-year, youth-led participatory grantmaking project called Unique Perspectives for Change (affectionately known as UP4C), which aims to raise awareness of and expand best practices in programming for youth with learning differences. 

Understanding how intersecting identities contribute to the undervaluing of individuals is crucial for participatory grantmaking. Access to resources and decision-making power are fundamentally linked to issues of power. Our UP4C Young Leaders come from diverse education and socioeconomic backgrounds and represent an array of racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation identities. The youth panel who reviewed applications for the program prioritized representation during the selection process, because it would lead to better funding decisions and more equitable results.  

After the selection of a national cohort of UP4C Young Leaders, it was their responsibility to co-design, implement, and manage a grant fund worth $600,000. Through bi-weekly virtually facilitated sessions, and independent supplemental tasks and activities Leaders engaged with content, materials, and tools curated to educate and empower them to design meaningful RFP (Request for Proposal) that would fund projects and programs they deemed deserving. The integral role of the UP4C Young Leaders in crafting this impactful RFP cannot be overstated; from beginning to end this document was composed with their hearts, minds, and lived experiences.  

Equipped with their knowledge of participatory grantmaking and their impressive skills in communication, collaboration, and decision-making, UP4C Young Leaders have made some incredible selections! After careful consideration, they selected seven outstanding grantees who are fired up and ready to make a significant impact in their communities. 

Without further ado, we are thrilled to introduce our recipients and the amazing initiatives they’re launching 

 

1. Consult Lemonade Corp: The Lemonade + Life-Skills program equips individuals to succeed in entry-level tech positions by providing holistic support incorporating financial literacy, math, reading, critical thinking, communication skills, and exposure to real-life tech. It is divided into four modules: Awareness, Foundational Tools, Communication, and Innovation & Tech Fundamentals 

2. Global Nomads Group: A diverse, global group of youth designers with varied experiences of neurodiversity will collaborate on a course on Neurodivergent Belonging: Leadership and Advocacy. This course will engage youth in exploration of the individual, community and global experiences of neurodivergence and end with a call to lead action and advocacy to create accessibility and belonging for neurodivergent youth in academic, professional and social spaces. This course will be distributed to youth around the world through their global network of educators and young people. 

3. New Futures DC: Funding will support New Futures’ Scholars Program, providing 264 Scholars with flexible scholarships, personalized academic and career advising, skill-building workshops, and networking opportunities. This funding is crucial for providing tailored advising that promotes persistence in their education. The program emphasizes resilience and flexibility, enabling Scholars to balance work, family, and studies. 

4. Lectores para el futuro: As part of their commitment to changing the landscape of teaching reading in Puerto Rico they recognize the value of training teachers as drivers of change due to their protagonism at the forefront of educational innovation. Understanding this, and having trained teachers successfully in English since 2010, Lectores is focused on launching a Spanish Orton-Gillingham Teacher Training Program that will equip teachers to implement their instructional materials with the necessary expertise to be able to address the particular needs of struggling readers. 

5. The Inspired Community Project, Inc.: The Training & Excellence (T&E) program is a hyper-local, self-sustaining initiative that empowers young professionals from the Bronx community through specialized workforce development, career training, and certification support. This full-time, fully paid program helps participants become certified Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) within a year. Funding will also support the opening of their Flagship Bronx Center, which will serve families as a resource hub for the Bronx community by providing over 10,000 hours of direct services monthly across Early Intervention, Training & Excellence, and Family Advocacy Coaching Supports (FACS). 

6. The College Trunk: The In MY Trunk Leadership Program is designed for youth ages 16-22 to develop essential skills as they transition into adulthood. Participants will engage in co-designing content and evaluating the program while focusing on self-awareness, confidence, and leadership development through experiential learning. They will also learn important laws, available benefits, and support resources, helping them create a vision and plan for their future with mentorship. Finally, participants will join the first online neurodivergent youth community and develop a self-advocacy social media campaign to share their insights and maintain engagement beyond the program. 

7. Youth Advocates for Change: Their trauma-informed professional development program, “Educators for Advocacy”, empowers educators to support students in communicating their needs, thereby improving the mental health of both students and teachers. This program supports students often labeled as "distracted or disengaged," who may act out due to a dysregulated nervous system caused by trauma or undiagnosed neurodiversities. 

 

As we celebrate the selection of these remarkable grantees, we are reminded of the transformative power of youth agency and the importance of inclusive educational opportunities. The work of these organizations reflects our shared commitment to creating a world where every young person can thrive, regardless of their background or learning differences. Together, we are not just funding projects; we are investing in futures, fostering resilience, and igniting change in communities across the country. We look forward to witnessing the incredible impact of these initiatives and the lasting legacy they will create.