What's The Windward Youth Leadership Fund All About?
The Windward Youth Leadership Fund (WYLF) is a way for youth to apply for and "earn" up to $5,000 for their club or group activities by doing something positive for Windward Oahu. You can apply if you are 18 or younger, your club or group is based in Windward Oahu, and you have at least three members. You also need a public school or nonprofit organization to sponsor your application.
In addition to engaging youth in community service, one of the primary goals of this small grants program is to help youth build their leadership skills. Although parents, coaches and teachers may provide guidance, the projects must be youth-driven. Applications that do not clearly demonstrate participation of youth in the project planning and writing of the proposal will most likely be denied.
What's the Big Idea?
Tired of the same old fundraisers? Had enough of Portuguese sausage tickets, car washes, donuts, and fishing for money at intersections? The Windward Youth Leadership Fund (WYLF) is an alternative way to raise funds for your activities while helping to strengthen our community.
Youth groups need money for things & uniforms, equipment, trips to the mainland, food for a big event, and more. Rather than thinking about what you can sell, the WYLF challenges you to think about what you can give. The youth in the group come up with a plan to make our Windward communities healthier and the Foundation will give up to $5,000 to make it happen and to help organizations or clubs earn needed funds.
By doing a project, you do something good for the community, you show how youth make a difference, and you get the money you need for your activities.
Project Examples
Need ideas? Project ideas are wide open, bound only by your imagination!
Check out these 2011 Windward Youth Leadership Fund grant reports!
Grantee Organization: Oahu Church of Christ Youth Group
Youth Leader:
Kelsey Wemple
Adult Contact: Gretchen Wemple
Grantee Organization: Hui Malama O Ke Kai
Youth Leader:
Kirk Deitschman
Adult Contact: Lani Eckert
Grantee Organization: Manuia Soccer Club
Youth Leader:
Lyndsey Tagawa
Adult Contact: Annette Tagawa
How Do We Apply?
Would you like to plug into ongoing service events throughout the year with the organizations listed below? Please talk with them before you apply online.
If you want to learn about watershed science, you can work with Hui O Ko'olaupoko, a nonprofit organization with expertise in this area. Call Todd Cullison (tcullison@hawaii.rr.com) or Kristen Nalani Mailheau (nalani@huihawaii.org) at 277-5611 to help you get started! These are some of the activities they organize:
Another option is to work with the Windward Oahu Community Policing Team. These are the kinds of projects they do:
Another option is to work with the Honolulu City and County Department of Environmental Services. These are the kinds of projects they do:
Would you like to work in Kawainui Marsh or Na Pohaku o Hawahine and learn more about Native Hawaiian culture? If so, call Kaimi Scudder at 263-8008 (email@ahahui.net) to learn about a community service project with Ahahui Malama I Ka Lokahi!
Would you like to work on improving the quality of Windward Oahu's hiking trails? If so, contact Aaron Johnson Lowe at 973-9782 or (alowe@hawaii.rr.com). Aaron is the Trails & Access Specialist for the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, State of Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources. He oversees Oahu's 45 "Na Ala Hele" trails.
Who Can Apply?
Groups with at least three participants up to age 18 may apply including, but not limited to:
Applicant groups must have a base in Windward Oahu, a majority of youth participants must be Windward Oahu residents and service projects should serve communities along the Windward coast from Kahuku to Waimanalo.
Applicants must be a public school or a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization or have a sponsoring agency that is a 501(c)(3) organization that can receive the funds. 501(c)(3) is a designation given to nonprofit organizations by the Internal Revenue Service. If the applicant is not a public school, you will need the organization's 501(c)(3) Tax ID number for your application.
Youth groups can not use the Windward Youth Leadership Fund to raise funds for their own group by doing a service project that also benefits their own group. Youth groups are also encouraged to undertake projects that broaden their horizons beyond the scope of their everyday activities.
What Can We Get?
You can request from $500 to $5,000 for your youth group depending on how much you need, how many volunteers you have, and how many hours you will put into the project. If you don’t need to fundraise for your organization, but you want help paying for a community service project, that’s good, too! Youth must plan and lead the community service projects, rather than the adult members, parents, or supervisors. The more hours youth put in, the more money you can request for your project.
For example, if your group is applying for $500, you need at least 50 volunteer hours. If your group is applying for $5,000, you need at least 500 volunteer hours. The more volunteers you recruit, the easier it is to get your volunteer hours. For example, 50 youth that each put in 10 hours equals 500 volunteer hours (50x10)! If you have 10 volunteers, each one needs to contribute 50 hours to achieve 500 volunteer hours. Please note that in order to encourage the youth-driven nature of this program, only volunteer hours contributed by youth will be counted toward the total number of hours.
