Leadership Lincoln proposes to renew and reinstate the Youth In Action Center (now YouthAction) and YouthInspire programs. The investment from UBT would allow us to fund a full-time position to organize and update our Youth Action Center and YouthInspire programs. YouthAction organized youth advisory committees for the city of Lincoln, Lincoln Public Schools, and the Lincoln Police Department to provide youth the opportunity to have a voice in the future of our city. The YouthInspire program is a youth philanthropy program where youth learn how to serve on a board, philanthropy leadership, and then gift funds to a youth-led or youth-focused local nonprofit. Both programs engage youth in our community and give them a leadership opportunity and a voice in the future of Lincoln.

The funds will be used to search for and hire a full-time Youth Leadership Lincoln YouthAction and YouthInspire project coordinator and to fund the research and development to update our YouthAction and YouthInspire programs with best practices. We will use the funding from the Big Give to seek matching funding from local philanthropists and national foundations. The goal will be to secure three years of initial funding for the position and program. It is our intention that within the initial startup period that Leadership Lincoln will be able to secure ongoing funding for the YouthAction and YouthInspire programs. Our goal is to serve an additional 40-60 youth each year. Currently, the Youth Leadership Lincoln program receives about 30% more applications than we have room in the program. There is a need in our community for additional youth leadership opportunities. Leadership Lincoln’s history in this area gives us a unique ability to execute the program successfully.