GRANT GUIDELINES

WHO CAN APPLY

Students ages 14-22 who are residents of Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess or northwest Litchfield counties who plan to travel internationally to work and live in a community and help promote international peace and justice.

GRANT INFORMATION

The Alice and Richard Henriquez Memorial Fund was formed in 1995 to “encourage the development of peace among nations and justice for all people by funding international experiences for young men and women in their intellectually formative years.” Mr. Henriquez believed that “an understanding of other people and their cultures, as well as sensitivity to the destabilizing effect of social and economic injustice is what young men and women will need if they are to effectively contribute to a peaceful and just world in their adult lives.”

The Henriquez Fund has been so successful that the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has established the Youth World Awareness Program to operate in conjunction with the Henriquez Fund. The Youth World Awareness Program is actively seeking donations to allow more young people from the Berkshire Taconic region to travel and do humanitarian work in foreign countries. Together, these funds will support young people from the Berkshire Taconic region to travel, study, or work in foreign countries.

PROGRAM GOAL

The goal of the program is to support students who plan to travel internationally to work and live in a community and help to promote international peace and justice.

ELIGIBILITY

• Students and groups of students (ages 14-22) residing in Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess or northwest Litchfield counties
• Academic programs for credit are not eligible.
• Successful candidates or groups will be asked to speak of their experiences to their school and to other interested parties, e.g., Berkshire Taconic, the press.
• Preference is given to individuals who have not been previously funded by the program and to groups whose participants have not been previously funded by the program.
• Programs consisting of international travel with home stays (e.g. People to People or Students/Sports Ambassadors) are not eligible for consideration unless they involve community service performed while abroad.
• Grants are only available for international travel experiences (not domestic).

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation does not support organizations that, in their constitution, by-laws or practice, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief.

AWARDS

Grants awarded will generally range from $500 to $1,500 for individuals. Larger amounts are considered for groups.

REVIEW CRITERIA

Applications will be reviewed by the Henriquez/Youth World Awareness advisory committee comprised of area residents who are active in their communities. Their recommendations will be referred to Berkshire Taconic’s Board of Directors for final review and approval.

Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:

• Engagement: Project will engage the applicant with a broad cross section of young people of other cultures and provide the opportunity to learn new customs and lifestyles.
• Planning: Project shows good planning.
• Community Service: Project contains an element of community service.

Here is a link to some organizations that students have partnered with in recent years. Applicants are also encouraged to develop innovative and unique plans that go beyond what has been done in the past.