At NFG we believe that young people deserve to have spaces for their voices, perspectives and ideas to be heard, honored and acted upon. We recognize that activities driving social, emotional and academic enrichment occur in the classroom and outside of the classroom in formal and informal ways and young people benefit from rigorous academic and culturally rooted wellness and healing practices to nurture resiliency. 

NFG observed that many existing philanthropic priorities focused on formal afterschool programs that center academic outcomes — while not as much was directed towards enrichment opportunities that catalyze a sense of confidence, create lasting positive relationships with peers and caring adults, and expose youth to experiences they would not otherwise have.

From grant size, eligible age ranges for youth programs, to the funding decision-making process itself, the community defined the parameters for the NYEF. In addition to providing funding to a wide range of entities — nonprofit, district schools, charter schools and for profits — working to provide the enrichment opportunities Northside youth deserve, the NYEF invites grantees to be authors of their own measures of success, rather than satisfying the expectations of funders.