In 2022, a seemingly small grant from students sparked significant growth and impact for a local nonprofit. Student-directed grants through Give Next, a school-based youth grantmaking program for middle and high school students, have consistently supported nonprofits across Larimer County. One such nonprofit, Heart J Center at Sylvan Dale Ranch, received Give Next student grants to fund a small mental health pilot program. This program has now secured a six-figure, multi-year grant from The Colorado Trust, enabling it to expand the program and serve approximately 2,700 people in Northern Colorado.
Heart J Center for Experiential Learning
Youth mental health has been a longtime focus area for many Give Next students. Every year, Give Next classrooms take the time to research community issues that are important to them. Students then work together to pick a single issue that will determine their grantmaking mission for the year.
At Mountain View High School and Lucile Erwin Middle School, students were particularly motivated by their goal to improve youth mental health. Students at these schools knew they had a good fit when they read an application for a pilot program titled, “Elevate: Improving Teen Mental Health through Outdoor Experiences.” The application focused on nature-based mental health support at Sylvan Dale Ranch in Loveland, Colorado. After years of welcoming school groups to the ranch for outdoor education, the Heart-J team often received feedback that youth often felt better after spending time outdoors. The idea of a strategic mental health program, Elevate, for youth was born.
Building Connections through Outdoor Experiences
Students at Mountain View High School and Lucile Erwin Middle School recognized the potential of the Elevate program and awarded it nearly $5,000 to get started. The results spoke for themselves—students participating in the pilot built stronger peer connections and celebrated each other’s growth and healing.
The lessons learned from the initial Give Next seed funding led to an opportunity to significantly expand the program. In summer 2024, the Heart J Center was awarded a $316,000 multi-year grant from The Colorado Trust, enabling them to bring their outdoor-based wellness program to a broader audience.
“Thanks to the early support from Give Next students, thousands more young people and families across Northern Colorado now have the opportunity to build mindfulness and wellness skills,” said Laura Armstrong, Heart-J Center Executive Director. “We’re excited to help break down barriers to mental health tools and outdoor experiences. The grant from The Colorado Trust emphasizes equity in mental health programming and enables us to serve a people from marginalized communities from across Northern Colorado.”
Scaling Impact with a Give Next Grant
Give Next values the insights youth have about local community needs and celebrate their impact now and in the future. Each Give Next grant represents investments by youth in solutions that address important issues in our community. This year, 34 Give Next classrooms will distribute more than $170,000 to Larimer County nonprofits working on issues that students find to be the most important.
Nonprofits can leverage student voice by applying for a Give Next grant. Grants are up to $5,000 and applications are open from November 18 – December 13, 2024. Final grant decisions are made by students in April, with awards to nonprofits presented in April and May.
Nonprofits interested in joining Give Next can sign up for updates and learn about upcoming involvement opportunities by joining our newsletter.
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