Grant Writer Needed to Help Expand Youth Leadership Programs in Title I Communities

Building Young Leaders (BYL) is seeking a skilled grant writer to help us identify and apply for funding that will sustain and expand our youth development programs. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving students ages 8–18 in Title I communities across New York City, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

Specifically, we are hoping a volunteer will assist us with one or more of the following tasks:

- Researching foundations and government grant opportunities aligned with our mission in youth leadership, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and social-emotional learning
- Drafting or refining one to two grant proposals or letters of inquiry during the engagement period
- Reviewing and strengthening our existing case for support and organizational narrative
- Providing feedback on grant-ready materials such as our program descriptions, impact data, and budget narratives

Our ideal engagement would involve 2–3 hours per week over 4–6 weeks, culminating in at least one polished grant application or a pipeline of identified funding opportunities with tailored proposal outlines.

BYL's mission is to empower students to explore their interests, develop new skills, and build a strong foundation for lifelong success, summed up in our motto: Grow. Lead. Thrive. Every dollar we raise goes directly toward programming for young people in communities that have historically been underserved and under-resourced.

Right now, our programs are reaching students across New York City schools and internationally through our Leaders Beyond Borders summer camps in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. But our ability to grow, to reach more schools, serve more students, and deepen our impact, depends on securing sustainable funding.

A skilled grant writer's contribution won't just produce paperwork. It will open doors to resources that fund a teen teaching a younger child empathy through a handmade comfort bear, a 12-year-old pitching her first business idea in Kidpreneurs, or a student in the Dominican Republic practicing English with a pen pal in the Bronx. Your time and expertise become opportunity for young people who deserve every chance to lead.

BYL is ready to hit the ground running. Our leadership team includes a dedicated Development Officer with extensive nonprofit fundraising experience, as well as a hands on founder who will serve as the primary point of contact and collaborator throughout the engagement.

We have already gathered the core materials a grant writer will need, including our program descriptions, organizational overview, mission and vision statements, and information about the communities we serve. Our programs — Kidpreneurs, Financial Literacy, Comfort Bear, Voices Beyond Borders, and our Family Engagement and Staff Professional Development workshops — are well-documented and ready to be showcased in proposals.

We are committed to clear, responsive communication. We will schedule a kickoff meeting within the first week to align on priorities, share materials, and agree on a workflow. We are flexible on timing and happy to meet virtually. Any proposals developed through this partnership will be reviewed by our leadership team and submitted through our established organizational channels, ensuring the work has real and immediate impact.