Great Opportunities for Young People!

YSA (Youth Service America) is currently accepting applications for 3 grant programs supporting Global Youth Service Day projects, Please take a few moments to share this information with those in your network who might be interested. Include in your e-newsletters or e-mail messages; post on your website; send a message to your Facebook fans or Twitter followers; post on local or organizational list-servs; or send a personal note to youth you work with. Promotional blurbs are below. Members, chapters, and affiliates of YSA partners receive preference for YSA grant programs. To receive this preference, your members, chapters, or affiliates should enter your organization name when it asks for a "Partner Code" on the grant application. (This applies to all YSA National & Global Partners, GYSD Lead Agencies, Semester of Service Organizers, state service commissions, and state education agencies.)

Current YSA Grant Opportunities Sodexo Lead Organizer Grants (Deadline: February 10) YSA is accepting applications from organizations across the United States to serve as 2011 Sodexo Lead Organizers, supported by a $2,000 planning grant from YSA and the Sodexo Foundation. Sodexo Lead Organizers will work with partner organizations to engage at least 500 youth volunteers in learning about and addressing the issue of childhood hunger in their communities, beginning on Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) (April 15-17), and continuing through Hunger Action Month (September) and Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 14-20).  Sodexo Lead Organizers will also build new partnerships in their community and increase public awareness about the issue of hunger and young people's role in solving the problem. Applications are due by midnight on Friday, February 10. Learn more at www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoleadorganizer    Sodexo Youth Grants (Deadline: February 25) Over 17 million children in the United States live at risk of hunger; that's 1 in 4 children who rely on free and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch programs as their only guaranteed meals. YSA (Youth Service America) and Sodexo are calling on young people, ages 5-25, to help make sure your peers don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from, and can instead focus on learning and leading healthy and productive lives. YSA will award 100 Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to support youth-led service projects that address the issue of childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011.) We're looking for projects that engage your peers, friends, families, neighbors, Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative, youth-inspired solutions to ending childhood hunger in your community. Applications are due February 25. Learn more at www.YSA.org/grants/sodexoyouth     Disney Friends for Change Grants (Deadline: March 10) YSA (Youth Service America), together with Disney, is now accepting applications from youth around the world for the Disney Friends for Change Grants. The grant funds youth-led service projects that focus on making environmentally friendly changes and engage youth on Global Youth Service Day, April 15-17.  The Disney Friends for Change program will award 50 $500 grants to youth-led service projects around the world that demonstrate youth leadership, creativity, and the commitment to making a positive impact on the environment. Applicants must be between the ages of 5-25 and be associated with a school or organization. Applications are due March 10. Learn more at www.YSA.org/grants/disney-friends-change-grants  In service,   Michael Minks  Michael Minks Director of Outreach Youth Service America mminks@ysa.org 202.296.2992