The Northern New York Community Foundation’s 2023-2024 Community Spirit Youth Giving Challenge is now open to tri-county 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 seventh 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. Last year, grant awards were doubled to $1,000 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 seventh and eighth grades in schools in St. Lawrence, Jefferson, or Lewis 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.

“This is a meaningful opportunity for local students to more deeply explore the meaning and importance of community while also providing direct support to a charitable organization of their choice,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “As it continues to grow, we hope to see the best participation to date representing a diverse range of viewpoints. To do this, we need the help of parents, teachers, friends, and others to make eligible students aware of the opportunity.”

In its first six years, 112 students and an entire class from 19 different tri-county school districts have been selected to present 109 grants totaling $60,000 to 82 different non profit 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, Oct. 27. A grant review committee will judge all entries and select 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 no later than 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.