Youth Initiatives

Youth Initiatives is a committee of High School students from Westport and Weston who encourage and support youth-initiated programs to better our community. Youth Initiatives wants to help facilitate their peers by offering funding for projects and programs that provide youth with unique opportunities for self-direction and expression, leadership, team or group activities, and community service. For example, possible projects would include: Social Action Events, Town-Wide Clean Up, Student Art Shows, Substance Abuse Prevention, Peer Counseling and everything else that involves our community youth in a positive way. Good luck with your research and brainstorming. The Youth Initiatives Committee looks forward to helping you help our community.

Be Creative, Any and All Ideas Will Be Considered!

Amount of Grant Award: Maximum award will be $500.00 for implementation. Students have the option to seek additional or matching funds from other organizations.

Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12. Individuals and/or groups are invited to apply for funding to develop projects that better the community we live in.

Youth Initiatives requires that all projects receiving funding place appropriate Westport-Weston United Way logo and recognition of sponsorship, this is important to our committee so that people realize we are out there and are a great resource to initiate a youth lead program.

Grant Deadline: Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Contact Person:

• Staples High School: Ross Solomon
• Weston High School: Matt Meizlish
• Greens Farms Academy: Alexandra Leonard

Outcome/Evaluation: Once you have been awarded funding for your project and have successfully completed the event, the Contact Person (i.e. you) is required to either call one of the Youth Initiative Committee members to explain how the project went, or can mail a letter relaying the information.