Applications for St. Lawrence County Youth Bureau grants are open

CANTON, N.Y. (WWTI) – In a press release the St. Lawrence County Youth Bureau announced they are currently accepting funding proposals from community-based non-profit organizations, public agencies, faith-based organizations, St. Lawrence County municipalities, and government agencies to provide services to the youth of St. Lawrence County.

These programs fall under the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Youth Development Program, Youth Sports & Education Opportunity Funding, and Youth Team Sports funds distributed through the Youth Bureau for programs operating from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

Youth Development Programs (YDP) promote the following:

• Citizenship and Civic Engagement;
• Community;
• Economic Security;
• Physical and Emotional Health;
• Educational “Out of School” Programming; and
• Family.

All Youth Development Programs must promote the well-being of youth by fostering:

• Physical and psychological safety;
• Appropriate structure;
• Supportive relationships and opportunities to belong;
• Positive social norms and support for efficacy; and
• Opportunities for skill-building and integration of family, school and community.

Youth Sports and Education (YSEF) and Youth Team Sports (YTS) programs are guided by these principles:

• Sports are effective tools in positive youth development and family engagement;
• Sports improve the lives of young people by promoting positive social, emotional, health, and educational outcomes and have important life-long effects;
• Sports enable opportunities for young people to thrive in leadership roles; and
• Coaching education greatly improves young people’s sports experience and development outcomes.

Youth Sports and Education Funding activities and programs should foster educational connection, physical and mental health & well-being, problem solving, and community cohesion.

Similar to the Youth Sports and Education Opportunity Funding, YTS is grounded in the principles of positive youth development. It is intended to provide support to local team sports programs statewide in communities where such programs may be scarce or under-resourced. Unlike YSEF, YTS has a sole focus on team sports.

The YDP programs for ages 0 to 21, the YSEF programs for ages 6 to 17, and the YTS programs for ages under 18 are all supported by the Request for Proposal. Programs that are eligible must be outcome-based and provide quantifiable and verifiable performance indicators. All programs seeking funding are required to keep track of the service, opportunity, and support outcome measures.

The Youth Bureau is offering a virtual Q&A on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 10 a.m.

Proposals for funding must be submitted to the St. Lawrence County Youth Bureau by Friday, August 30, 2024.  Proposals received after this date will not be considered.  Contact the Youth Bureau at 315-379-9464 or email slcyouthbureau@gmail.com for an electronic copy of the RFP, application, and Zoom link.

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