Having taken eye-opening tours of Coatesville area nonprofits and put their ears to the ground in hopes of hearing the rumblings of new areas of need in the community, 13 teenagers stand ready to receive proposals for the $15,000 in grant money they will award to the most impactful local public safety and wellbeing initiatives.

“Putting dollars into their hands and letting them figure out what to do with it, as opposed to just a hypothetical classroom exercise, is brilliant,” said Jeff March, president and CEO of Citadel, which donated $100,000 to the Brandywine Health Foundation for five years of the new Coatesville Area Youth Philanthropy Program.

Following a review of applications and site visits by the youth this spring, each of the several grant recipients will receive between $1,000 and $5,000 to implement their vision for a healthier community and an enhanced public perception of Coatesville.

“It’s a huge responsibility. A lot of time, energy, thinking and collaboration has gone into this, and I love the idea of pushing myself and seeing what I and everyone else is capable of doing for the Coatesville community,” participant Maurissa Willett said.

Grant applications are available online or by calling 610-380-9080 and will be accepted through 5 p.m. on March 16.

“As youth philanthropists, I think we are able to see different needs and bring fresh ideas to the community,” student Casey Hammond said.

View or download an application from the Brandywine Health Foundation here.