YEP

The Youth Empowerment Project is designed to promote volunteerism, grantmaking, fundraising and education to involve high-school and middle-school students in community-based philanthropy. Established in 2001, the YEP program now includes nine active chapters across the region.
 

Mission

The mission of the Youth Empowerment Project is to empower youth to positively impact their community. This is accomplished through education, service, grantmaking, and fundraising.

Community

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has continued to expand upon the Youth Empowerment concept by growing further into the Ozarks region. We are committed to the creation and development of YEP projects in rural Missouri communities. If you’re interested in starting a local YEP chapter in your community, please contact Rachel Tripp.

List of chapters

• Aurora High School YEP
• Couch Youth Empowerment Project
• Gainesville Youth Empowerment Project
• Koshkonong High School YEP
• Youth Empowerment Project of Ozark (YEPO)
• Reeds Spring Youth Empowerment Project
• Seymour R-II
• Springfield City YEP
• St. James Youth Empowerment Project

The four tenets of YEP

Education

• The importance of local, purposeful community involvement
• A focus on local community, educating others on the importance of youth involvement in community
• Serve on board of directors, serve on community foundation boards

Service

• Fulfill a civic duty to community
• Volunteerism, working to benefit our local citizens
• Fulfilling needs that are not currently being met in a community

Grantmaking

• Provide small, youth-oriented grants to projects in the local community
• Students make grantmaking decisions, learn to make tough decisions
• Students present grants to organizations, follow up on grants to ensure they are correctly used

Fundraising

• Annual events
• Fundraising campaigns
• Applying for grants from local community foundation or other entity
• Community fundraising efforts at local festivals
• Requesting contributions from community donors