The Youth Philanthropy Council (YPC) unites service-minded youth from across the Birmingham metro region and gives them the space to create community and lead together. YPC is comprised of student leaders ages 15-18 who are committed to enacting positive change through philanthropy. This student-led group participates in workshops and planning sessions designed to guide them through each step of the grant making process.  Each year, YPC allocates $20,000 to local nonprofits via a pass through grant from the Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation.   
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The Youth Philanthropy Council meets once monthly on Thursday evenings throughout the school year. Prospective council members must be able to fully commit to the requirements outlined in the application. Applications for the 2025-2026 Youth Philanthropy Council will open in June 2025.

Objective:  Learn about real community challenges and how philanthropy is used to address long-term objectives to improve quality of life for all.

Goal: Decide the most impactful community investment of $20,000 via the Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation. They must follow all Bruno Foundation restrictions and all organizations must either serve youth or use youth volunteers.

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At the beginning of the year, the group learns about their city, hears from experts about challenges in the community and how challenges are being addressed. Then the research phase begins and the group finalizes funding guidelines for the year.  They create an RFP and make lists of organizations to invite to apply. The deadline is mid January. They host a retreat to review and present each application and make the first round of difficult decisions of which will move forward and which to apply again another time. They conduct site visits (in designated small groups) for each of the organizations moving forward throughout the month of January/February. They host a final voting retreat at the end of February, in which each site visit small group make a formal presentations to the full council.  ​

Youth Philanthropy Council Grant Cycle for 2025 is CLOSED.

​As a group of philanthropic youth, we want to support community efforts involving the leadership and participation of youth.  We feel our generation has an important role in shaping the future, addressing root causes affecting the quality of life for us and the generations to come. In 2024, our grants targeted the following areas of focus within the framework of youth leadership and/or youth participation:

Education: We support programs or organizations creating an equitable learning experience for students across the thirteen metro public school systems, ensuring safe, quality environments and bridging access to higher learning and economic opportunity. 

Inclusive Spaces: We care about safe, inclusive spaces for youth, especially those supporting mental wellness and caring for youth and families experiencing homelessness or domestic violence.

Community Revitalization: We care deeply about our communities and support innovative solutions to economic transformation while supporting its environmental sustainability.  This includes programs addressing a wide range of community challenges including food insecurity, public health outcomes, and urban renewal.

2025 YPC Grant Award Recipients