This grant provides partial support to the Youth Transition Funders Group, a program of the Tides Center. This network of grantmakers was formed in 1997, to focus specifically on working to improve young peoples' transition into adult life as economically self-sufficient and contributing family members and citizens. The group offers professional development opportunities and provides a forum for networking, thereby strengthening the ability of grantmakers to build comprehensive grantmaking strategies for youth transition. In addition to its annual meeting, activities for 2001 include: bi-weekly listservs to educate the foundation community, bi-monthly conference calls, partnering with other affinity groups to serve vulnerable youth more effectively, and strengthening the working committee and recruitment efforts.

This grant increase will enable the American Youth Policy Forum to document and profile the options and efforts available to reconnect out-of-school youth in Flint and Genesee County. Using a similar case study approach that was used for the initial 12 communities profiled in the Reconnecting Dropouts to Mainstream Activities project, the American Youth Policy Forum will study and document the programs and policies in the Flint and Genesee County area to gain a greater understanding of the education and employment opportunities available to assist young people that have dropped out of school.

This grant provides partial support to the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers to manage the Asset Funders Network. The network was created in 2005 to build a community of grantmakers committed to asset-building issues. Its ultimate goal is to increase both the amount and the impact of philanthropic funding on asset-building activities. Activities planned for the two-year grant period include hosting in-person meetings and conferences, organizing a conference call series, and developing an information clearinghouse. Since its inception in 2005, the network has established a stable advisory structure and grown a base of 20 active members.