Youth Council

Mission of Youth Council

Youth Council brings together a diverse group of students living in Washtenaw County to:

Promote philanthropy and service among young people
Award over $100,000 in grants each year to support local youth programs, services, and projects
Participate in state-wide leadership training opportunities, including a summer grantmaking conference hosted by the Council of Michigan Foundations
Provide hands-on support for community service projects
Give voice and perspective to issues that concern young people
Conduct a community-wide needs assessment every 3-4 years

It’s a tradition that began in 1989 with a challenge grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Both Kellogg and AAACF recognized that given the opportunity, young people can provide an important voice and vehicle for strengthening local communities. Since 1989, hundreds of high school students have served on AAACF’s Youth Council, awarding over $2 million in grants that have supported a wide variety of youth programs and projects throughout Washtenaw County.

"Youth Council has taught me to always value and consider the perspectives of others. It has taught me about the discrepancies in my community and the world. It has taught me that I have the power to make a difference."

- Charles Butz, former youth council member

Interested in Joining?

Youth Council members gain a deep understanding of our community's needs and issues related to youth, our local nonprofit sector, and how philanthropy and volunteering can make a meaningful difference in strengthening our community.

One Youth Council member serves on AAACF's Board of Trustees with full voting privileges.

Due to COVID-19, the Youth Council is currently scaling back activities. Site visits and group service projects will not be taking place at this time and all meetings will be held via Zoom until further notice. We will revisit this arrangement periodically and only return to in person when it is safe to do so.

be entering 9th,10th or 11th grade in the fall of the application year (priority will be given to 9th and 10th graders)
live in Washtenaw County
attend 1-2 monthly meetings ranging from 3-5 hours in length (held on Sundays) at the Community Foundation Office in Downtown Ann Arbor from September -May
participate in an interview in September
participate in foundation wide events as needed
attend site-visits, team building activities, and volunteering opportunities (Due to COVID-19, these activities will not be taking place until further notice)
review, score, and provide insight into between 20-30 grant applications each year (outside of meeting times)
be willing to commit their time. Please see the sample calendar for a better idea of what is expected.

2022 Youth Council Grants

Grants totaling $101,000 have been made in support of local programs and projects that have expanded opportunities for young people throughout Washtenaw County.