join youth philanthropists and adult allies from around the state for the 2025 Youth Grantmakers Summer Leadership Conference! Youth who are involved in grantmaking activities at foundations are welcome to attend with their adult advisors.
This guide is designed to support Youth Advisory Council (YAC) advisors in leading a youth philanthropy council. It can also be a resource for anyone engaged in the youth philanthropy atmosphere as a tool for sparking ideas and additional learning.
Imagine the benefits to our communities and work when young people are deeply supported in using their time and creativity to lead and inspire change that advances the common good. Meaningful youth participation allows for more perspectives, different ideas, and better outcomes for everyone involved.
The Michigan Youth Voters Guide, created by the Michigan Community Foundation's Youth Project (MCFYP), outlines valuable resources and information for first-time and young voters.
Reunite with YACers and YAC advisors from around the state for the exciting return of the Youth Grantmakers Summer Leadership Conference! The 28th annual conference theme is Re-Up: Reflect. Reimagine. Respond. Get ready for an exciting weekend of youth philanthropy with breakout sessions, speakers and fun activities!
What can community foundations do to truly engage rising generations as successful donors, fund advisors, board members, and staff members?
This databook examines the important role of youth advisory committees in community foundations across the state.
Scanning the Landscape of Youth Philanthropy: Observations and Recommendations for Strengthening a Growing Field shares reflections on an in-depth examination of the story and needs of youth grantmaking (young people making monetary contributions to organizations through established institutions or governing bodies).
Best practices are operational standards for community foundation YACs and YACers to make the YAC organization and its members the most effective grantmakers and community leaders possible.
YAC Best Practices – A tool from the Michigan Community Foundations Youth Project Committee, this document outlines 14 important standards YACs should work toward meeting each year.
YAC Best Practices Manual – This resource is intended to provide YAC members and advisors with specific strategies they can use to achieve YAC Best Practices.
YAC Best Practices Assessment Brochure – See how well your YAC meets the YAC Best Practices by identifying your committee’s strengths and weaknesses. Then, look for ways you can improve on what your YAC is doing and retake the assessment to track your progress.
YACer Best Practices – This resource, released by the Michigan Community Foundations Youth Project Committee, outlines steps that a YAC member can take to be the best YAC member they can be. It is not expected that each YAC member will meet all 12 of these best practices, but the more YACer Best Practices a YAC member meets, the better their YAC experience will be.
YACer Best Practices Manual – This resource is intended to provide YAC members with specific steps they can take to be effective and engaged YAC members, as defined by the YACer Best Practices.
YAC Advisor Best Practices – The YAC Advisor Best Practices was a guideline developed by YAC Advisors across the state to draw attention to some of the essential duties a YAC Advisor has in assisting in the development of their Youth Advisory Council members and ensuring productivity of the YAC.
YAC Advisor Best Practices Manual – The YAC Advisor Best Practices Manual provides YAC Advisors with specific steps they can take to fully empower their young people and aid in their development as youth philanthropists.
Compiled below are a collection of downloadable sample documents for youth philanthropy.
In accessing the resources available through CMF’s Sample Documents Hub, it is important to keep in mind a few key tips to ensure that you choose the most useful templates that apply best to your organization.
Find sample documents that fit your organization’s size and structure: Sample documents vary widely, depending on the organization that developed it. Try to find examples that originate from foundations that share at least some of the traits of your organization. For example, a small foundation may find using a template created for a 100+ staff foundation or large university to be overwhelming for use by a small team.
Look for multiple samples: Organizations should review multiple examples of the sample document that they need, whether that is a grant application, mission statement, or internal policy. In looking across several organizations’ versions, it becomes increasingly apparent how the writers customize the general concept to their particular needs. These variations may take the shape of different formats or language that reflect the organization’s internal structures, capacity, or purpose.
Expect to make changes: A sample document is not a one-size-fits-all template and will need to be adapted to your organization’s particular needs. Plan to draft a version (or several) with the help of staff or board members, using the samples for suggestions of the language, format, and structure. Also, consider having several people review the draft before finalizing it. In some cases, the final document may also need to be approved by foundation leadership or the board, so plan for additional changes that may come along during those review periods.
The Council of Michigan Foundations is pleased to share the following sample documents as a member resource. Please note that these files are provided for educational purposes only, as a reference in developing your own materials. As such, be sure to consult your professional, legal and financial advisors in the development of materials specific to your foundation’s needs.
