Background and Goals

JOY Background
Forward-thinking Maine foundations Unity Foundation and Maine Community Foundation along with corporate partner, UniTel, Inc., are collaborating to fund this initiative to teach Maine middle and high school students about the value of hands-on community commitment and the principles of "smart" philanthropy.

Students Making Grants Make a Difference
JOY teaches state-of-the-art philanthropic approaches including an online grant application and management sytem ensuring standard application data is collected and shared. Like foundation program officers, students design and distribute requests for proposals (RFP), review applications from local youth-serving nonprofits, participate in site visits, interview nonprofit applicants, review budgets — and then award grants.

The students develop service learning projects with their grant recipients in order to provide hands-on support to the community and strengthen their understanding of the value of local organizations. Several JMG chapters enhance their grants with their own dollars raised through activities.

Goals
Research shows that youth engaged in philanthropy lead in volunteering and giving throughout their lives.

Before long, Maine’s young people will be running nonprofits, contributing to community causes and serving as board members of organizations that serve Maine’s people and places. Building on the intensive community service and citizenship curriculum already offered by JMG, the students learn the critical role that nonprofits play in meeting overwhelming community needs. They come to appreciate that community service includes hands-on work as well as thoughtful grantmaking and stewardship. They learn critical evaluation, collaboration, finance and operational skills as they determine how to award their grants.