Youthworks Receives $1 Million Gift From the Yield Giving Open Call
March 19, 2024
Today, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Youthworks as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. Youthworks received $1 million.
Youthworks’ mission is to help ensure all youth have a safe place to belong and be heard, and has been providing services to youth and families in North Dakota since 1986. Offices are located throughout North Dakota, in Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, and Grand Forks. Those served at Youthworks include homeless, runaway, trafficked and at-risk youth and their families. Programs and services include: crisis intervention; emergency shelter for minors; transitional housing for homeless young adults; anti-trafficking program; street outreach and drop-in center; school-based programs; youth and family engagement program; and cultural, activity, and support groups for youth. On an annual basis, Youthworks serves over 1,000 youth and their families across ND.
In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.
“Youthworks is honored to have received this incredible gift, and be entrusted with these funds to help ensure all youth are seen and heard in North Dakota,” says Melanie Heitkamp, Youthworks Executive Director. “The impact of this donation cannot be understated as Youthworks implements its vision to further incorporate youth leadership, youth voice, and youth advocacy into its programming.”
The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount.
“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”
More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at www.leverforchange.org. More information about Youthworks programs, services, and impact throughout North Dakota can be found at www.youthworksnd.org.
Youthworks: Youthworks’ mission is to help ensure all youth have a safe place to belong and be heard, and has been providing services to youth and families in North Dakota since 1986. Offices are located throughout North Dakota, in Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, and Grand Forks. Those served at Youthworks include homeless, runaway, trafficked and at-risk youth and their families. Programs and services include: crisis intervention; emergency shelter for minors; transitional housing for homeless young adults; anti-trafficking program; street outreach and drop-in center; school-based programs; youth and family engagement program; and cultural, activity, and support groups for youth. On an annual basis, Youthworks serves over 1,000 youth and their families across ND.
Yield Giving: Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield’s network of staff and advisors has yielded over $16,500,000,000 to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit for the benefit of others. To learn more, visit www.yieldgiving.com.
Lever for Change: Lever for Change connects donors with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized challenges and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of the Bold Solutions Network—a growing global network that helps secure additional funding, amplify members’ impact, and accelerate social change. Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced over $1.7 billion in grants to date and provided support to more than 145 organizations. To learn more, visit www.leverforchange.org.