2025 Youth Development Fund (YDF)
The City of Boston's Office of Human Services is happy to announce our 2024 Youth Development Fund Grantees. We allocated $1.7 million to 88 non-profit organizations to provide high quality, engaging programming for youth and young adults ages 14-24. The goal of this grant is to increase the variety of free youth programming in the City and provide a positive outlet for youth outside school hours.
This year’s grants prioritize programs that support Mayor Wu’s Connect, Learn, Explore: Commitment to Youth, a commitment to giving Boston youth an opportunity to explore and discover their passions. This commitment aims to increase access for youth to sports, swimming, arts, growing food and biking. This year’s YDF allocation provides $550,000 for community-based youth sports programs, $400,000 for arts programming, and $170,000 for programs that introduce youth to cooking and growing their own food.
View the full list of grantees:
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Have questions? Contact:
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Fund partners:
- Mayor Michelle Wu
- Office of Human Services
Emerging Leader Grants
New this year, we are increasing our support of small nonprofit organizations through the Emerging Leader Grant Program. The Emerging Leader Grants support 24 organizations that offer innovative youth programming and have an annual operating budget of $75,000 or less.
In addition to funding, recipients of the Emerging Leader Grants will also receive a tailored curriculum to help advance their skills, increase their organizational capacity, and create durable connections among the cohort members. The Emerging Leader cohort will meet once a month to learn business management skills, be paired with a mentor from a larger nonprofit organization, and be given the opportunity to network with other nonprofit leaders in Boston.
2025 YDF Grantees
This year’s grants prioritize programs that support Mayor Wu’s Connect, Learn, Explore: Commitment to Youth, a commitment to giving Boston youth an opportunity to explore and discover their passions. This commitment aims to increase access for youth to sports, swimming, arts, growing food and biking.
About Human Services
The Mayor’s Office of Human Services (OHS) cabinet oversees 6 departments and offices that are all striving to create a healthier Boston. The mission of the Human Services Cabinet is to provide equitable access to high quality services, resources, and opportunities so that every Boston resident - especially those with the greatest needs - has what they need to thrive. In pursuit of this mission, the department in the Human Services Cabinet meet residents where they are - in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities - to break down barriers to critical resources.
We provide a wide array of critical programs and services. We also advocate for systemic change to tackle root causes of some of our most pressing challenges in the City.
"We are excited to be able to continue to support many of our non-profit partners in the work of building community, and providing high-quality, safe and engaging activities for youth and young adults in Boston. This robust network of programs meets youth where they are and is a key part of our violence prevention strategy"
— José F. Massó, Chief of Human Services
Who's Involved:
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Have questions? Contact:
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Fund partners:
- Mayor Michelle Wu
- Office of Human Services
