Give Next youth philanthropy program awards more than $100K to nonprofits

Students from 20 middle and high schools in the Poudre and Thompson school districts have awarded $105,204 to 36 Larimer County nonprofits as part of the Give Next youth philanthropy program.

Give Next is a school-based youth-philanthropy program designed to provide middle and high school students with experience in philanthropic giving. Despite a year of challenges and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, participating classes carried out the program.

“We celebrate the students and teachers who demonstrated their commitment to our community by adapting Give Next to their virtual, remote learning realities,” Sara Maranowicz, Bohemian Foundation’s community programs director, said in a statement announcing the awards. “They found new, creative ways to connect with nonprofits during a challenging time and supported many organizations at the center of our community’s COVID-19 response.” 

Through the program, local businesses, foundations and individuals become classroom donors by providing each participating school with $5,000 to award to Larimer County nonprofits. Many of the students from participating schools also complete their own fundraisers to add to the $5,000 grant amount provided by donors. This year, students raised $5,204 to accompany the $100,000 provided by donors. 

Throughout the year, students design and manage their own grantmaking programs. They identify needs, choose a focus, create their own mission statements, research nonprofits, volunteer, conduct site visits, review grant applications and make funding decisions. At the end of the school year, students award grants to selected nonprofits. Through the process, Give Next enables students to experience the power of teamwork and the impact they can have on their community.  

Since the program’s inception in 2012, almost $700,000 has been awarded to Larimer County nonprofits — $595,000 of which was provided by classroom donors and nearly $85,000 of which was raised by Give Next students. Every donor dollar goes directly to student grantmaking.  

2020-2021 Give Next grant recipients were:

Poudre School District  

• Boltz Middle School granted to ChildSafe Colorado and Voices Carry Child Advocacy Center. 

• Cache La Poudre Middle IB World School granted to United Way of Larimer County and the American Red Cross of Northern Colorado. 

• Fort Collins High School granted to FoCo Café; Fort Collins Eyeopeners Kiwanis Club; Homeward Alliance; and The Nappie Project. 

• Fossil Ridge High School granted to Alternatives to Violence; Ashley Doolittle Foundation; and Crossroads Safehouse. 

• Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School granted to Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County; Alternatives to Violence; and La Cocina. 

• Lesher Middle IB World School granted to Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County; Center for Family Outreach; La Cocina; and Partners.  

• Lincoln Middle IB World School granted to FoCo Café; Food Bank of Larimer County; Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity; Fort Collins Rescue Mission; Homeward Alliance; and Outreach Fort Collins. 

• Poudre Community Academy granted to Alternatives to Violence; Canyon Concert Ballet; Center for Family Outreach; and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. 

• Poudre High School granted to 3Hopeful Hearts; Center for Family Outreach; and Partners. 

• Preston Middle School granted to Foothills Gateway; Hearts & Horses; and Respite Care. 

• PSD Global Academy granted to Hearts & Horses; Respite Care; Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center; and The Quarter Project of Northern Colorado. 

• Rocky Mountain High School granted to CARE Housing; FoCo Café; and Healing Warriors Program. 

• Wellington Middle School granted to Healing Warriors Program; La Cocina; and Light of the Rockies Christian Counseling Center. 

Thompson School District  

• Berthoud High School granted to 3Hopeful Hearts; Healing Warriors Program; Hearts & Horses; La Cocina; and Sound Affects Music. 

• High Plains School granted to CASA of Larimer County; Hearts & Horses; LAUNCH: Community Through Skateboarding; and Partners. 

• Loveland High School granted to CARE Housing; FoCo Café; and Outreach Fort Collins. 

• Mountain View High School granted to FoCo Café; Food Bank of Larimer County; Fort Collins Eyeopeners Kiwanis Club; Fort Collins Rescue Mission; and Sproutin’ Up Corporation. 

• Thompson Valley High School granted to 3Hopeful Hearts and Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County. 

• Turner Middle School granted to Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County; CASA of Larimer County; and The Avery Center. 

• Walt Clark Middle School granted to 3Hopeful Hearts and UCHealth Northern Colorado Foundation. 

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