2026 Mini Grant Application – Youth Creating Change

The Youth Creating Change Program is excited to open applications for the 2025-26 school year mini grant program. The mini grant program facilitates participation in the organization’s annual film contest, Directing Change, and engages youth to learn about suicide prevention, mental health, substance use, and other critical health and social justice topics by creating short films that are used to support awareness, education, and advocacy efforts across the state, in their communities, and on their campuses. This free and evaluated curriculum has been implemented in California schools since 2012. Youth have a chance to win cash prizes and participate in an award ceremony.

Eligible Organizations: Middle school, high school, and college classes as well as organizations and youth clubs. Participating youth should be ages 12-25 or in grades 6-12. Public, private, and charter schools and districts are all eligible to apply.

Mini Grant Funding: Up to $1,500 (higher funding may be available for rural communities)

Requirements:

Facilitate participation of at least one classroom, club, or group in the Directing Change program during the 2025-26 school year, resulting in a minimum of 5 youth-created film submissions to the annual suicide prevention and mental health film contest (submission deadline March 1, 2026). In addition, youth are encouraged, but not required, to also submit to monthly art contests.
Teach at least one Directing Change lesson on mental health or suicide prevention to youth. This requirement can be met by inviting a Directing Change team member to present a lesson plan virtually. Lessons plans are available for free download on the Directing Change website.
Plan and implement an awareness event on campus or virtually which includes screening of the youth-produced films to peers and/or parents by May 2026.
Complete surveys about participation.
Submit a final report documenting mini grant activities by June 1, 2026.

Interested? Please fill out this form by October 10, 2025.

The following information should be filled out by the lead person for the mini grant.

School Name*

District Name*

If not applicable, put N/A

County*

Mini Grant Adult Advisor Name*

First & Last

Mini Grant Adult Advisor Role*

E.g., 10th grade English teacher, school counselor, film teacher

Mini Grant Adult Advisor Email*

Mini Grant Adult Advisor Phone

Which classroom/group would be participating?*

e.g., Film Production, 9th grade English, ASB Leadership

What grades would be participating?*

Please estimate how many youth will participate in this project*

An estimate is fine – doesn’t need to be exact!

Name of school or organization that check will be made out to:*

Mailing address (for check)*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Please share a few sentences about why you think your class/group should receive this mini grant.*

Mental Health/Suicide Prevention Event*

Please share what kind of event(s) you would implement if you received this grant.

Do you want to be considered for the rural mini grant cohort?

Your school or organization must be within a rural county or rural community to be eligible.

Upload Your W-9 Form*

Download a blank W-9 form here (we only need the first page): irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf
We recommend having an organization or school fill this out, rather than submitting a personal W-9.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 1 GB.

How did you find out about this mini grant opportunity?*

Questions?

Email Devin@youthcreatingchange.org or call: 858-324-4846