The Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana (YPII) is a network of over 40 organizations with the common goal of engaging youth in giving and serving. The initiative helps to grow lifelong philanthropists who give of their time, talent, and treasure for the common good. They encourage their youth participants to be aware, become educated, and be actively involved in philanthropy within their local communities. YPII does this by promoting youth philanthropy through partnerships and collaboration; supporting giving and serving among young people through training, education, and resources; and sustaining youth philanthropic efforts in ways that meet local community needs.

The YPII has several important guiding principles that makes it a stand-out youth philanthropy program. They encourage youth/adult partnerships where youth are equal players and using this as the basis of all decision-making. The YPII puts forth long-term efforts to promote and raise awareness of youth philanthropy in local and national settings. Finally, this group works to incorporate community service, fund development, civic engagement, leadership development, and character education into their youth philanthropy programs.

The YPII website contains lots of great information about the initiative and the individual programs that are part of it, as well as plenty of resources for other youth philanthropists and program facilitators.

www.ypin.org