The word philanthropy (phi•lan•thro•py, pronounced fi-lan-thruh-pee) is difficult to pronounce, spell and define. The word comes from the Greek word philanthropos, meaning 'love of humankind'. Many people think of philanthropy as wealthy people giving away large amounts of money, but at The Winnipeg Foundation, and in YiP, we think of philanthropy as any act of giving to help others. Whether you're giving your time as a volunteer, or any amount of money to a cause, you are a philanthropist.

Youth in Philanthropy (YiP) is a program designed to introduce local high school students to philanthropy and community development. The program provides hands-on experience that benefits both participating students and local charities.

The annual program begins in September, when participating schools form Youth Advisory Committees. The committees are each allocated $5,000 to distribute to charities of their choice. Students first discuss their values and the goals of their committees. They then begin researching potential charities - conducting interviews and going on site visits in the community. Youth Advisory Committees then consider the input of each student and decide how to allocate the group's grantmaking funds. They present written recommendations to the Board of The Winnipeg Foundation for final approval.

Each Youth Advisory Committee also establishes a High School Philanthropy Fund and the annual income earned from this endowment is added to the $5,000 provided by the Foundation. In this way, the grantmaking capacity of each Youth Advisory Committee gradually increases every year and the impact of each student who participates in Youth in Philanthropy is felt in the community for years to come.

For more information about the YiP program, contact Joanna Fultz, Youth in Philanthropy Convenor, at 944.9474 or click here to email.