Advocacy strategies and resources

Funder: Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (PVF) 

Who: Youth in the foster care system/ dependency court 

What: $250 grant to support the critical needs or enrichment activities.

• Acceptable requests: eyeglasses, dental care, medical testing, clothing, school supplies, tutoring, household supplies for NMD, summer camp, music classes, sport lessons, etc. 

• Unacceptable requests: reimbursements, graduation-related expenses, grants that cost too little (around $60 or under) or are significantly more than the grant amount maximum (unless you can show that the remaining funds are going to be secured through other funding channels).  

When: CASAs and Social Workers are eligible to apply for one grant per individual youth, in a one-year period. 

How: Submit one-page with the following information and email it to your case supervisor: 

• Date and Social Worker/CASA Resource Grant notation  

• Your name, title, email, address and telephone number 

• Description of the child (including that they are in foster care or court dependency) and reason funding is needed (impact it will have) 

• Total amount requested and detail of how money will be spent itemizing unit prices 

• Who to make the check payable to if awarded. Checks can be made payable to the social worker, CASA, or sometimes directly to a vendor (if paid to a vendor, please provide name of payee, and address; check will be mailed to the Social Worker/CASA). 

NOTE: If a youth is aging out at 21 years old, please support them to access PVF, to support them as they learn to live independent of their dependency team.  

Website: https://sffosteryouthfund.org

Funder: San Francisco Human Services Agency 

• Option 1: General Fund

  • Who: Foster youth aged 0-21 

  • What: Grants of up to $400 to cover most needs ($500 available for graduating seniors for graduation-related expenses); youth are eligible to receive one per calendar year.  

  • Acceptable requests: activity lessons, school-related activities, athletics and uniforms, summer camps, prom and school dance items, graduation-related expenses, travel (sometimes), uniform (work, school, sports) 

  • Unacceptable requests: clothes, shoes, spending money 

  • When: Applications are accepted year round 

  • How: Complete the [provided application] and email it to your case supervisor

  • Additional Notes: 

    • Reimbursements are acceptable, but not guaranteed 

    • Include documentation when possible 

    • SFFYF will fund part of a larger need, but will want to see how remaining funding will be covered 

• Option 2: Technology Fund

  • Who: Foster youth aged 12-21 

  • What: Grants of up to $300 for youth to receive a cell phone, laptop, tablet, etc.; youth are eligible to receive one per year 

  • When: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis 

  • How: Complete the [provided application] and email it to your case supervisor

  • Additional Notes: Buy-in from foster parent is required to prove a cell phone bill, internet, etc. is covered financially: https://www.sfcasa.org/s/SFFYF-Request-Form.doc

• Option 3: Scholarship Fund for NMDs

  • Who: Non-minor dependents attending community or four-year college 

  • What: Financial support for the living expenses of up to 20 foster youth for each year they are in college 

  • When: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis 

  • How: Complete the [provided application] and email it to your case supervisor 

  • Additional Notes: 

    • Youth must pass each semester and re-enroll in 12+ credits the following semester to qualify annually 

    • If student is in community college, they must complete one semester prior to being approved initially

Website:Youth Opportunity Scholarships

Funder: Lampert Byrd Foundation 

Who: 5th-12th grade students 

What:Scholarships of up to $500 (disbursed in two installments) given to a youth to explore a new extracurricular activity; youth are eligible to receive one scholarship. For summer programs, scholarships can be issued in one installment. Refer to this [list] [7] for ideas; youth can also select other programs. 

Acceptable requests include horseback riding lessons, cooking classes, and summer camp. 

When: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

How: Complete the [online application] (include short answers written by your youth) and email the full application to your case supervisor. To receive the 2nd installment, the youth must complete a short progress report. 

1. https://www.venturesfoundation.org/programs/community-initiatives/youth-opportunity-scholarships/

2. https://philanthropicventuresfoundation.submittable.com/submit/99444/youth-opportunity-scholarship

Personal Empowerment Program

Funder: City Youth Now (CYN)

Who: Juvenile justice youth and foster youth age 0-21 

What: Average grant amount is $125 to support a youth’s educational, extracurricular, or emergency needs 

Acceptable requests: summer camp, clothes, holiday gifts, extracurricular activities, college items, any type of team-building activity; reimbursements are accepted with prior approval. 

Unacceptable requests: items like skateboards and bikes; cell phones, laptops, appliances or furniture, amusement park passes, family trips, Clipper card. 

