10 Year Anniversary Grants

Overview

Future Leaders in Action (FLIA) is offering grants of up to $15,000 to support youth-focused nonprofits in bringing on an early-career fellow for a 12-week, full-time project. This initiative strengthens nonprofit capacity while investing in emerging leaders through meaningful, paid opportunities. Our goal is to support 8–10 organizations, awarding a total of $100,000 in grants. Each fellow must be paid a living wage, based on the cost of living in their placement city.

As part of FLIA’s 10th anniversary, this effort comes at a time when many nonprofits are struggling with reduced support, including major cuts to AmeriCorps. We’re calling on our community to help us identify strong candidates for this opportunity. Anyone can nominate a nonprofit they believe is doing powerful work with and for young people.

The Need

This has been a hard year for nonprofits, and the recent cuts to AmeriCorps are making things even harder. In April, the federal government canceled more than 1,000 AmeriCorps grants. That decision left over 30,000 service members and volunteers without roles and pulled critical support from community organizations across the country (Axios, 2025). Youth-serving nonprofits are especially feeling the impact. These are the groups that run after-school programs, offer mentorship, and provide safe spaces for kids. Without AmeriCorps support, they’re being forced to scale back or even shut down programs (PBS NewsHour, 2025). But it’s not just programming that’s affected. AmeriCorps has also been one of the few entry points into nonprofit work for young people. With those roles gone, many recent grads are missing a chance to get experience, build skills, and start careers (Youth Today, 2025).

Our Response

Over the last ten years, we’ve seen how powerful it can be to invest in emerging leaders—especially when they’re given meaningful, well-paying opportunities to make an impact in communities they care about. We’ve also seen how much that support can strengthen the nonprofits they serve.

This year, Future Leaders in Action is awarding grants of up to $15,000 to youth-focused nonprofits. Each grant will fund the salary of a full-time FLIA Fellow for a 12-week project—a recent graduate who will lead a youth-centered initiative while being paid a living wage.

FLIA leads the recruitment process and provides each partner with a pool of qualified candidates. The organization selects the fellow who best fits their mission and project goals.

This year, we’re especially interested in supporting projects focused on:

  • advancing skills for success

  • promoting public health

  • protecting the environment

  • supporting the arts and humanities

  • fostering legal empowerment

Eligibility

To apply for this grant, organizations must:

  • Have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status

  • Be located in the U.S. (priority will be given to organizations in New York City, Des Moines, and Chicago)

  • Align with FLIA’s living wage commitment by using the full grant to pay the fellow for their work over a 12-week period.

Grant Process & Timeline

Step 1: Nominations Open

Anyone—peers, funders, community members, or the organizations themselves—can nominate a youth-serving nonprofit.

Step 2: Invitation to Apply

FLIA will review nominations and invite a short list of organizations to submit a detailed project proposal.

Step 3: Proposal Review

FLIA’s Board of Directors will review proposals. Up to 10 organizations will be selected for funding. Interviews may be requested.

Program Timeline & Process

  • June to Mid-July – Nominations open and outreach begins

  • Mid to Late July – Invited organizations submit proposals; final selection made

  • August – Fellows are matched

  • September to December – Fellows work full-time on youth-centered projects

  • December to January – Final wrap-up and reporting

Grantees will receive more detailed instructions and support at each step.

Project Guidance and Grantee Expectations

What We’re Looking for in a Proposal

If invited to submit a full proposal, organizations will be asked to show:

  • A clear, youth-centered project idea that outlines what the fellow will do, what they’ll accomplish, and how many young people will be impacted

  • How the project connects to at least one of FLIA’s 2025 focus areas: advancing skills for success, promoting public health, protecting the environment, supporting the arts and humanities, or fostering legal empowerment

  • Why this project is timely and relevant right now

  • What makes the project creative or different from what’s already being done

  • That your organization is ready to host a fellow, including the ability to supervise them, support their growth, and hire them as a W-2 employee

  • Interest in using the fellowship as a pipeline for long-term talent, with the potential for permanent employment, while remaining open to short-term, high-impact projects

Grantee Expectations

If selected, grant partners will be responsible for:

  • Hiring the fellow as a W-2 employee and placing them on the organization’s payroll for the 12-week placement

  • Working with a fellow selected through FLIA’s equitable recruitment and vetting process, and giving equal consideration to all candidates presented

  • Supporting the fellow in fulfilling FLIA-related responsibilities, including a final presentation and cohort-wide activities

  • Providing a direct supervisor who will mentor and support the fellow throughout the placement

  • Offering professional learning opportunities such as training, skill-building, or networking experiences

  • Submitting a final report and survey reflecting on the fellow’s contributions and overall experience

Please Note

As this is a new grant initiative, we expect questions and clarifications may come up throughout the nomination and selection process. We encourage you to check the FAQs regularly for updates. FLIA reserves the right to adjust the program timeline or structure as needed. Any changes will not affect published eligibility criteria or our commitment to paying fellows a living wage.

