Aspen Forum for Community Solutions
Aspen Institute's AFCS supports research-driven, community collaborations to reconnect opportunity youth (16–24) with education and employment, emphasizing youth leadership and systemic change.
Funder: Aspen Institute
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2027 (application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Typically $50M+ regranted to date; individual award amounts and duration vary by initiative and partner.
Summary: Supports collaborative, community-driven initiatives to empower opportunity youth (ages 16–24) and dismantle systemic barriers to education and employment.
Description
The Aspen Forum for Community Solutions (AFCS) champions collaborative, place-based solutions that empower young people—especially those disconnected from education and employment, known as "opportunity youth" (ages 16–24). Through its flagship Opportunity Youth Forum (OYF) and related initiatives, AFCS partners with over 40 urban, rural, and tribal communities to reconnect youth to educational and economic pathways, promote youth leadership, and drive systems transformation. The program advances frameworks such as Belonging, Meaning, Wellbeing & Purpose (BMWP), supports youth-led action, and catalyzes policy and practice change to ensure sustainable impact for historically marginalized youth.
