Started in 2001, Rose Youth Foundation (RYF) is an initiative of Rose Community Foundation that engages Jewish high school students in collaborative grantmaking. The program is youth-led, empowering teens to use the tools of strategic philanthropy to make a difference. Members work together to discuss what it means to give in a Jewish way, explore community issues, determine a funding priority, meet with nonprofit leaders and ultimately determine how to grant $60,000 to improve their community.
Becoming a Member: Applications Now Open
Rose Community Foundation (RCF) seeks a diverse group of Jewish and interfaith-Jewish high school students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade who want to make a difference in our community by learning about philanthropy and becoming teen grantmakers.
We are looking for teens who are not involved Jewishly and those who are; those who are involved in community service and those who are not; those who are athletes and those who are mathletes. All applicants should reside within the Greater Denver community of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties, identify as Jewish, and be enrolled in high school. Siblings will not be accepted to serve as members of Rose Youth Foundation concurrently.
Selected members of Rose Youth Foundation will meet for eight meetings over nine months beginning in September 2023 and ending in May 2024. Meetings will be held Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons at the Rose Community Foundation office. Selected members must attend all regularly rescheduled meetings with one pre-approved absence, participate in two offsite meetings with nonprofits, complete all research and readings, and contribute meaningful to group process. We encourage all teens who are interested in applying to review the meeting schedule and participation requirement prior to submitting their application to ensure they are able to fully commit to the program.
Each year, more teens apply to participate in Rose Youth Foundation than we are able to accept. As a result, the Foundation is not able to accept all the qualified and interested students who apply.
To apply, students should submit their written application via this Formsite link by Monday, April 24th at 5:00 p.m. You will be prompted to create a login and password if you choose to save and return to your application later. All applicants will be notified of selection decisions by June 5, 2023. If parents or students have any questions about applying or the program, please contact Gillian Nyland.
Application copy provided for reference, please apply using the link above.
Support Rose Youth Foundation Endowment
Help us ensure that future generations of young Jewish adults have the opportunity to serve as community leaders by supporting the Rose Youth Foundation Endowment. Thank you to the generous donors who contributed a total of $17,083 in 2022 in support of Rose Youth Foundation. We recognize and appreciate all our endowment donors who have invested in the future of Rose Youth Foundation since 2010.
If you are interested in passing the gift of Rose Youth Foundation forward, join us in helping to reach our $2 million goal.