Volume 18 | Issue 27 | July 5, 2023

News for Advocates of Children, Youth, and Older Adults from Generations United

FISH (Friends in Schools Helping) is a JABA (Jefferson Area Board for Aging) Program that provides free, screened and trained adult mentors to work with students in our local public schools. FISH, a Generations United Program of Distinction, is a JABA intergenerational program that connects nurturing adults with students in need of individualized attention in a classroom setting. FISH mentors commit at least one hour per week for the length of the academic year to support students who could benefit from extra one-to-one attention. Volunteers help students improve motivation, self-confidence, and socialization while assisting with academic subjects. Teachers are JABA’s key partners in facilitating intergenerational relationships that benefit mentors and students alike. Adults find purpose and connection while kids receive the extra attention they need to grow socially and academically. Learn more.

Photo courtesy of FISH

Each week, Generations United is spotlighting a recipient of our Intergenerational Program Certification. The certification is an annual recognition of outstanding programs bringing older and younger participants together and is based on rigorous standards of program effectiveness and sustainability. Learn more about the Intergenerational Program Certification here.

National Alliance for Children's Grief - Grief Reach Grants is a dedicated grant opportunity supporting childhood bereavement services in the United States. Any organization that currently serves young people who have experienced a death of a loved one are invited to apply for this competitive grant opportunity to enhance access to and increase grief support for youth and their families. This funding opportunity is offered twice a year. Cycle 2 of 2023 will focus on the area of Community Expansion. The cycle will close on July 17, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET. Learn more.

National Endowment for the Humanities: The Dialogues on the Experience of War program supports the study and discussion of humanities sources that address the experiences of military service and war from a wide variety of perspectives. Dialogue projects encourage veterans and nonveterans to reflect collectively on such topics as civic engagement, veteran identity, and the legacies of war, service, and homecoming. Project teams should include humanities scholars, military veterans, and individuals with relevant experience. The optional draft deadline is July 27, 2023 and the application deadline is September 7, 2023. Learn more.

Administration for Children and Families: Field-Initiated Approach to Addressing Racial Bias and Inequity in Child Welfare aims to award up to eight grants that support the development, implementation, and evaluation of field-initiated approaches to addressing racial bias and inequity in child welfare and improving the safety, stability, and well-being of families in traditionally underserved communities. As a field-based initiative, this funding opportunity will enable communities to design and lead targeted solutions to local issues of systemic disproportionality and inequitable access to services experienced by traditionally underserved communities at varying points across the child welfare continuum. The closing date for applications is July 31, 2023. Learn more.

The Foot Locker Foundation Community Empowerment Program, offered by LISC and Foot Locker, Inc., through the Foot Locker Foundation, supports nonprofit community organizations in 13 cities that empower youth in underserved communities. Eligible cities include Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco, CA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Baltimore, MD; Detroit, MI; Newark, NJ; New York City, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Dallas and Houston, TX; and Washington, DC. Grants ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 support current youth programming, the creation of new programming, or the extension of existing programming over one year. Grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 support capital improvement projects that enhance the impact of youth programming over one year. Applicant organizations should primarily serve youth in under-resourced communities with programs and services focused on health and wellness, education and life skills support, mentoring, or career development; include people of color in their leadership ranks; and more. The application deadline is August 30, 2023. Learn more.

Life Comes From It is a grantmaking and movement-building circle that supports grassroots work led by people of color in the United States. Funding is provided for projects and collaborations led by people of color that focus on restorative justice, transformative justice, Indigenous peacemaking, and land-based projects. The aim is to support work committed to replacing criminalization and incarceration with alternative approaches to address violence and repair harm, and prioritizing peacemaking development and Indigenous initiatives led by Native people. Grants are typically unrestricted and for general operating costs. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor are eligible to apply. Application deadline: None for introductions. Learn more.

The International Paper Foundation addresses critical needs in the communities where International Paper employees live and work in the United States. Areas of interest include education, with a focus on children's literacy; hunger and food security for children, families, and seniors; health and wellness, including promotion of healthy habits; and disaster relief. If your organization does not have an International Paper location in the community, you are not eligible for grant funding. (Grants in the company's global headquarters location of Memphis, TN, are made by invitation only). Applications are accepted through mid-September, annually. Learn more.

If you have—or know of—any intergenerational funding opportunities, please send them to gu@gu.org.

"Intergenerational Community Planning" Report: Generations United Senior Fellow Irv Katz and Generations United friend and Penn State professor Matt Kaplan, PhD, collaborated on a "guide" to intergenerational community planning published by the American Planning Association (APA). The intergenerational planning guide follows related APA reports on multigenerational planning and planning for all ages. The document suggests that the well-being of children, youth, and older adults--and how they relate with one another--should be integrated into regular city planning processes, such as the comprehensive planning that most cities and towns undertake. "Intergenerational Community Planning" is available for free to members of the American Planning Association and $25 for non-members.

"I always love the thought of intergenerational communities, the ability for generations to share the same space and to build community in that space."

Kasey Stepansky, an assistant professor in the occupational therapy program at Chatham University.

We want Generations This Week to be a resource for you. Please send us any national news on intergenerational issues in addition to upcoming conferences, funding opportunities, research, reports, and webinars. You can connect with other intergenerational enthusiasts through our Facebook group. Please also let us know how we can improve! Email us at gu@gu.org. We'd love to hear from you!