Las Vegas youth grant board elects new chair, hears pitches from more than a dozen youth groups

Deputy City Attorney Michelle Di Silvestro Alaniz called the Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program (YNAB) grant review board to order Dec. 1 in Las Vegas and confirmed a quorum, then the board moved quickly through procedural items and a slate of youth presentations.

The board elected Ayanna Castro as chair by a 6–3 vote over Harlaquin Diaz and chose Chloe Camarillo as vice chair with 4 votes (Jones 2, Hernandez 1). "My name is Ayanna Castro," Castro told the board in her introductory remarks after the vote, and later led the meeting through the evening of presentations. Staff said the board consists of 15 members with two alternates and requires a quorum of eight to act.

Why it matters: the YNAB program recommends small grants — typically $2,000 each in this cycle — to youth-led projects that must take place inside Las Vegas city limits and include pledged volunteer or in-kind matches. The board heard pitches covering literacy, arts, STEM, mental-health programs, homelessness outreach and neighborhood service projects. Staff will compile the board’s funding recommendations and present them to the Las Vegas City Council on Feb. 4, 2026; groups will be notified of the board’s recommendations within about three weeks.

What happened: presenters each had five minutes to make their pitch and five minutes for questions. Examples:

- Justin Buma, founder of Heroes in Hearts, asked for $2,000 to continue the Blessing Project, which assembles "thank you" bags for community workers. "I am requesting $2,000 to support my project, the Blessing Project," Buma said, describing past years of funding and the bag contents.

- Caitlin Ramirez described a combined arts-and-reading program that aims to serve roughly 100 third-grade students at Ollie Detweiler Elementary School and said the group planned to purchase two iPads (about $200 each) to run reading assessments if funded. "This year, our initiative aims to serve approximately 100 third grade students at the Ollie Detweiler Elementary School," Ramirez said.

- Care for Change requested $2,000 to expand hygiene and feminine-care kits for unhoused women and other underserved residents; presenters cited regional homelessness figures and described partnerships with Sunrise Hospital and Project 150.

Board members probed logistics in Q&A: how recipients are identified, how items are distributed, how projects would proceed if awarded less than requested, and whether volunteers or professionals would be available for programs that need trained staff.

Votes at a glance: - Approved minutes of Dec. 2024 regular meeting (motion by Member Camarillo; second by Member Castro; outcome: approved). - Elected Ayanna Castro as chair (6–3) and Chloe Camarillo as vice chair (4–2–1 split among three candidates; Camarillo had plurality). - Approved presentation dates for December (first, fourth, eighth and Dec. 11; Dec. 15 as contingency) (voice vote; outcome: approved). - Approved rescheduling Project 91 to a later presentation date after a no‑show (motion carried).

What comes next: the YNAB board will deliberate and vote on final funding recommendations at a later meeting and then present those recommendations to the Las Vegas City Council on Feb. 4, 2026. Tara Manor, YNAB lead staff, told presenters she will notify groups of the board’s recommendations within three weeks.

Meeting context and numbers: staff told the board YNAB began in Las Vegas in 2001, has funded hundreds of youth groups over 25 years, and typically requires a dollar-for-dollar volunteer or in-kind match for requests such as the $2,000 grants considered at this meeting.

The board adjourned after citizen participation was opened and no public comments were offered.