Youthprise

YOUTHPRISE (THE ORGANIZATION) IS A MINNESOTA NOT-FOR-PROFIT 501(C)(3) CORPORATION ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER 2010 BY THE MCKNIGHT FOUNDATION. YOUTHPRISE IS A YOUTH-CENTERED PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION THAT INVESTS IN THE FUTURE OF MINNESOTA BY INVESTING IN YOUTH. OUR MISSION IS TO INCREASE EQUITY WITH AND FOR MINNESOTA'S INDIGENOUS, LOW-INCOME, AND RACIALLY DIVERSE YOUTH. WE STRATEGICALLY COMBINE FUNDING, CAPACITY BUILDING, POLICY ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR WORK, GOVERNANCE, AND OPERATIONS.

HEALTH AND SAFETY: YOUTHPRISE SUPPORTS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUNG PEOPLE. IN ADDITION TO MEETING BASIC FOOD NEEDS THROUGH OUR NUTRITION PROGRAM, WE WORK WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO LINK HEALTHY LIFESTYLES WITH GOOD NUTRITION. WE TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALTH AND SAFETY AND ADVANCE INTERVENTION STRATEGIES THAT PREVENT THE CRIMINALIZATION OF YOUTH, WHICH CAN POSE A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY. IN 2021, YOUTHPRISE SUPPORTED 20 NUTRITION SITES ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES AND SERVED OVER 1,100,000 MEALS AND SNACKS TO YOUNG PEOPLE AGES SIX TO 18. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUPPORT A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES THAT SEEK TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND CONTACT BETWEEN NON-VIOLENT YOUTH AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE PROVIDED 284 INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORTS SUCH AS RENT, UTILITIES, ETC.

LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP: YOUTHPRISE PROMOTES THE LEARNING, LEADERSHIP, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH. PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES SUPPORTED IN THIS AREA EXPOSE YOUTH TO ARTS AND CULTURE, ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. WE SEEK TO SHIFT HOW PROGRAMS INTERACT WITH YOUTH AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT ENGAGE YOUTH IN LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE, A PRACTICE THAT WE MODEL AT YOUTHPRISE. WE EMBED YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS ALL AREAS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, AND WE HAVE A GOAL OF 50% REPRESENTATION OF YOUTH ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IN 2021 OUR MINNESOTA AFTERSCHOOL ADVANCE (MAA) PROGRAM SCALED UP TO HELP LOW-INCOME STUDENTS IN 171 CITIES ACROSS MINNESOTA. DESIGNED TO HELP LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AFFORD AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING, MAA PIVOTED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO HELP DISTRIBUTE OVER 392 CHROMEBOOKS TO ASSIST WITH DISTANCE LEARNING AT NO OUT-OF-POCKET COST TO FAMILIES. IT ALSO FUNDED TUTORING AND OTHER ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO MITIGATE COVID-RELATED LEARNING LOSS. 51 ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED UNDER MAA IN 2021.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: YOUTHPRISE CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY BY SUPPORTING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT BUILD WORKFORCE SKILLS, PROMOTE YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND EXPOSE YOUTH TO CAREER PATHWAYS. WE WORK WITH A RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS SECTORS TO EQUIP YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE ECONOMIC TOOLS TO THRIVE. IN 2021, YOUTHPRISE ASSISTED 391 YOUTH IN RECEIVING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH OPPORTUNITY REBOOT. 86 YOUTH WERE PLACED IN JOBS AND 182 YOUTH HAVE RECEIVED CREDENTIALS OR CERTIFICATIONS FOR HIGH-DEMAND INDUSTRIES.