"Step Into Your Future The BRIGHTmoor Way" Mini-Grants
We are the Wellspring Teen Council. While seeking to learn and develop new leadership skills, we are stepping up to serve our community through the process of Teen Philanthropy. Our desire is to uplift our community. Our Mission Statement is "To increase hope, opportunity and love in the community we live in".
Thanks to the generosity of the Fisher Foundation, this is the sixth regranting opportunity we are offering to the Brightmoor Community.
The Teen Council chose the theme "Step Into Your Future the BRIGHTmoor Way" for 2026. This year, we are focused on helping our neighborhood young people build the skills, confidence, and support needed for success. We believe every young person deserves opportunities for growth, guidance, and a strong foundation for the future. Through this mini-grant opportunity, we hope to invest in programs that prepare youth to thrive in school, the workplace, and in their next steps ahead. Below are these year’s focus areas.
*Life Skills Development
While providing a general education, society invests very little time in preparing youth with the skills and experiences needed to establish themselves as independent. As our society becomes more technological and complex, basic life skills are still needed to help young people navigate adulthood.
Life skills can include social-emotional skills, communication, teamwork, cultural awareness, goal setting, problem solving, and conflict resolution. It can also include practical skills such as budgeting, financial literacy, time management, cooking, personal health care, job readiness, public speaking, and emergency skills.
We especially encourage programs in financial literacy as an extension of life skills focus areas. Current economic challenges have increased financial pressures for many Brightmoor residents. Financial literacy can help equip individuals with the skills needed to manage money more effectively. Topics may include savings and checking accounts, managing credit and debt, budgeting, money management, cutting costs, recognizing financial scams, understanding credit scores, taxes, loans, and basic investing. Target audience: Ages 12-21
*Mental Health & Community Wellness:
Many Brightmoor residents, whether young or old, are stretched in their ability to cope. Trauma, fear, grief, anxiety, depression, stress, isolation, and addictions are everyday challenges for many individuals and families.
Non-mental health centered groups are encouraged to provide awareness and supportive mental health education in areas such as identifying healthy versus unhealthy behaviors, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, coping and resiliency skills, and stress management. This grant allows for the provision of education, awareness, and supportive group or individual activities that promote positive mental health. Activities could include but not limited to proper nutrition, movement, music, and other wellness-based activities.
This category also includes community beautification efforts such as blight and litter cleanup, recognizing that clean, safe, and cared-for environments contribute to emotional well-being and community pride.
Activities should be in-person and directed at members of the Brightmoor community ages 12 and up. Group support should involve at least 4 individuals.
This category allows for education and support only and does NOT fund counseling services.
*Improving Educational Quality:
Neighborhood schools face a variety of significant challenges in providing quality education to the children of the Brightmoor area. Beyond core academics, access and exposure to strong enrichment activities and supportive education plays a critical role in helping young people discover who they are, what they are good at, and what their future possibilities can be.
Grantees are encouraged to provide youth with experiences that strengthen learning, spark curiosity, and support exploration of interests and passions. Quality educational experiences may include tutoring, book clubs, academic games, learning fairs, American Sign Language (ASL) or foreign language classes, and cultural or educational field trips. These opportunities help youth build confidence, expand their understanding of the world, and better recognize their strengths.
Access to quality education also supports Career Exploration and Next Step Preparation. Many teens and young adults may feel uncertain about what comes after high school and need guidance to navigate their future. They may wish to explore questions such as, what careers align with their interests and strengths? And what pathways—college, trades, military, or workforce. Strong educational support also includes practical Readiness Skills such as resume writing, interviewing, job and college searches, and networking. Ultimately, quality education is not only about academics, but about helping young people understand themselves, explore their purpose, and confidently take their next steps in life. Target audience: Ages 5–19.