Granted A Great Honor

by Jessica Jarrard

Art from Ashes (AfA) is grateful to have an amazing team of volunteer grant writers, editors, and researchers who donate their time and talents to help AfA generate funding for our creative youth empowerment programs. This year, the volunteer grant team has applied for seven grants from a variety of funders including state, federal, nonprofit, and foundation grantors. AfA has already received four grant awards so far this year AND a great honor:

• Denver Active 20-30 Children’s Foundation
• Office of Children’s Affairs Healthy Lifestyles for Youth
• The Tony Grampsas Youth Services Award (TGYS)
• Arts in Society (a new funder for us)

In February, AfA applied for the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award and once again, we have been recognized as one of the top 50 youth arts organizations in the country. The NAHYP is a program of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities™—in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services™—to showcase cultural excellence and enhance the availability of out-of-school arts and humanities programs to children and young people. Since AfA has consistently been recognized by this prestigious organization, we received a letter from the National Endowment for the Humanities encouraging us to apply for their Challenge Grant. After several conversations with the federal agency and over 100 hours of work on behalf of several members of the grant team, we applied for a two-year federal grant in May.

Thank you to the dedicated members of the AfA grant team, and many thanks to community sponsors, like SCFD, 2A, TGYS, and Arts in Society, who allow us to continue providing creative youth empowerment programs for the youth in our community!