Metro United Way (MUW) is committed to cultivating opportunities for youth in our seven-county region to be leaders and change agents in their communities.
Youth Social Action is a youth development approach that empowers young people to identify issues affecting their schools, neighborhoods, and communities and take meaningful action to address them. Rather than viewing youth as recipients of services, Youth Social Action positions them as leaders, problem-solvers, and change agents capable of creating positive community impact. Through this process, young people develop critical life skills, including leadership, communication, teamwork, civic engagement, and decision-making, while gaining confidence in their ability to influence the world around them.
Within youth-serving organizations, Youth Social Action is implemented through structured opportunities for young people to examine community needs, research root causes, engage stakeholders, and design solutions. Youth work alongside caring adults who serve as facilitators and coaches rather than directors, ensuring that projects are youth-led and responsive to issues that matter most to participants. This approach creates authentic opportunities for youth voice and leadership while strengthening connections between young people, their communities, and local institutions.
Youth Social Action is deeply rooted in the principles of Project-Based Learning (PBL). In PBL, participants learn by engaging in real-world challenges that require inquiry, planning, collaboration, and action. Youth identify a community issue, investigate its causes, develop a plan, implement solutions, and evaluate the results of their efforts. Through this cycle of learning and action, young people gain practical knowledge and skills while making tangible contributions to their communities. The combination of Youth Social Action and Project-Based Learning creates meaningful educational experiences that foster civic responsibility, academic growth, social-emotional development, and long-term community engagement.
A successful grant application will clearly describe how your organization plans to engage youth in project-based learning supported by your staff and/or volunteers to research, plan, and implement a social action project.
Any organization/agency that works with/serves youth ages 12-24 can apply for up to $5,000 in funding to support a youth social action project in partnership with youth within their respective agency/organization/community. Applications should demonstrate your ability to ensure equity within youth-adult partnerships, how youth are involved in designing the project, and a clear intent to ignite positive agency and organizational or community change.
Once applications are submitted, there will be a two-step review process. The first stage will be an adult review of all submitted applications to ensure they meet the minimum requirements of youth/adult partnership and social action project-based activity proposed in the application. Applications that meet these requirements will then be reviewed by young people who will score and make the final funding recommendations. Based on their recommendations and feedback from our Community Impact Cabinet, agencies will be selected to receive funding. Only one application per organization will be accepted.
The grant review committee will include representatives from:
- Metro United Way and The Book Works staff
- A diverse group of young people who will be trained and supported by staff from the Book Works and Metro United Way.
