Earlier this week, The Winnipeg Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy (YiP) program held its year-end celebration and grants allocation evening. The annual wind-up recognizes all the hard work that more than 300 high school students, representing 22 Winnipeg high schools, have put into helping charitable organizations in their community.

 

The goal of The Winnipeg Foundation’s YiP program is to provide high school students with the opportunity to be decision-makers and explore philanthropy and community development.

 

Each participating high school is provided with $5,000 to distribute as grants to local charitable organizations. Student-led committees decide on an area of interest and criteria and research the local charities. During the school year, students also interview and visit organizations to learn more about the charities and their work in the community.

 

The celebration event brings together YiP students from around the city and many of the organizations they supported. This year, more than 130 grants, totaling $110,000 were made through the program.

 

This is the eighth year for The Winnipeg Foundation’s YiP program, which is part of an international network of youth grantmakers, and is also the largest YiP program in Canada.

 

The Winnipeg Foundation is proud of the all the students that participated in the program and will continue to provide youth with hands-on opportunities to help our community flourish.