Philanthropy

Philanthropist

A person who gives of his/her time, talent, and treasure for the sake of another or for the common good of the community.

 

Youth in Philanthropy

In general, this group is a youth-based version of the foundation’s grant making task force (a group of board members and members of the community who meet to review grants annually). The Youth in Philanthropy group will also be responsible for the “giving” of their funds.

In that sense it will be more than a grant-making group. An educational component will also be emphasized, with some sessions devoted to learning about philanthropy, the idea of “giving”, discovering non-profit and governmental organizations, as well as other topics such as volunteerism and board procedures.

 

Purpose

  1. Teach about philanthropy (its roots, how it is carried out today, the importance of getting involved, etc.)
  2. Give students an opportunity to engage in philanthropy and “make a difference” through grants.
  3. How to run a meeting and participate effectively.
  4. Gain knowledge of the non-profit world locally.
  5. Learn how proposal evaluations are conducted and practice this skill.
  6. Practice decision making and negotiation skills.

Some Specific Projects

  1. Review needs assessments of school and community needs.
  2. Create a grant application and make available for groups and organizations to complete.
  3. Provide/present philanthropic activities to elementary students.
  4. Review grant applications, determine grant distribution and present to Foundation Board.
  5. Present the awards (share with community; publicize grants).
  6. Learn about volunteerism and research local volunteer opportunities.
  7. Take part in a group volunteer project.

Participants and structure

During the 2008-09 school year, eight schools will participate: Berwick, Benton, Northwest, and Central Columbia. This program is funded by the Berwick Health & Wellness Fund and the Central Columbia Educational Foundation. Approximately 12-15 juniors and seniors from each school form the group which is supervised by a school advisor and the CSCF’s program officer.