Who Gets Selected and Why?
Funds are limited, but the foundation will make every effort to help youth who want to help our community. The committee will weigh the following factors:
Tips for Proposing a Great Service Project
Are you ready to apply?
2011 Windward Youth Leadership Fund Grants $16,000.00 paid to date |
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Boy Scouts of America Troop 329 Aloha Council (still open) |
Boy Scout Troop 329 Castle Foundation Service Project |
$0.00 |
Boy Scouts of America Cub Scout Pack 311 Aloha Council (still open) |
Cub Scout Webelos Clean-up Our Community with a Stream Clean-up, Beach Clean-up, and Graffiti Clean-up |
$0.00 |
Kailua High School Varsity Football: Surfing Service |
$5,000.00 |
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For the Makapuu Community Clean-up |
$1,000.00 |
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Kailua High School (still open) |
Ahapuaa Clean-Up |
$0.00 |
Kailua Mustangs Pop Warner Assoc. (still open) |
Cleaning up Kawainuinui Marsh and Around |
$0.00 |
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For A.P.E.R.S. (Ahuimanu Preservation Education Recruitment Service)(Watch it on YouTube!) |
$5,000.00 |
For the He'eia Stream Restoration Part Two: Youth Inspiring Youth |
$5,000.00 |
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Trinity Christian School (still open) |
Trinity Christian School's Kawainui Marsh Clean-up and Restoration Project |
$0.00 |
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2010 Windward Youth Leadership Fund Grants $35,220.00 paid to date |
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For Ulupo Heiau and Kawai Nui Marsh Restoration Project |
$5,000.00 |
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For a two-part project to (1) clean the street gutters along Keolu drive and analyze the debris and (2) to help clean the Waikalua fishpond in Kaneoe. |
$2,715.00 |
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Boy Scout Troop 311 Heeia Stream Clean Up with Hui o Ko'olaupoko |
$2,765.00 |
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Hui Malama I Ke Kai Foundation |
$4,740.00 |
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For the loi clean-up with Aloha Aina Health Center |
$5,000.00 |
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For a youth service project to restore He'eia wetland to naturally grow kalo and support native animal habitats |
$5,000.00 |
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For He'eia Stream Restoration |
$5,000.00 |
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For Clean-up and Restoration/Enhancement of the Hamakua Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary |
$5,000.00 |
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2009 Windward Youth Leadership Fund Grants |
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For the Windward AYSO U19 Community Beautification Campaign |
$3,280.00 |
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For Malama the Aina in 96734 and 96795: Working together to make the Windward Community a beautiful place to live. |
$5,000.00 |
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For Castle Cafe Painting |
$2,025.70 |
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For Café Mall Keystone Mania: An Eagle Scout service project to construct two keystone planters to beautify, protect and provide much needed seating in the grassy area at James B. Castle High School's Café |
$1,161.44 |
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For a community youth project to clear the land at Waimanalo Teen Project for a community garden |
$5,000.00 |
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For the community clean up of Waimanalo homestead drainage canal and for a community blood drive |
$3,295.00 |
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For a three-fold project to stencil storm drains in Enchanted Lakes, to teach volleyball clinics to beginners and to collect and distribute stuffed animals to local charities. |
$5,000.00 |
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For Kailua High School Boys Basketball Program Beach Pick Up |
$3,000.00 |
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Kailua High School (Surfriders Football Team) |
For K-Town Graffiti Wipeout, a youth led project to paint over the graffiti in the Keolu Skatepark in partnership with the Honolulu Police Department's Windward Community Policing Team |
$5,000.00 |
For giving Kailua Intermediate School a Clean-Up In and Out |
$5,000.00 |
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For New Hope Kailua Beach and School Cleanup |
$870.00 |
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For Save the Earth... Easy as 1, 2, 3: A project for school-wide service learning including community service activities to educate students about environmental issues |
$5,000.00 |
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PACT (Parents and Children Together) (Castle High School Student Council) |
For student community service for the 5Rs Festival of Fun in Kaneohe |
$2,280.00 |
