About Us
We’re a diverse and dedicated team focused on making the world a better place through involving youth in the decisions that impact their lives, particularly through philanthropy.
The Mission
Our mission is “Unleashing the Power of Youth to Change the World.”
We believe all young people hold the powerful ability to make the world a better place. They also have the knowledge about what is needed. Research suggests youth know the issues impacting their communities three years before adults. Yet they are often left out of the conversations and decision-making around the issues that impact their lives.
YouthRoots provide opportunities for youth to build their voice and leadership skills while engaging in real-world impact through philanthropy.
Our Values
Action: We listen. We reflect. We act. YouthRoots is responsive to the ever changing needs of our communities through intentional action that results in tangible impact.
Inclusion: Every individual has a unique ability to change the world. YouthRoots elevates the voices of diverse individuals to build community through dialog and growth to ultimately contribute to a more equitable society.
Innovation: Whether it be through collaborative partnerships, new programs, or community resources, we are always on the lookout for creative and strategic opportunities to elevate youth voice in philanthropy.
Youth Power: Youth change the world every day. YouthRoots unleashes the limitless passion and energy of young people who are the engine that drives much community impact work. Youth are not only the future, they are also the present.
Our Story
YouthRoots was founded in 2010. We started as a direct service organization that brought together groups of diverse youth in Denver metro to engage in participatory grantmaking while learning about nonprofits, fundraising, leadership, and teamwork.
We began partnering with other organizations (mostly foundations) who wanted to engage youth in the grantmaking process in 2015.
The onset of the global pandemic in 2020 and the ensuing instability provided an opportunity for us to step back and think about how we could achieve our mission in new and creative ways. We created two new programs focused on elevating youth voices from historically disenfranchized communities: The GIV Fellowship and The YouthScan Project.
We continue to partner with organizations who care about centering youth voice in their decision-making processes.