4/24/2025
The Iosco County Community Foundation (ICCF) will host Youth Advisory Council Day on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. This special 24-hour online event is dedicated to raising awareness and support for the Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC), which provides annual grant funding to youth-focused projects in their communities. The event is held in partnership with the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan (CFNEM), the lead foundation for ICCF.
Youth Advisory Councils are groups of youth ages 12-21 who engage in philanthropy through grantmaking, leadership opportunities, and community service. Through this program, young people throughout northeast Michigan are learning about the important role philanthropy plays in building strong communities. The Iosco County YAC includes members from Oscoda, Tawas Area, Hale, and Whittemore-Prescott schools.
“Our YAC program has quite a reach across all of northeast Michigan,” says CFNEM Development & Marketing Director Christine Hitch. “We have about 130 YAC members serving in 19 different schools across our nine-county service area. The impact these young people are having in their communities is incredibly positive, inspiring, and very much needed. We are thrilled to dedicate a special day to helping our YACs grow their impact even more.”
On May 6, community members are encouraged to visit ICCF’s website at iccf-online.org and donate to support the Iosco County YAC. Half of each donation will be permanently endowed to grow future grantmaking, while the other half will fund the next round of YAC grants to be awarded in early 2026.
Hitch added that the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan will match the first $1,000 donated to the Iosco County Youth Advisory Council.
“This program is truly growing the next generation of givers in our communities by connecting them to philanthropy and leadership through the grantmaking process,” said Hitch. “We have seen our former YAC members become donors, community leaders, and even trustees serving on our Foundation boards.”
Grants from the Iosco County YAC are awarded through the Iosco County Kellogg Youth Endowment Fund held at ICCF. Since the YAC program was established in Iosco County in 2001, more than $288,000 has been awarded to nonprofits supporting youth initiatives.
As a fun addition to Youth Advisory Council Day, the YAC that raises the most donations on May 6 will take home “Mac the Golden Yak” — a traveling trophy named by YAC members from across northeast Michigan. Last year, Mac was awarded to the Northeast Michigan YAC and spent the year traveling among YACs in Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Presque Isle Counties.
To support the Iosco County YAC on Youth Advisory Council Day, visit iccf-online.org on Tuesday, May 6, between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. to donate online. Donations can also be mailed to the Community Foundation office at ICCF, P.O. Box 495, Alpena, MI 49707.
Every donation — large or small — helps empower local youth to become active leaders in their communities. Visit iccf-online.org on May 6 to support the next generation of changemakers! Learn more