The Youth Organizing and Culture Change Fund (YOCCF) today announced its inaugural cohort of ten New York City-based youth-led and youth-serving organizations that will receive support to advance their work and build community at the intersection of organizing, arts, culture, and systemic social transformation. With catalytic funding provided by the Ford Foundation and Emily Davie and Joseph S. Kornfeld Foundation, YOCCF will offer invited organizations capacity building support, leadership development opportunities, and community-building efforts with artists, cultural producers, and philanthropic partners. Through the two-year pilot program, YOCCF participants will learn, develop, and test cultural and organizing strategies that lead to systemic, transformative societal change in communities across the city.
“Despite the central role of youth organizing and cultural strategies in creating and accelerating systemic change, philanthropy has historically underfunded and overlooked these efforts,”said Nyoka Acevedo, Coordinator for YOCCF. “Whether it’s leading the front line of a march or pioneering innovative ways to amplify social justice issues on social media platforms, young people are the vanguard of creating the cultural changes needed in order for the citizens of our city to thrive. Youth organizers are worthy of the investment needed to continue to blaze a path forward that is equitable and just for all.”
”The Ford Foundation and Kornfeld Foundation have created an onramp for funders to meaningfully invest in youth organizing by supporting their ability to harness arts and cultural power. All inequality and unjust policies start in the realm of culture, said Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation.
The ElevenThirtySix team provided comprehensive brand and visual identity development, website design and development, and digital strategy in support of the YOCCF launch.
Learn more at yoccf.org.