A Launchpad for Youth-Led Social Change.
We envision a world where every young person with a powerful idea has the resources, mentorship, and confidence to turn it into action—and impact.
How it works.
Build
We don’t just fund you—we help you build momentum.
Every grant recipient receives:
Access to the Idea to Impact digital toolkit
A community of support to encourage and challenge your thinking
Light mentorship to guide your early steps
Our goal: help you design and test a pilot and amplify real world impact.
Apply
Propose your project. Get the backing to make it real.
If you're a teen and have an idea to solve a real problem, apply for a grant:
Open Cycles: Submit any impact project idea
Challenge Cycles: Solve problems tied to themes like mental health, climate, or community equity
Selected students receive a micro-grant of $250–$500 to launch their idea.
Launch
You’ll lead your project and learn through doing.
Here’s how you’ll demonstrate impact:
Launch your initiative
Track your outcomes and reflect on your process
Share what you’ve learned and how it made a difference
Exceptional projects may be invited to present at a future youth summit or join as peer mentors for future cohorts.
Open Cohort 2 — Applications due February 20, 2026
Impact Framework.
Too often, young leaders and changemakers are left out of the conversation.
Traditional systems push on youth without inviting them to lead.
That changes now.
We believe in the potential of young people to demonstrate agency in solving real problems—and we’re here to give you the tools and funding to do it.
What Youth Are Saying.
“I truly believe that the work we did in this program is the reason why I have a full ride scholarship to my dream college. But much more importantly, through this program, I learned that I have the capacity to make real change in this world. I learned that systems can change and that I have the power to initiate that change.”
— Published Youth Mental Health Research through Impact League
“When you encouraged me to go for it and build out STAR, I didn't know it would become such a huge part of my life. I have taken everything I started building and implemented while studying at Duke, and STAR is bigger than ever. I am establishing similar goals and have already been reaching into the Durham county school system, and I have you to thank for all the inspiration years ago.”
— Built a Youth Literacy Non-Profit through Impact League
FAQs.
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We support any project with a clear purpose, a real-world problem, and a meaningful proposed solution. This can range from mental health campaigns to climate initiatives, tech-for-good tools, equity-focused programs, and beyond.
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At this time, we can only fund students who live in the United States or Canada due to our current funding and structure. We hope to expand internationally in the future. If you're outside these regions, feel free to reach out—we may still be able to share resources or point you toward similar programs.
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Nope. You need a clear idea and a sense of the problem you're trying to solve. We’ll help you build the rest once you’re accepted.
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Perfect. That’s exactly who this is for. You don’t need prior experience—just curiosity, creativity, and commitment. We’ll provide support every step of the way.
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Yes! You can apply solo or as a small team. Just make sure your application clearly outlines roles and how you’ll work together.
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We know you’re busy, and this isn’t meant to add stress. Most students spend about 2–4 hours per week working on their project during the build and launch phase. That includes joining bi-weekly group calls, and making real progress on your idea. You set the pace. We’re here to support, not overwhelm.
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Nope!
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You’ll track your impact, reflect on your progress, and share what you learned. Some students may be invited to present at a future Youth Summit or serve as peer mentors in future challenge cycles.