An Opportunity to Volunteer with the Venture Fund
United Way is offering a unique opportunity for high school students as members of a team of youth grant-makers for our Venture Fund. This volunteer experience provides high school students the opportunity to be philanthropic and will also enhance their resume by building leadership skills as they prepare for college.
As a Tocqueville Society member, we invite you to share this opportunity with the high school student in your life; whether that be a son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandchild, etc.
United Way’s new Venture Fund is launching later this spring and will serve as a catalyst as a funder of promising new ideas that drive population level change into community practice.
A competitive jury selection process will result in 4 awards of up to $75,000 each to regional nonprofits. Award winners will be found to have the experience, community presence, and collaborative relationships to solve a big problem in a new way. They also need United Way as a funder and thought partner to bring that idea to life.
United Way’s request for proposals to community organizations in our region is for innovative, collaborative approaches to achieving any of the following impact goals:
- All Individuals have safe, permanent, affordable housing
- All adults have jobs that allow them to support themselves and their families
- All adults are able to meet their basic needs and achieve a state of financial well-being
- All children enter kindergarten ready to learn
- All youth graduate from high school ready to succeed in college/careers
The Youth Review for Venture Fund will give high schools students the opportunity to invest $5,000 to support one of the competitive 8 Finalists for the Venture Fund. These student grant-makers will invest dollars into the areas of work and nonprofits that they feel are most compelling.
Bringing together young people across United Way’s region, students will have the opportunity to learn together about diversity, equity and inclusion and how that impacts each other and the communities United Way serves and supports.
The Youth Review for Venture Fund will take place from late March through May this year. The time commitment is 8-10 hours. Please contact Janet Collins at jcollins@supportunitedway.org to register your high school student or to learn more.