Young Grantmakers Initiative

The Young Adult Grant Advisory Committee (YAGAC) was established in 2020 by the Raikes Foundation and the Y Social Impact Center in Seattle, WA. The program is intended to share power with young people and center grantmaking in equity by involving impacted communities in the funding process. The committee is a team of system impacted young adults who have lived experience with housing instability and a passion for serving their community. Together, they build a foundational knowledge of philanthropy and social justice for all and design a grant opportunity to disburse a sizeable amount of funds to local nonprofits working to address youth homelessness.

The committee is currently offering up to $25,000 in unrestricted (general operations) funding to nonprofits addressing youth and young adult homelessness in King County.

Mission & Values

The mission of the YAGAC is to elevate and empower youth in our community by distributing funding to organizations that serve youth and young adults experiencing homelessness and creating a space for lived experts to grow. The committee prioritizes marginalized communities, equity, lived experience, accessibility and relevant data to make informed funding decisions.

The core values that guide the committee’s work are equity & social justice for all, empowering lived experts, integrity, empathy, innovation, community investment, and youth-led initiatives.

Application & Award Timeline

• Accept Letters of Inquiry: July 7 - August 1, 2025
• Virtual Interviews: August 18 - August 29, 2025
• Committee Review: August 29 - September 25, 2025
• Applicants Notified of Awards, Start Funding Distribution: September 29, 2025
• Grantee Informal Report: March 2026 (date TBD)

Reporting Requirements

Reporting updates will occur at an in-person event in March 2026 (date TBD) including representatives from all awarded organizations and the young adult grant advisory committees.

Awardees will be asked to give a 10-minute presentation detailing the impact of funding, and experience with the Young Grantmakers funding process.

Organizations which receive funds commit to providing transparency and accountability for their usage at the informal 6-month update in March 2026. Funds are expected to be used within 12 months of disbursement.

Eligibility Qualifications

• Must be a certified 501(c)3 or have a Fiscal Sponsor with an EID number
• Funds must be used to support programs in King County
• Must not be a current or past Raikes Foundation grantee receiving grants or gifts over $3,000
• Must be providing services which address homelessness and/or housing instability for youth and young adults ages 13-24

Funding Priorities

Priority will be given to organizations that are serving majority BIPOC youth and/or LGBTQIA+ youth, system impacted youth, and organizations providing emergency shelter services.

For the purpose of this funding opportunity, system impacted youth are defined as youth impacted by the foster care system, criminal legal system, immigration system, or mental health institutions.

Application Instructions

The committee will accept Letters of Inquiry from July 7 - August 1, 2025. Applying organizations are asked to complete the Letter of Inquiry Submission Form and upload Letters of Inquiry as a PDF attachment within the form no later than August 1, 2025 by 11:59PM Pacific Time. Please ensure letter formatting and content aligns with the below guidelines.

If the committee determines your organization aligns with their mission and funding intentions, you will be invited to a virtual interview during the interview period in August.

Letters of Inquiry

Letters of Inquiry should address the following questions:

• Brief description of the organization and services provided
• What are the target population(s) your organization serves?
• What is the need your organization hopes to address with this funding? How will the funds be used to meet this need?
• Why is this work important to the community?
• Anything else you would like to add

Letters of Inquiry PDFs must adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

• Single spaced in Georgia 12-point font
• 1” page margins
• Letters (PDF) should not exceed 2 pages in length

Questions & Virtual Information Session

Potential applicants are encouraged to work with the committee to discuss components of the application where they may have additional questions or need support. If you have questions or comments, please send them to y-yagac@seattleymca.org.

The committee will host a virtual information session on Microsoft Teams on Monday, July 21, 2025, from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm (Pacific Time) to answer questions about the request for Letters of Inquiry. We strongly encourage interested applicants to attend the session. For those unable to attend, a recording of the information session will be posted on this page.

• Join the virtual information session on MS Teams
• Meeting ID: 287 613 550 711 6
• Passcode: n6xL6dY6

Virtual Interviews

If the committee determines your organization aligns with their mission and funding intentions, you will be invited to a virtual interview during the interview period in August (August 18 - August 29, 2025). Interviews will be on Microsoft Teams and include a panel of committee members. All interviews will be recorded.