Grantor Name: Charles E. Benidt Foundation, Inc.
Program Name: Level Up Academy and Technology Upgrades
Grant Amount: $100,000
Recipient Name: New Pathways for Youth
Overview of Use of Funds: Good Works Grant Writing is excited to congratulate our client, New Pathways for Youth, for being selected to receive a $100,000 grant from the Charles E. Benidt Foundation! This generous foundation grant will support New Pathways for Youth’s Level Up Academy during the 2024-25 school year, as well as provide support for internal technology upgrades needed throughout the organization. New Pathways for Youth partners with local high schools to offer 10-week Level Up Academy courses, with their program facilitators and mentors traveling to deliver course classes in the classrooms of engaged students. Support from the Benidt Foundation will help New Pathways for Youth’s 2024-25 Level Up Academy to successfully reach 120 high school students attending three Phoenix schools. Funding will also support the additional technology needs of the Level Up Academy, helping their facilitators/mentors to better connect participants with mental health resources, tutoring, professional referrals, and more.
Overview of Grant Objective/Impact: Low-income students (particularly those exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences) require support to develop the skills to achieve their academic and personal goals in high school and beyond ̶̶ in their families, communities, college/vocational schools, and careers. Alongside their thoroughly trained and equipped mentors, Level Up Academy participants engage in two weekly course classes focused on improving participants belief in themselves, sense of belonging based on peer connections and decreased loneliness, and their perceived support systems. Level Up Academy participants achieve improved outcomes by working through curricula designed to guide youth in making key distinctions, including, (1) Hero, Rival, and Witness; (2) Honor Yourself as Your Word, (3) Thoughts Give Rise to Action; (4) and Comfortable Being Uncomfortable, and more. Moreover, New Pathways for Youth has developed an app, podcasts, and more to promote communication and engagement with their youth and mentors, and they need the technology upgrades to continue to provide consistent and reliable resources and support to their community.