Youth Grantmakers Spark Systemic Change with $15,000 in Community Investments and Countywide Policy Engagemen
May 6, 2025
What happens when young people are invited not just to participate, but to lead? The Snow-Redfern Foundation is proud to announce the second round of awards through the Box Butte County Youth Grantmaking Project—a bold experiment in participatory philanthropy that centers youth wisdom and community-rooted decision-making.
This year, the impact didn’t stop at grant awards. From influencing county policy to being recognized at the state level, these youth are showing what becomes possible when communities take young people seriously as civic actors, knowledge holders, and relational stewards of change.
After launching the inaugural Youth Grantmaking Workshop in December 2024, the same group of middle and high school students from Alliance and Hemingford reconvened in April for a second funding round. Following an in-depth review of community data and robust dialogue about local needs, the youth awarded three $5,000 grants—totaling an additional $15,000—to the following projects:
- Alliance Little Food Pantry (Box Butte County 4-H): Supporting youth and family food security through a community-driven initiative.
- Inspiring Youth Connections (Alliance Recreation Center): Strengthening mental health, leadership, and peer connection programming.
- Hemingford Playground Project (Village of Hemingford): Enhancing public spaces to create more youth-friendly, inclusive environments.
“These young leaders continue to demonstrate maturity, empathy, and critical thinking,” said Sara Wilcox, Executive Director of the Snow-Redfern Foundation. “Their ability to synthesize data, ask courageous questions, and collaboratively identify priorities offers a compelling model of youth leadership in action.”
This goes beyond traditional ideas of charity or even typical youth engagement. It reflects a growing movement in philanthropy—one that gently shifts the center of gravity. Rather than decisions being made at a distance, this approach honors the insights of those most connected to the realities we hope to transform. It’s participatory philanthropy: grounded in trust, shaped by relationships, and guided by lived experience.
And the impact is already expanding beyond the grantmaking process itself.
Because of the depth and care these young people brought to the work, the Box Butte County Commissioners invited them to contribute recommendations for the upcoming Box Butte County Comprehensive Plan. In response, the youth reconvened to analyze community survey data, the recent Teen Opportunity Survey, and insights facilitated by the Panhandle Public Health District. Their initial recommendations include a new youth-led survey that invites peers across the county to rank and prioritize the activity areas identified during the grantmaking process. This collaborative process will culminate in a formal presentation to county officials, supported by Hannah Robinson (Executive Director, Box Butte Development Corporation) and Megan Barhafer (Community Health Planner, Panhandle Public Health District).
In recognition of this relational and systemic impact, the Box Butte County Youth Grantmakers are being honored with the Voices for Children Outstanding Youth Serving Organization Award and will be celebrated at the organization’s statewide fall conference.
“These students aren’t just learning about community development—they’re actively shaping it,” said Jessica Davies, Director of Panhandle Public Health District, “They’re showing us what meaningful youth engagement looks like.”
What began as a youth workshop has grown into something much deeper: a living model of participatory change led by those whose lives are most directly shaped by local systems. The Box Butte County Youth Grantmakers are not just investing in community projects—they are shaping policy, influencing county planning, and modeling a way forward for philanthropy that centers relationships, equity, and co-creation.
The Snow-Redfern Foundation, alongside community partners, is committed to expanding this model across Nebraska—inviting more young people into roles of leadership, imagination, and care. Because when youth voices are heard not as a token, but as a compass, entire systems begin to shift.
About the Snow-Redfern Foundation
Born from the legacy of the Nebraska Boys Ranch, the Snow-Redfern Foundation carries forward a spirit of care, courage, and transformation. Today, the foundation is dedicated to empowering youth, inspiring changemakers, and energizing partnerships for impact across Nebraska. Guided by a vision where young people thrive within inclusive communities and participatory systems of care, Snow-Redfern supports initiatives that center youth voices, nurture leadership, and co-create conditions for systemic well-being. From seed grants to strategic collaborations, the foundation acts as a relational catalyst—amplifying what’s already alive and possible in our communities. Learn more at www.snowredfern.org.