City approves $45,000 in youth grants to fund 42 neighborhood projects

The City of Las Vegas on Feb. 19 approved $45,000 in Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership (YNAP) grants to fund 42 youth-led neighborhood projects across the city.

The YNAB (Youth Neighborhood Association Board) grant review panel and the Department of Youth Development and Social Initiatives recommended awards after scoring applications; the council voted to accept the panel’s recommendations. “This year the YNAB grant review board recommends 42 projects for a total of $45,000 in grant funding,” said Demari Burch, the student chair of the grant review board during the council presentation.

City staff reported that since the program’s start the city has funded 693 projects totaling $684,344 in city investment with matching funds of more than $6.6 million from partners and donors. Director Tammy Malich said the program is in its 25th year and praised the youth reviewers and mentor volunteers for the board’s work.

Awardees represent a range of project types and wards. The awards include community-service projects, community education programs and community-improvement work; examples read into the record included grants to school groups and local youth organizations across Wards 1–6 with allocations ranging from a few hundred dollars to approximately $1,600 for certain proposals. The councilwoman from Ward 5 moved to approve the item and the council carried the motion.

City staff asked awardees to gather after the meeting for brief refreshments and further coordination. The awarded projects are intended to seed small, youth-driven community efforts rather than large capital investments.