Youth Civic Infrastructure
Connecting Youth and Nonprofits
Youth Civic Infrastructure in Action
Lexy Aragon: A Capstone Success Story
“I got a chance to do something that helps the community as a whole,” Lexy says. “For me, personally, this internship was life changing.”
Lexy Aragon, a student at Del Norte High School, participated in a capstone program focused on serving unhoused individuals in Albuquerque. Her experience not only provided valuable career skills but also made a significant contribution to the community.
in community-driven projects
nonprofits
partnered with schools
and young people
How Youth Civic Infrastructure Works
Partner Participation
Schools & Nonprofit Partnership
Schools designate a teacher to work closely with a nonprofit partner to design and implement curriculum. Schools provide students with flexibility during school days to actively engage in their project-based, real-world work through the nonprofit. Learning happens within the school and within the nonprofit work.
Students
In partnership with their school and nonprofit, students engage in project-based, hands-on learning both at school and within their community to bring solutions to real-world, community-based challenges while earning academic credit.
Community of Learning
Teachers and nonprofit partners receive stipends to attend required Community of Learning sessions once a month, where participants share knowledge and best practices for success.
Funding
Grant recipients receive $25,000 in the first year. The funding is used by the nonprofit and school partners to support student internships, capstone projects, curriculum development and community engagement. After the first year, grantees have the opportunity to apply for three-year multi-year funding to expand their work. This additional funding provides the nonprofit partner with $50,000 annually (totaling $150,000) to further deepen and expand student involvement and community impact.
Application Information
Stay tuned for 2026 application dates!