Ask NCFY

Mentoring Children of Prisoners

Fundraising and Grant-Seeking for Youth Programs

Positive Youth Development

Youth Service

Mentoring Children of Prisoners

What are some model mentoring programs?
MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership provides links to various models that organizations can use to establish their own programs.

How can I become a mentor?
To see if there is an Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program in your area, use the "Locate a FYSB Program" feature on the FYSB Web site. Contact information is provided there for all Mentoring Children of Prisoners grantees. You can also check out the MENTOR or Big Brothers Big Sisters Web sites to find other mentoring opportunities in your area.

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 Mentoring Children of Prisoners grants available?
FYSB’s Mentoring Children of Prisoners grant program is usually announced online between February and April, depending on when the annual Congressional appropriations are made for the program.

Can I be notified when 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.dhhs.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.

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.

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.

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.