The Northern New York Community Foundation’s 2022-2023 Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge is now open to students. The challenge seeks to engage seventh and eighth graders in learning about their communities while they compete for an opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local nonprofit organization of their choice.

This is the sixth year of the program, which is made possible by donors to the Community Foundation’s Friends of the Foundation Annual Community Betterment Fund, corporate support from Community Bank and a major gift from an individual donor. This year, grant awards are double previous years with 10 winners selected, which means entries will be competitively judged and should be well-written and articulate a compelling case for support.

Students presently enrolled in 7th and 8th grades in schools in Jefferson, Lewis, or St. Lawrence counties are eligible to compete for a share of $10,000 in total grant awards. Ten students will be selected to each present a $1,000 grant to a charitable organization of their choice. The initiative aims to have students explore their view of “community” and select a local charity for a grant award that makes their community a great place to live. To enter the competition, students must complete an essay-based application in writing.

“We believe there are many youth seeking a deeper level of engagement in their communities. This program provides a unique opportunity for middle school students to further explore and articulate the ways they can support organizations doing work they believe in and want to learn more about,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “With the grants being larger this year, it is our hope that more students from all over the tri-county area participate and also represent a diverse collection of nonprofit organizations in meaningful ways. We encourage parents, teachers, friends and others to help make eligible students aware of the initiative.”

In its first five years, 102 students and an entire class have been selected to present 99 grants totaling $50,000 to 82 different nonprofit organizations that serve tri-county residents.

Applications are available online at nnycf.org/givingchallenge, at local schools, or at the Northern New York Community Foundation, 131 Washington St., Watertown. Students selected to award grants in previous years are not eligible to enter.

Entries must be made online, postmarked, or hand-delivered to the Community Foundation no later than Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. A grant review committee will judge all entries and determine 10 winning students to present grant awards. Eligible recipient organizations must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in Jefferson, Lewis, or St. Lawrence counties.

An announcement of winning submissions and grant awards will be made in early January. A Community Foundation representative will then contact winning students to schedule them to personally visit their chosen organization, learn more about its work and mission, and present their grant award. Contact the Community Foundation, 315-782-7110, or info@nnycf.org, to learn more about the Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge.