Ask NCFY

Fundraising and Grant-Seeking for Youth Programs

Positive Youth Development

Abstinence Education

At-Risk and Homeless Youth Statistics

Youth Service

Getting Help

Family Violence

Fundraising and Grant-Seeking for Youth Programs

How can NCFY help me locate funding opportunities for my youth program?
One of NCFY's primary functions is to provide the public with information about the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) and its grant programs. NCFY can send you information packets about FYSB program grant announcements and refer you to other Federal agency Web sites, program administrative contacts, FYSB program fact sheets, and information about Positive Youth Development.

NCFY can also assist you in your search for funding by

• Identifying grant resources for Positive Youth Development programs
• Helping to align your program focus and mission with available funding
• Providing general information about the Federal grant proposal process
• Answering questions about Positive Youth Development theory and practice

Federal grant announcements, including FYSB funding announcements, can be found at www.grants.gov.

Please read on for further information about youth-related funding. If you still have questions, NCFY can help answer them. Call (301) 608-8098 or e-mail ncfy@acf.hhs.gov.

Who is eligible for FYSB grants?
County, city, township, or special district governments, state controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments and organizations, organizations with 501(c)(3) status, and non-profits that do not have 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education are eligible for FYSB grants. Additional, detailed information on applicant eligibility requirements is outlined in the specific grant announcements.

When are the Basic Center Program, Mentoring Children of Prisoners, Street Outreach Program, and Transitional Living Program grants available?
FYSB's Runaway and Homeless Youth and Mentoring Children of Prisoners grant programs are usually announced online between February and April, depending on when the annual Congressional appropriations are made for these programs.

Can I be notified when the FYSB grants become available?
Yes, call the Administration on Children, Youth and Families Operations Center at (866) 796-1591 to be placed on the mailing list.

Where can I find FYSB program funding announcements?
FYSB announces the availability of program funding on the Grants.gov Web site. Funding announcements are also posted on the FYSB Web site. In addition, hard copies of the announcements are available from NCFY.

How do I get more information about specific FYSB grant programs?
Detailed information on FYSB grant programs can be found in each program's funding announcement at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/content/funding/index.htm. Announcements for each program contain information about eligibility, applications, and award amounts. In addition, ACYF Grant Officers can answer specific program questions.

Where can I find information about non-Federal funding for youth programs?
State governments, local governments, and private foundations fund programs for youth. Corporate and community foundations often have funds available for youth programs. The following Web sites offer information about grants and fundraising:

• Afterschool Alliance
  Information on over 30 major sources of afterschool funding, including Federal, State, local, and private funding sources. State facts and provider networks.
• The Grantsmanship Center
  Offers a Grantsmanship Training Program on researching grants, writing grant proposals, and negotiating with funding sources.
• The Foundation Center
  Free Request for Proposal (RFP) Bulletin, newsletters, and grant writing tutorial.
• Mickey's Place in the Sun Foundations and Trusts
  Information on corporations and trusts. Foundations A to Z listed alphabetically, as well as regional, State, and country-specific foundations.
• National Service Resource Center
  Information on grants related to community service and volunteering and starting and managing a nonprofit organization. Grant writing tutorial.
• Grassroots Fundraising Journal
  Provides practical tips and tools to help community-based nonprofit organizations raise money. Free e-newsletter.
• National Tribal Justice Resource Center
  Offers tools to enhance Tribal justice systems, including a list of funding opportunities for Tribes.
• National Youth Development Information Center
  Information on Federal and State funding and national and community foundations. Directory of corporate giving programs.

To find out about State grants, try visiting the Web sites of your State government and its departments of education and social services.

You can also search the NCFY Online Literature Database for abstracts of publications about fundraising.

How can NCFY assist in proposal writing?
NCFY maintains a searchable literature database containing more than 15,000 youth development resources that may aid your proposal research. We also can provide hard copies of open and recently closed FYSB Funding Announcements at your request. Our monthly electronic newsletter, Youth Initiatives Update, provides information about new Federal and private funding opportunities and recently awarded grants, as well as news about the youth development field.

Positive Youth Development

What is Positive Youth Development?
Positive Youth Development (PYD) is an approach to youth programming based on the understanding that all young people need support, guidance, and opportunities during adolescence, a time of rapid growth and change. The PYD approach focuses on giving young people the chance to exercise leadership, build skills, form relationships with caring adults, and help their communities.

Visit NCFY's PYD section for more information.

How do I find PYD programs?
Look for organizations in your community that involve youth in decisionmaking, empower youth to feel competent and effective, and provide opportunities for youth to make a positive contribution to society. You might investigate one or more of the following organizations in your city or county to find examples of PYD programs: your local department of recreation or Office of youth services, youth sports leagues, arts and music programs, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA or YWCA, 4-H Clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, afterschool programs, and service learning programs.

Several national organizations offer guides to model programs and promising practices.

How can I implement PYD in my youth program? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Training and Technical Assistance providers offer training and technical support in PYD and other topics of interest to youth service providers.

The following NCFY publications provide guidance to community leaders and policymakers who wish to help their communities increase youth involvement:

Reconnecting Youth and Community

Thinking Positively: FYSB Grantees Promote Positive Youth Development in Exemplary Ways

Visit NCFY's online literature database to search for additional resources on implementing PYD in youth programs and community development.

Abstinence Education

What is abstinence education?

As defined by Section 510 of Title V of the Social Security Act, abstinence education is “an educational or motivational program which:

(A) Has as its exclusive purpose, teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity;

(B) Teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school age children;

(C) Teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems;

(D) Teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity;

(E) Teaches that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects;

(F) Teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child's parents, and society;

(G) Teaches young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increases vulnerability to sexual advances; and

(H) Teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity.''

Where can I find information about abstinence education?

Through its Abstinence Education Programs, FYSB awards grants to State agencies and community-based organizations that fund abstinence education, as well as mentoring, counseling, and other services designed to reduce the proportion of adolescents who have engaged in premarital sexual activity, the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies among adolescents, and the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents. The goal of the programs is to influence the youth most likely to bear children out of wedlock. Learn more about FYSB’s Abstinence Education Programs.

At-Risk and Homeless Youth Statistics

How many homeless youth are there nationwide?
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, in 2000 there were approximately 1.3 million U.S. children that were homeless on any given night.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, publishes statistics in NISMART: National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children. You can also find national and state statistics by contacting the National Runaway Switchboard (800-RUNAWAY).

Where can I find at-risk youth statistics?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Data and Statistics

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data

National Youth Gang Center: Surveys, Statistics, and Analysis

National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center

ChildStats.gov: Child and Family Statistics

Child Trends: Youth and Family Facts

HHS Reference Page: Statistics and Reports

Youth Service

What is youth service?
Youth service happens when young people make positive contributions to their communities. By serving others, youth develop a sense of belonging and competence and make decisions that impact community life. Service projects can be organized by youth on their own or in partnership with adults. Research shows that youth engagement in the community is an essential aspect of Positive Youth Development.

How do I incorporate youth service into my youth program?
For a list of Web sites that provide information about youth community service and service learning, go to NCFY's community service links.

Getting Help

Where can I get help if I'm thinking about running away from home or if I'm already a runaway?
Call 1-800-RUNAWAY to get help from the National Runaway Switchboard. The Switchboard's helpful staff provide nonjudgmental, confidential crisis intervention 24 hours a day. They can relay messages between you and your family and refer you to local and national resources that will help you stay safe and off the streets. You'll also find useful links, tips for teens, and other information on the Switchboard's Web site.

What can I do if I know a young person who has run away from home or is thinking about running away?
Call 1-800-RUNAWAY to get help from the National Runaway Switchboard. The Switchboard's helpful staff provide nonjudgmental, confidential crisis intervention 24 hours a day. They can relay messages between you and the young person and refer you to local and national resources, such as social services agencies and family counselors. You'll also find useful links, family communication tips, and other information on the Switchboard's Web site.

Family Violence

Where can I find services for victims of domestic violence?
Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-SAFE (7223) or visit their Web site at www.ndvh.org. The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers:

• Crisis intervention by helping the caller identify problems and possible solutions, including making plans for safety in an emergency

• Referrals to battered women’s shelters and programs, social service agencies, legal programs, and other groups and organizations willing to help

• Information and resources for individuals wanting to learn more about domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and intervention programs for batterers

• Information about working through the criminal justice system

The Hotline is toll-free and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It offers bilingual advocates, technology for callers who are deaf and hearing impaired, access to translators in 139 languages, and materials in a variety of formats and languages. Learn more about FYSB’s Family Violence Division.

What is the National Domestic Violence Resource Network?
The National Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN) is administered by the Family and Youth Services Bureau’s Family Violence Prevention and Services Program. The DVRN is a network of five centers that provide resource information, training and technical assistance to Federal, State, local and Tribal agencies, domestic violence programs, local community- and faith-based organizations, and other entities and individuals who provide services to domestic violence victims. The DVRN works to strengthen the existing support systems serving battered women, their children, and other victims of domestic violence. Each resource center promotes research and provides technical assistance and leadership in the development of effective domestic violence public policy.

This page contains links to sites that are not within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) domain. ACF cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by these links. Links to non-ACF Web sites do not constitute endorsements by ACF or any of its employees of the sponsors of the sites or the information or products presented on the sites. In addition, the privacy protection provided on the ACF domain (see ACF's Privacy Policy) may not be available at the external link.