The mayor’s office announced Tuesday $1 million in youth development grants that will be doled out to local organizations who serve the city’s K-12 students.
The money from American Rescue Plan funds were awarded to the Urban League of Greater Atlanta to distribute among 19 organizations who serve more than 5,800 youth, according to the mayor’s office.
Last month, Mayor Andre Dickens launched what he has dubbed the city’s “year of the youth,” a new initiative aimed at keeping young Atlantans involved in after-school programs and safe from gun violence.
“Just weeks into our Year of the Youth, we are making direct investments into the local non-profit organizations who know their communities personally,” Dickens said in a statement. “Atlanta is a group project, and these community partners will help us ensure all of Atlanta’s youth have the cradle-to-career support they deserve.”
Applications for the grants opened in August of last year and closed Jan. 9. More than 160 organizations applied and requested more than $7.2 million in aid. The mayor’s office said the numbers show the “critical need” for investment.
Grant recipients were chosen based on how local organizations use innovative programming to serve youth disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A third round of grants will be announced in the coming weeks and will be chosen based on an organization’s ability to increase the number of students it serves.
Interested organizations can apply at this link which will reopen in the future.
Organizations, businesses or individuals interested in partnering with the city on the initiative can register at ATLYearoftheYouth.com/Partners or contact Janean Lewis, a youth policy advisor to the mayor, at atlyouth@atlantaga.gov.
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