www.miwf.org

Project Name: 

Young Women for Change - Washtenaw County

Purpose of Grant:

Providing support to innovative programs in the area of math, science, and technology for low-income girls through MWF's girls-as-grantmaker program.

Executive Summary:

Young Women for Change (YWFC) is a nationally recognized youth leadership program that makes a difference encouraging girls to get involved in their community, seeing the needs in that community and finding ways to solve community problems.  YWFC in WashtenawCounty was created in 2003 with funding support from Ann Arbor area donors and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.  Participation in the program has more than doubled in the past two years.  YWFC is highly recognized throughout the country and has been welcomed by residents of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. The Washtenaw County YWFC consists of a diverse group of 25 to 28 high school-aged girls from schools throughout the county.  Participants are involved in every aspect of the program from determining funding priorities, organizing meetings and agendas, holding town hall forums, writing and releasing Request for Proposals, conducting site visits, determining the final grant recipients and conducting program evaluations.

Each group allocates $20,000 annually to three to five nonprofit programs that address problems facing girls and young women in their community.

YWFC is guided by an overall curriculum that has been developed, tested and is continually being refined.  An extensive evaluation process includes review of the Young Women for Change program, but also the programs supported by the YWFC grants.