Can a group of sixth and seventh grade students acquire the skills necessary to organize and run a philanthropic program? You bet they can! Funded by ICF and The Community Foundation, the Youth Grantmaker Program is officially underway.

Beginning on February 28 and continuing through April 25, Karen Lampert of The Community Foundation will hold a series of workshops helping students understand the concept of philanthropy and the needs of the nonprofit community. Through guided instruction, she will help students acquire the requisite skills to write and review grant applications and ultimately to award qualifying grant applications with a check at a ceremony on May 23.

This program is funded for three grant cycles through 2015 and will be coordinated by volunteer teachers Donna Mercer and George Companiott.