Las Vegas — The Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program board approved awards totaling $45,000 on Dec. 11, 2025 to support youth-led projects across the city, after a full day of deliberations in which members used a 50% baseline as a starting point and adjusted individual awards up or down.

Deputy City Attorney Michelle De Silvestro Alaniz told the board that applicants requested $85,394.68 in total and said the board “clearly … don't have enough money to award everything that was requested.” Staff and program organizers confirmed $45,000 was available for distribution. Program staff advised members to begin each discussion at 50% of the amount requested and then deliberate on deviations for merit or budget concerns.

Board members then reviewed each application in order and discussed whether projects appeared genuinely youth-led, whether budgets were realistic and whether similar projects (notably several care-package efforts) could be grouped or deprioritized to allow funds to stretch further. Members repeatedly emphasized encouraging youth participation and providing applicants with feedback; Tara Manning (program staff) reminded the board that purchases are made under City of Las Vegas procedures and that staff will work with recipients after awards are approved.

After stepwise adjustments and some arithmetic rounding, Deputy City Attorney Alaniz read the final award list aloud. Key allocations included several grants above the 50% baseline for projects the board judged particularly prepared or impactful: Lab groups and community initiatives received awards ranging from $500 up to $1,500. Examples of awards the board settled on include: Rose Book Drive for Kids — $1,300; Project Never Give Up on Your Dreams — $1,500; Crown Care — $1,500; Snuffle Love — $1,500; Pack of Hope — $1,500; Little Libraries Big Future — $1,500; Books for Brave Kids — $1,500; Loving Them Paws and Claws Community Giveback — $1,400; Robotics Mixer — $1,400; Suit Up for Summer — $1,400. Dozens of other groups were assigned sums at or near the 50% mark. (Deputy City Attorney Michelle De Silvestro Alaniz read the full awarded list into the record and confirmed the $45,000 total.)

The board attached procedural stipulations to the awards. Staff requested that the motion include language to prohibit the use of funds for gift cards — an item that appeared in some applications but is disallowed by city purchasing rules — and to require written parental consent where projects would record or broadcast minors (cited specifically for the Hearts in Harmony podcast proposal). Staff also asked that projects avoid language that would indicate an entrance fee; for example, Books for Brave Kids should present any book collection as a suggested donation or as voluntary contributions, not a required charge.

Chair Castro called a voice vote on the package of awards and stipulations read by staff; the motion carried. The board then made a separate motion to approve the remaining group on the list and that motion also passed; the record notes that Member Moda abstained on that second vote. Following approval, program staff said they will provide feedback to applicants and handle purchases in accordance with City of Las Vegas procurement procedures.

The meeting included periodic concerns from board members about projects that appeared to be adult-led, had unclear budgets or included disallowed items. Members repeatedly urged staff to relay constructive feedback to applicants so youth participants learn from the experience and improve future proposals. There were no public comments during the meeting. Chair Castro adjourned the session after final motions were carried.

A full list of winners and awarded amounts was read into the record by Deputy City Attorney Michelle De Silvestro Alaniz during the meeting; official minutes and the award list will be published by program staff as part of the meeting record and used for subsequent purchase and orientation steps.