Kahalu'u Cleanup and Giving Project |
$5,000.00 |
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For Kailua High School 2010 Project Green |
$3,295.00 |
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For Operation Pill Box Clean Up II, "The Sequel" and |
$3,970.00 |
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2008 Windward Youth Leadership Fund Grants $35,787.50 |
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God's Country Waimanalo |
For God's Country Waimanalo to co-sponsor a Mother's Day Stay Healthy Health Fair with Ke Ola Mamo |
$5,000.00 |
Kailua High School - (Canoe Paddling Club) |
For Community Assistants, a youth partnership with the Honolulu Police Department's Windward Community Policing Team |
$5,000.00 |
Kalaheo High School - Culture Club |
For Raising Cultural and Environmental Awareness through community service |
$880.00 |
Kalaheo High School - Varsity Cheerleaders |
For Project Akamai Spirit: collecting donated school supplies to aid Kainalu Elementary School and a Kailua beautification project |
$5,000.00 |
Kali`ula Foundation & Kai Oni Canoe Club |
For 4th of July- Kailua Community Clean-up |
$5,000.00 |
Le Jardin - PAINT Program |
For Protectors Against Illegal Noticeable Tags (PAINT) at the direction of HPD Officer Sonny Kanoho |
$5,000.00 |
For Kailua Beach Park Clean Up |
$300.00 |
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For the Kahalu'u Food Drive to replenish the KEY Project food bank |
$5,000.00 |
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Windward Oahu Foursquare Church (Hope Chapel Kaneohe Bay) |
For the Hope in Action Food Drive: providing handmade holiday cards, ornaments, food and gift cards to the residents of Koolau Village and Kaneohe Senior Housing as well as canned goods to the local Food Bank |
$2,677.50 |
YWCA Windward Y-Guides |
For graffiti clean-up and storm drain stenciling until October 15, 2008 on a site-adoption basis at the direction of HPD Officer Sonny Kanoho |
$1,930.00 |
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2007 Windward Youth Leadership Fund Grants $48,650 |
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For beautification of the Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden |
$5,000.00 |
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For provision of "Love in a Bag" to homeless families living at the Kakaako Shelter and Waimanalo Beach Park |
$400.00 |
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Boy Scout Troop 329 |
For improvements at the Windward Community College Bioprocessing Medicinal Garden Complex |
$5,000.00 |
Hawaii Warriors Baseball - Malama O Kaneohe Club |
For volunteer time and services to several care homes and preschools within Kaneohe |
$5,000.00 |
James B. Castle High School - Track and Field Team |
For assistance with the Windward Special Olympics |
$1,800.00 |
For clearing out the mangrove that is overgrowing the Waikalua Loko Fish pond in Kaneohe |
$2,050.00 |
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Ka Huli O Haloa |
For Hula Ki‘i performances to help audiences learn about the Hawaiian culture and history as it pertains to Hakipu‘u |
$5,000.00 |
For provision of school supplies for needy and/or homeless children of Windward O'ahu |
$5,000.00 |
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Kailua High School - Aquaculture Program |
For an Eagle Scout Service Project to support and improve the aquaculture program at Kailua High School |
$3,250.00 |
Kalaheo High School - Organization of Clubs |
For community service at Family Promise of Hawaii |
$3,000.00 |
Kailua Mustangs |
For beautification of two Kainalu elementary schools |
$3,990.00 |
Supporters of Kainalu Performing Arts, Inc |
For music performances for pre-schools and residents of nursing homes |
$4,160.00 |
Windward Soccer Club - U10 Boys |
For removal of litter and graffiti on the Lanikai/Ka Iwi Ridge Pill Box Hike |
$5,000.00 |
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2006 Windward Youth Leadership Fund Grants $41,000 |
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For a a blood drive for the Blood Bank of Hawaii |
$5,000.00 |
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For an underwater clean-up at Kailua Beach Park |
$5,000.00 |
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Kai Oni Canoe Club |
For a project to adopt Kailua Beach Park and keep it clean on a weekly basis for one year |
$5,000.00 |
For a 440-student community public art project for shelters and nursing homes |
$5,000.00 |
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Kailua High School - Paddling Team |
For an environmental clean up project on Maunawili Falls hiking trails |
$5,000.00 |
Michael Mackinnon Fund |
For a Kailua District Park Tennis Courts Extreme Makeover |
$5,000.00 |
Boy Scout Troop 113 |
For playground improvements at Benjamin Parker Elementary School |
$1,000.00 |
Waimanalo Teen Project - Baseball Team |
For a clean-up day at Waimanalo Teen Project |
$5,000.00 |
Windward Soccer Club |
For work with the City to “adopt a community” by painting out graffiti and stenciling storm drains |
$5,000.00 |