When we decided to launch a youth foundation here at Rose Community Foundation, we called community foundations around the country that had experience running youth philanthropy programs. Here's what we learned:

The most successful programs are student-led and student-designed.

Seems obvious, doesn't it? Young people should be part of creating a program to bring youth together to learn about their community and get involved in solving its problems.

With this in mind, we asked a group of about 11 Denver-area Jewish teens to help us envision what a youth foundation should look like. Here's what they said:

Meeting time and place: With so much happening during the week, the best day for youth is Sunday. The most convenient time is late afternoon or early evening. The best location is Rose Community Foundation's board room.

Diversity: The youth felt strongly that a group of Jewish teens making grants to help build and strengthen the Jewish community should represent the diversity of that community. They urged us to recruit teens from all segments of the Jewish population to participate in the Rose Youth Foundation.

Making a difference: The youth said that, while giving away money sounds rewarding, it is serious business, that we should look for young people who are serious about making a difference - in other words, more than just a social club.

Youth as decision-makers, adults as resources: Teens want adults to serve as resources for information and to give advice when needed, but the students want the power and authority to decide the best way to make a difference in their community.

What's in a name? Finally, the Jewish teens gave this new youth foundation its name, and a tagline:

Rose Youth Foundation: Jewish Youth Making a Difference.

Read Rose Youth Foundation's 2008 Report to the Community.

Read what being part of Rose Youth Foundation has meant to a former member.
(File is in PDF format.)