Last updated: 3/6/25

2025 Youth Development Fund (YDF)

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The City of Boston's Office of Human Services offers the Youth Development Fund to support programming throughout the city. This year’s grants will support over $1.5M in Connect, Learn, Explore program areas, ensuring that Boston youth have access to youth sports, arts education, and opportunities to grow and cook their own food. These investments are made to support activities and organizations that promote positive youth development, including leadership skills, mentoring, and constructive peer relationships.

This year’s grant cycle supported 99 organizations across the City of Boston. This commitment aims to increase access for youth to sports, swimming, arts, growing food and biking. This year’s YDF allocation provides $550,000 for community-based youth sports programs, $400,000 for arts programming, and $170,000 for programs that introduce youth to cooking and growing their own food.

Have questions? Contact:
YouthDevelopmentFund@Boston.gov
Fund partners:
- Mayor Michelle Wu
- Office of Human Services

Emerging Organizations Learning Community

Grassroots youth development organizations with budgets under $200,000 are invited to participate in a seven-month learning community alongside similar organizations. Throughout this period, grantees will engage with experts in fund development, nonprofit management, budgeting, and more.

In addition to funding, recipients of the Emerging Leader Grants will also receive a tailored curriculum to help advance their skills, increase their organizational capacity, and create durable connections among the cohort members. The Emerging Leader cohort will meet once a month to learn business management skills, be paired with a mentor from a larger nonprofit organization, and be given the opportunity to network with other nonprofit leaders in Boston.

2025 YDF Grantees

This year’s grants prioritize programs that support Mayor Wu’s Connect, Learn, Explore: Commitment to Youth, a commitment to giving Boston youth an opportunity to explore and discover their passions. This commitment aims to increase access for youth to sports, swimming, arts, growing food and biking.

Meet the Grantees

About Human Services

The Mayor’s Office of Human Services (OHS) cabinet oversees 6 departments and offices that are all striving to create a healthier Boston. The mission of the Human Services Cabinet is to provide equitable access to high quality services, resources, and opportunities so that every Boston resident - especially those with the greatest needs - has what they need to thrive. In pursuit of this mission, the department in the Human Services Cabinet meet residents where they are - in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities - to break down barriers to critical resources.

We provide a wide array of critical programs and services. We also advocate for systemic change to tackle root causes of some of our most pressing challenges in the City.

"We are excited to be able to continue to support many of our non-profit partners in the work of building community, and providing high-quality, safe and engaging activities for youth and young adults in Boston. This robust network of programs meets youth where they are and is a key part of our violence prevention strategy"

— José F. Massó, Chief of Human Services