Summer Youth Program Fund

The Funding Opportunity: 

The Summer Youth Program Fund (SYPF) supports high-quality, safe, and positive experiences for Marion County children and teens ages 4-24 at little to no cost to families.

From day programs and overnight camps, to academic and arts enrichment, to career exploration and youth employment, SYPF-funded programs serve more than 50,000 Indianapolis youth each year.

Priority will be given to:  

• Programs that are low cost or free to families.   

• Programs with defined goals, staffing, and evaluation plans. 

• Programs that incorporate best practices in positive youth development.   

• Proposals with reasonable and clear budgets. SYPF grants do not typically cover the full cost of operating your summer program.   

Geographic Area:

• Marion County

Eligibility: 

To be eligible to apply for the grant funding, applicant organizations must meet the following criteria: 

• Applications must be led by a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) public charity status and have an EIN number. 
• A 501(c)(3) public charity may serve as a fiscal sponsor for another applicant to administer the grant. 
• Any organization may be part of more than one proposal but may only serve as the lead applicant for one proposal. 
• Programs must serve Marion County youth. 
• Programs must take place during the summer following the application period (e.g. if applying in fall 2025, program must take place during summer 2026). 
• Programs serving children under 4 will not be considered. 
• Previous SYPF grantees must have completed a final report in order to be considered for the current funding cycle. 
• Late applications will not be considered.

• Your application will be reviewed by each of the nine SYPF partners.
• Each funder makes its own funding decisions according to its priorities and notifies its grantees separately.
• Some programs receive grants from more than one funder.
• Funders collaborate in the allocations process to close as many gaps as possible.