Young Futures anticipates awarding up to 20 organizations, one-year grants ranging in size from $25,000 to $100,00; a minimum total of up to $1M. Award amounts will vary based on scope. The grant term will be November 15, 2026-November 14, 2027.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and fiscally sponsored projects with 501(c)(3) status.

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Collaborative proposals are welcomed. For example, a nonprofit with a partnership with another nonprofit or other entity is eligible to apply. While all solutions must lead to outcomes that support youth wellbeing, and must be co-designed and/or co-led with young people, we welcome organizations that are helmed by leaders of all ages.

Grant recipients cannot use funds for lobbying or political activities as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

We are looking for solutions that help young people navigate the pressures of digital life while building a stronger sense of self, safety, and belonging. Eligible projects should address at least one of three core challenges—norm pressure and identity stress, harmful gendered narratives and content, or tech-facilitated harms and loss of safety—and should be designed specifically for one of our three tracks: girls, boys, or gender-expansive youth.

Each organization may submit one application total and must select a single track. If your work spans multiple gender populations, choose the track that most closely reflects your primary focus and the population you most directly serve. You don't need to exclude other young people from your program — but your application should make a clear case for one track. Awarded organizations across all three tracks will join a shared cohort, so the learning will cross over regardless.

No. You do not need to be building an app, platform, or digital tool to apply. What matters is that your solution addresses the digital pressures — algorithmic, social, cultural — that shape your population's experience. An in-person mentorship program, a school-based curriculum, or a community group can all be in scope if you can draw a clear line between your work and the digital tensions described in this RFP. Ask yourself: does your solution help young people navigate, resist, or recover from the pressures of online life? If yes, you likely belong here. If your solution would look and function identically in a world without smartphones or social media, it's probably out of scope.

Yes. Sexual orientation is a meaningful lens within any of the three tracks. For example, if your work centers queer or lesbian girls as they navigate femininity online, you would apply to the Girl on Fire track. The tracks are organized by gender, not sexual orientation. Choose based on the gender population your program is designed to serve.

We prioritize proposals that actively involve young people in the design and development process. This can mean direct input from youth in shaping the experience, participatory research methods, or ongoing feedback loops that ensure the project remains relevant and engaging to its intended audience.

Your solution should have been run with real young people — not just designed or piloted internally — and you should have something concrete to show for it. That could be a pilot with measurable outcomes, survey data showing shifts in confidence or belonging, or attendance and retention numbers suggesting young people are finding value. It doesn't need to be a randomized controlled trial. What we're looking for is evidence that your solution works in practice, not just in theory. If you've been doing adjacent work for years but are proposing something meaningfully new, tell us that story — and show us the early signals that give you confidence it's working.

Grant recipients, aka YF Innovators, will participate in the 5-month YF Academy spanning January-May 2027, including an all-expense-paid in-person retreat, and participation in Masterclasses, Operations Office Hours, and YF’s virtual community network on Slack. Designated YF Innovators must be 18+ to participate. Learn more about the YF Academy here.

We’re open to both, and grantseekers will be asked to specify which type they are requesting. Project-specific funding supports a defined initiative that aligns with this challenge, while general operations funding provides flexible support for an organization’s broader mission. 

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You’re likely a good fit for project-specific funding if your proposed solution is one of multiple programs within a more established organization, especially if your other initiatives don’t directly align with this challenge’s focus. 

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General operations funding may be a better fit if your proposed solution is both core to your organization’s mission and directly aligned with the focus of this challenge.

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No, organizations may only submit one proposal for each Young Futures funding challenge.

Young Futures will run multiple challenges centered on empowering pre-teens and teens to thrive in a tech-driven world.

Yes! Prior applicants (with the exception of current Young Futures grant recipients with an active grant term) are eligible to apply to this funding challenge.

Complete our eligibility quiz, which will be available on our website beginning April 8, 2026.

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Upon successfully completing the quiz, you will be given a link to access the LOI. In it, you will be asked to include a video submission showcasing your solution. A suggested format is provided on the application.

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The application process has two phases:

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Phase 1: Letters of Intent (LOIs) will be accepted from April 8-May 19, 2026. 

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Phase 2: Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals from June 17-July 8, 2026.  

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Finalist interviews will take place August-September 2026. Awardees will be notified in October, and funds will be disbursed starting in November.

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