Youth Mental Health Innovation Grant

Are you driven to make a meaningful impact on youth mental health?

We’re calling on passionate young leaders as well as nonprofit organizations to apply for United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Youth Mental Health Innovation Grant.

Nearly 40% of Lehigh Valley youth have struggled with feelings of depression in the past year. Addressing mental health challenges early on helps young people thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, ensuring they have the support needed to reach their full potential. Prioritizing mental health is key to fostering a healthier, more resilient generation.

This grant is designed to support innovative projects that prioritize and enhance the mental well-being of young people. Whether you have a groundbreaking idea or an established initiative in need of expansion, this is your opportunity to secure the resources you need to make a real difference. 

We’re looking for projects that provide support, foster resilience and create positive change whether that is through activities, projects, programs or campaigns. We welcome all ideas built on strengthening youth mental health in our community. Your vision could help shape a future where every young person has access to the mental health resources they need to thrive.

There are two grant opportunities available:

1. Mini-grants for youth-led projects: This opportunity is designed to support youth-led mental health initiatives. Open to young people ages 12-22, mini-grants up to $5,000 will be available to young leaders and their peers for programs, activities, campaigns or projects that support improved youth mental health. Applicants must apply with the support of a nonprofit partner or supporting school and have an advisor to support them in the work.
2. Nonprofit youth mental health innovation grants: Grants will also be available to nonprofits to support programs, activities, campaigns or projects that lead to improved youth mental health. We’re especially interested in supporting projects or solutions that approach youth mental health in new or creative ways. This can include programs that support opportunities to grow socially and emotionally, build coping and social skills, or develop social-emotional skills, peer support, outreach, awareness building, or direct services. Grants will range between $5,000-$20,000, with most anticipated at the $10,000 level.

This grant will fund programming for one year, January 2025 – December 2025.

September 9, 2024 – Application opens
October 7, 2024 – Final day to submit applications
October 2024 – Applications will be reviewed
November 2024 – Applicants will be notified of funding decisions 
January 2025 – Funding begins 

All applications are to be completed through our web-based grants management system, e-CImpact. United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley agencies already using e-CImpact can log in and see the application in the menu to the left of the screen under “Apply/Report”. New agencies can use the same link to create an account in e-CImpact and access the application after following the instructions to “click here to create your account”. 
 

Questions
For questions about the application process on e-CImpact, please contact Tanya Engler at [email protected]. For all other questions about this grant, please contact Priscilla Rosado at [email protected]. 

• You may apply if you are a young leader (or a group of young leaders) tied to a nonprofit organization or school in Carbon, Lehigh or Northampton County (one or a combination of these counties)
• For young leaders applying through a nonprofit organization, they are required to apply with the help of an adult liaison.
• For young leaders applying through a supporting school, they are required to apply with the help of an adult school liaison. A young leader may not apply on behalf of the school.
• Organization provides health and human services programming based in Lehigh, Northampton and/or Carbon Counties.
• Organization must hold 501(c)(3) status for at least one year or have a fiscal sponsor. 
•  You may submit multiple applications/proposals, but you will only be eligible for funding for one of the proposals.  
  

• Organization provides health and human services programming based in Lehigh, Northampton and/or Carbon Counties.
• Organization must hold 501(c)(3) status for at least one year or have a fiscal sponsor. 
• Organization does not discriminate against (hiring process and recipients of services) on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, age or service in the uniformed services. Specific exclusions necessary to the essential operation of a program(s) will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. (Example: women’s shelter)   
• You may submit multiple applications/proposals, but you will only be eligible for funding for one of the proposals.