Future Focused Education Youth Civic Infrastructure Fund

Future Focused Education (FFE) believes schools should serve as anchors in the development of healthy and thriving communities, functioning as infrastructure that enables students to solve real world problems as part of their learning. Youth Civic Infrastructure (YCI) supports reciprocal collaborations between nonprofits and schools to engage students in community experiences through capstone projects and internships. 

The Youth Civic Infrastructure Fund (YCIF) is providing 1-year unrestricted "Exploration” operating grants to nonprofit organizations, community groups or community leaders that are seeking to work more directly with young people whose school work aligns with the organization’s mission. These grants will provide a generational investment rooted in young people learning from and applying local wisdom to address challenges in their communities.

In 2025, FFE will award Exploration Year grants of $25,000. Recipients of this grant will be eligible to apply for a multi-year Implementation Grant for 2026–2028, which will offer $50,000 per year, for a total of $150,000.

Please review the RFP for full details. This grant opportunity is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, organizations, or individual community leaders with a fiscal sponsor. Note: FFE can assist individual applicants in identifying a fiscal sponsor.

APPLY NOW!

Application Deadline: July 14, 2025 at 5pm MT

Questions about the RFP? Email ycif@futurefocusededucation.org

Technical questions about the portal? Email grants@nmctrust.org

As the fiscal agent for the Future Focused Education Youth Civic Infrastructure Fund, New Mexico Community Trust works with FFE and their partners to ensure that funding is secured, managed and provided to selected grantees.