Aspen Forum for Community Solutions
Aspen Forum for Community Solutions funds collaborative research and action to help underserved youth overcome systemic barriers in education, employment, and well-being.
Funder: Aspen Institute
Due Dates: Rolling (varies by initiative; see program site for details)
Funding Amounts: Award amounts vary by project and cohort; recent initiatives include multi-million dollar investments (e.g., $6M Community Solutions Impact Grants).
Summary: Supports collaborative, community-based efforts to empower underserved youth and expand pathways to education, employment, and well-being.
Key Information: Funding is often available only to organizations or collaboratives in the Opportunity Youth Forum network.
Description
The Aspen Forum for Community Solutions (AFCS), a program of the Aspen Institute, is dedicated to supporting collaborative, community-driven strategies that empower individuals with the least access to opportunity—especially youth ages 16–24 who are neither in school nor employed (“opportunity youth”). AFCS works through initiatives such as the Opportunity Youth Forum (OYF), Global Opportunity Youth Network, and Fresh Tracks, providing funding, technical assistance, leadership development, and learning opportunities to help communities eliminate systemic barriers and create sustainable, youth-centered pathways in education, employment, and well-being. Emphasis is placed on collaboration, community power building, and systems transformation.
