Apply Now for a Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Global Youth Service Day 2026 Grant

More than ever, civic learning is needed to ensure each and every person across this country has the necessary tools to engage as members of our self-governing society. Civic Learning Week unites students, educators, policymakers, and private sector leaders to energize the movement for civic education across the nation.

Planning a Civic Learning Week event? Submit it here to be included in a list of featured events.

Register now for livestream of the 2026 Civic Learning Week National Forum - Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250. Hosted by iCivics and the Democratic Knowledge Project, the forum will be held March 9-10 and explore key topics related to the importance of liberty and learning, what that looks like in practice, and the leadership needed to make high-quality civic education a nationwide priority.

The philanthropic sector is working to reverse any disillusionment by empowering Gen Z to make the structural change they so often seek. Born out of the idea that young people distrust institutions because they don't feel served or included, several initiatives are underway with hopes that more responsive institutions will be seen as more legitimate ones. This article features our partners DoSomething and Youth 250.

Young people want large-scale systemic change but reject elite social-service pathways that manage inequity rather than challenging it. The social sector is not losing talent because young people undervalue public service. It is losing talent because it continues to offer them a playbook forged to preserve elite coherence, not produce democratic change.

The Call For Kindness offers young changemakers (ages 13-23) the chance to participate in a dynamic Leadership Development Fellowship and win up to $5,000 in funding for a project that inspires kindness and strengthens their local, national, or global communities.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, this contest invites young people to explore a timely and powerful question: How does working together for the common good make communities stronger? It encourages students in grades 6-12 to think critically and creatively about civic engagement and collaboration, and to share their vision through original work in one of four categories: Essay, Video/Multimedia, Audio, and Visual/Written Art. One winning submission from each category will receive a $1,000 prize.

This program supports school gardens with $3,500 grants that stimulate children's curiosity about food, promote hands-on learning, and foster healthy eating habits in K-12 schools across the U.S. and Canada. The program prioritizes awarding applicants who serve a majority of students who are under-resourced. 

Working to support the mental health & well-being of young people to empower authenticity & a better future for all. AE wants to support your nonprofit organization with up to $10,000.

Wednesday, February 25 at 1:00pm Eastern

AI is everywhere, and yet many people still feel unsure where to begin or how to engage responsibly. This session provides friendly, accessible AI literacy for a broad nonprofit and social impact audience. Participants will learn what AI is (and is not), explore practical everyday nonprofit use cases, and walk away with simple, safe ways to begin experimenting inside their existing tools.

Thursday, February 26 at 12:00pm Eastern

This 45-minute interactive webinar is designed to help educators and community leaders build and support effective youth boards and councils, empowering young people to lead with confidence, collaborate meaningfully, and make lasting impact.

Also: Join NYLC's listserv for Youth Council leaders and members.

Learn step-by-step how youth and adults can partner to strengthen child welfare systems through authentic engagement and shared leadership.

Also: Read this Q&A with Alex Lohrbach on the release of the Elevating Youth Engagement curriculum.

This report provides the first global baseline assessment of how governments engage youth and student organizations in education legislation and policymaking

One year into deployment of the national Youth Mental Health Corps, schools are seeing an impact in student behavior and attendance

There are good jobs in the growing fields of teaching, health care, and social services. Can schools hook boys early?

Across the country, a new wave of afterschool and other out-of-school time (OST) organizations is redefining education by integrating hands-on learning with powerful civic action.

This Volunteer Wants to De-bug Food Waste

As an amateur programmer, food waste is one glitch Arav Chand couldn’t wait to debug. A Long Island resident, Arav frequently visited New York City and saw bakeries throwing away perfectly good food at the end of the day. That was a direct contrast to the people Arav would see on the streets living with food insecurity. A computer whiz, Arav described the dichotomy as being like a glitch in the code. To bridge the divide between the two situations, he founded Sweet Surplus, a youth-led nonprofit that donates surplus baked goods to shelters for unhoused populations.

A Thousand-Hour Pledge to Community Care

Celine Dumitrascu, a young woman from Scottsdale, Arizona, is already making big waves in her community and beyond. Her most impactful venture is the founding of the Oral Health Primer nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) organization driven by a mission to combat oral disease among underserved youth. Through partnerships with schools and social centers, Celine has delivered essential oral health education to over 400 underserved children, creating awareness and promoting prevention.

Empowering Other Young People through Programming

Shaan Yu always wanted to build something. The 16-year-old high school student always had big dreams. In his freshman year of high school, he learned how to program computers and was quickly on his way. Already trying to start companies at a young age, he discovered that investors were insecure about getting involved with him because he was only a teenager. He wanted to help other young people with big dreams get beyond those age-related roadblocks. Shaan and another high school student founded the Constellation Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing mentorship to student-led businesses. Shaan provides guidance and resources to fellow high school students and young leaders who want to start businesses. Thus far, Shaan’s work with the Constellation Foundation has helped student organizations throughout the U.S. and Europe raise $150,000+.

A Full Plate and a Brighter Planet

Ruth Gelaye isn’t waiting for others to solve big problems; she’s tackling food waste and hunger one meal at a time. This dedicated young woman founded NoVasta, a youth-led organization with a powerful mission: rescuing surplus food from local restaurants and delivering it directly to nearby shelters. What started as a local initiative has blossomed into a global movement, now spanning over 25 chapters worldwide. Through strong, organized partnerships with restaurants, cafes and shelters, NoVasta has already donated over 8.5 thousand meals, helping to create a more sustainable and equitable food system.