When: Applications are due by the 15th of each month (response time is 2-3 weeks) 

How: Submit the [provided application] 11 and keep your case supervisor updated 

Additional Notes:

• CYN has school supplies, toys, and some gently used clothing available year-round. 

• CYN has a partnership with Dress for Success to receive professional clothing for youth; to access, simply email: info@cityyouthnow.org

• CYN offers PAID Internships to youth 14-19 years old!  

College Scholarships

• Who: Former or current juvenile probation youth and foster youth in college 

• What: Three different scholarships to go towards a student’s college expenses 

  • Sari Wade Scholarship: $1,500 award for a foster care youth 

  • Jesse Williams III Scholarship: $1,500 award for a current or former juvenile probation youth 

  • Joan Coyne Memorial Scholarship: $3,000 award for a foster care or probation youth 

• When: Applications open in January and are due in spring of each year. 

• How: Youth completes an application form and submits it to CYN staff. 

Funder: SFCASA 

Who: All SFCASA youth aged 0-21 

What: Grants to bridge funding gaps or emergency needs 

When: Ongoing 

How: Work closely with your case supervisor to determine whether this is an appropriate funding option; if it is, your case supervisor will request the funds on your behalf. 

Funder: San Francisco ILSP 

Who: ILSP eligible youth (15 ½ to 24)  

What: various stipend programs: youth must have completed intake and attended workshops, events, or drop-in services to be eligible. 

When: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

How: Be in touch with SFILSP staff for application details. 

Weekly/Monthly: 

• Incentives to attend workshops 

• Food Pantry 

• Clipper Card Uploads ($30/month) 

• Laundry/Hygiene Supplies 

Every 4 Months: 

• Education Stipend 

• Goal Completion Incentive 

• GPA Incentive 

• Employment Stipend 

• Free Haircut 

Annually: 

• Tax Completion Incentive 

• Birthday Gift 

Occasionally: 

• Intake incentive 

• Baby Stipend (per child) 

• Move-in Stipend 

• Driving Lessons support/stipend 

• Emancipated Youth Stipend 

• Laptops & Hotspots 

• Emergency Stipend (case by case) 

One Simple Wish is a wish-granting platform that has partnered with SFCASA to grant wishes for the young people we serve.  

This is a chance for the young person you serve to ask for one big ticket item they've been wanting! SFCASA youth have received laptops, electric scooters, tablets, gaming systems, mattresses, amusement park tickets, and more from One Simple Wish already!  

One Simple Wish accepts wishes up to $500. 

Wishes cannot be: over $500 with tax/shipping included; on sale; partial payment (must be wholly purchased by OSW); ongoing payments (bills, etc.) 

Advocates should submit the wish, a link to the item, and two blurbs about the youth, to Program Assistant at programassistant@sfcasa.org

One blurb should be 5-7 sentences describing your youth, and another 3-5 sentences explaining why they would like the item, both leaving out any identifying information.  

Here are instructions and examples from One Simple Wish:

Tell us as much as you can about this child or young adult. This is your chance to tell the world why they are so special.  

• Example blurb 1: M is an amazing young man who is currently living in a foster home without his 3 siblings. Though foster care has been tough on M, he has remained hopeful and very focused on school. His favorite subject is science, and one day he hopes to become a teacher so he can make learning fun for other kids. He is always kind and well-mannered and everyone who meets M says his smile lights up a room. * 

• Example blurb 2: M would like a new bike so he may get to and from school with more freedom. M says a bike would allow him more time to eat breakfast in the morning and do homework in the afternoon without waiting for the bus. M would prefer a mountain bike so he can go on trails and interact with nature as well.  

Wishes are then posted to the One Simple Wish website, where individuals have the opportunity to grant the wishes (purchase the item for the youth through the site). Wishes are usually fulfilled within a week to a few months.  

Education Travel Reimbursement

OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 

• HYPE CENTER – The Self Determination Fund is a mini grant made available via application for youth who: have been a member for 120 days; accessed Hype 4 times within the past 4 months; accessed 4 services within those 4 months. hypecenter@freedom-forward.org

• Wishbone – Summer program support for low-income high school students. 

• SF Parks and Recreation – Between 50% and 100% off program costs for low-income families. Although it is not listed on the website, foster youth are eligible for the 100% scholarships. Contact Lillian Bautista, the Scholarship Coordinator, at 415.823.2717 for more information on how to apply. 

• Chalk – $5,000 grants to support a youth-led social justice-oriented project. 

• San Francisco Recreation and Parks – offers scholarships for eligible San Francisco residents up to a 50% discount and as much as 100% off program registration.