The Funders' Collaborative on Youth Organizing

The Funders' Collaborative on Youth Organizing (FCYO) is a collection of national, regional and local grantmakers and youth organizing practitioners dedicated to advancing youth organizing as a strategy for youth development and social transformation. Our mission is to cultivate resources for young people taking action to build healthy and equitable communities. We bridge funders and organizers to support youth organizing and its commitment to systemic change and social justice. Since its inception, FCYO has been focused on increasing philanthropic, intellectual and social capital necessary to strengthen and grow youth organizing. The main goals of FCYO are to: Increase the level of funding directed towards youth organizing groups; Support youth organizing groups to develop stable and sustainable organizations; and Increase the awareness and understanding of youth organizing among funders and community organizations. In order to accomplish these goals, FCYO employs a multi-level capacity building model that integrates grantmaking and group learning, leveraging and funder education, and research and dissemination. FCYO builds the direct capacity of youth organizing groups through grantmaking initiatives as well as through our periodic field gatherings. We cultivate financial resources for the broader youth organizing field through our leveraging and funder education efforts to promote youth organizing as an important social justice and civic engagement approach. Finally, we build and expand the base of knowledge on youth organizing and its specific relevance as a strategy for social change through innovative research and publications.