Nominate an Organization

You can nominate a nonprofit organization using this form.

Nominations are open until Sunday, June 22. Final grantee decisions will be announced the week of July 28. For any questions, reach out to us at program@futureleadersinaction.org.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

  • Anyone. Nominations are open to the public. You do not need to work for the organization.

  • Yes. Self-nominations are welcome.

  • The full grant must be used to pay the fellow a living wage for the full 12-week placement.

  • FLIA recruits and screens fellows, shares a pool of strong candidates, and provides guidance to both fellows and partners during the placement.

  • Invited organizations will be asked to submit a detailed project proposal that outlines:

    • The youth-focused project the fellow will support

    • The fellow’s role, scope of work, and expected deliverables

    • How the project aligns with FLIA’s focus areas

    • Who will supervise the fellow and how they will be supported

    • Any relevant organizational context to help us understand your goals and capacity

  • Organizations invited to submit full proposals will be notified in July. Final grantees will be selected by late July.

  • The fellowship is expected to run from Monday, September 22 to Friday, December 19, 2025. These dates are set to ensure a shared cohort experience across all fellows. While FLIA reserves the right to adjust the timeline if needed, partner organizations should plan for fellows to be available full-time during this 12-week period.

  • Selected organizations will be asked to complete two short surveys: one midway through the fellowship and one at the end. These help FLIA understand the fellow’s impact and ensure the program is meeting its goals.

  • Grant funds will be disbursed in two installments:

    • 50% after the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is signed and the fellow is confirmed

    • 50% after mid-program surveys are submitted by both the fellow and the organization

  • The MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) is a short agreement between your organization and FLIA. It outlines expectations around payment, supervision, and reporting. It ensures both sides are aligned and serves as a formal commitment to participate in the program.

  • Surveys are a required part of the grant. If surveys are not completed, FLIA may withhold the second payment, request a return of disbursed funds in extreme cases, and/or deem your organization ineligible for future funding.

  • Yes. Organizations are expected to provide a dedicated supervisor for the fellow and support them throughout the 12-week project. While FLIA handles recruitment and onboarding, day-to-day supervision happens on-site with you.

  • In December, we’ll ask you and your fellow to complete a final survey. We’ll also review outcomes to help determine your eligibility for future cycles. Fellows will also participate in a virtual showcase presentation to share their project and experience. Staff from each grantee organization will be required to attend.

  • FLIA has built strong networks and partnerships in these cities over the past several years. Prioritizing organizations in these areas allows us to offer deeper support, ensure a smoother fellowship experience, and continue investing in communities where we’ve already established impact. We welcome nominations from other cities, but preference may be given to organizations in these locations as part of this pilot grant cycle.

  • FLIA leads the recruitment process and screens recent college graduates who are passionate about youth and community work. We provide each selected organization with a small pool of pre-vetted candidates. From there, you’ll interview and choose the fellow who best fits your project and team. We also provide interview criteria and guidance to help support your selection process. Most matches are finalized in August.

  • At FLIA, a living wage means paying fellows enough to meet basic needs—like housing, food, and transportation—based on the cost of living in their region. We use the MIT Living Wage Calculator as a benchmark to determine what this looks like in each city.

    For this grant cycle, fellows are expected to work 40 hours per week for 12 weeks. The grant amount awarded to each nonprofit will be based on that schedule and adjusted according to the local living wage in their area.

  • To ensure adequate support and connection throughout the fellowship, this round is only open to organizations operating in urban areas.

  • FLIA Fellows are emerging leaders who are eager to gain hands-on experience in youth-serving nonprofits. For this cycle, we are specifically working with recent college graduates who are committed to making a difference in their communities. Fellows come from a variety of backgrounds but share a strong interest in social impact, leadership, and youth development.

  • FLIA recruits fellows through a combination of targeted outreach and open applications. We leverage relationships with colleges, alumni networks, and use platforms like Handshake and Indeed to reach recent graduates who are passionate about youth development and social impact. All applicants go through a screening and interview process before being added to the candidate pool shared with partner organizations.

  • Unfortunately, due to the volume of nominations and the capacity of our small team, we are unable to provide individual feedback on submissions that are not selected for further review. We appreciate your interest and the important work you do.