Our Application Process:

Step 1 - Identify a Problem: To apply for a grant, each student must identify a problem within their community that they would like to improve.

Step 2 - Apply for a Grant: The next step in our student’s process is to submit an application. This application lets us know generally what a student’s community improvement project is, who they are, and how they plan on using the funds.

Step 3 - Complete Viability Exploration: The Viability Exploration is a meeting with the applicant, our Executive Director, and a few board members. During this meeting, the student more completely explains what their project is. This helps us more deeply understand the project and also the applicant themself.

Step 4 - Meet with Mentor: During this meeting, there are two major parts. First, the mentor will get to meet with the applicant and learn about their project and discuss their proposed budget. The mentor will assist with refining the budget. After the meeting, the mentor will meet with a member of the Leaders of Today team to discuss the application and budget.

Step 5 - Complete Final Budget: The student has one week after meeting with a mentor to submit a final budget. This budget helps us get a real understanding of how much the applicant truly needs to complete their project. Not every applicant will receive a grant or have their project completely funded.

Step 6 - Grants Awarded: Our final step is to award the grants to our applicants. This is where the real work begins and the applicant is able to complete their project!