YNAP Board Approves $45,000 in Grants to 45 Youth Projects on December 15, 2025
Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program (YNAP) Board Meeting – December 15, 2025
The YNAP board convened on December 15, 2025, to deliberate and finalize funding for 45 youth-led community projects. With a total of $45,000 available and requests totaling $85,394.68, the board used a baseline of 50% of each request and then adjusted amounts upward or downward based on presentation quality, project uniqueness, preparation, and alignment with city limits. After extensive discussion, the board approved a final allocation list totaling exactly $45,000, with specific stipulations regarding gift cards, consent forms, and language for donations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made during the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Members reviewed each of the 45 presenting groups, starting with a 50% baseline. The board discussed deviations for groups that presented exceptionally well (e.g., Roots of Liberation, Beat the Heat Baskets, Robotics Mixer) or poorly (e.g., Hearts in Harmony, Through the Eyes of the Youth). Many groups with similar missions (e.g., care packages for homeless) were considered together. The board also considered age and experience of presenters, with some members advocating for leniency toward younger or first-time applicants.
- Key considerations included whether projects were youth-led, clarity of budget, preparedness, uniqueness, and community impact. Several groups were flagged for unclear project goals, inflated budgets, or lack of volunteer duties. The board voted to reduce amounts for groups that appeared adult-led or poorly organized, and to increase funding for groups with strong presentations and innovative ideas.
- Final adjustments were made to stay within the $45,000 cap: groups originally awarded $1,600–$1,700 were reduced to $1,500, and two late groups (Robotics Mixer and Suit Up for Summer) received $1,400 each. Stipulations were attached: no gift cards (for groups like Time Flies Honoring Our Elders and Moments Music Matter), consent forms for sensitive broadcasts (Hearts and Harmony), and language change to "suggested donation" for Books for Brave Kids.
Key Outcomes
- Motion 1 (passed unanimously): Approved funding for all groups except Dancing Minds Moving Bodies, with amounts as read and stipulations. Member Mota abstained from the second motion involving her project.
- Motion 2 (passed): Approved funding for Dancing Minds Moving Bodies at $1,500, with Member Mota abstaining.
- Total grants awarded: $45,000 across 45 projects. Notable allocations include:
- Crown Care, Snuffle Love, Dancing Minds Moving Bodies, Pack of Hope, Little Libraries Big Future, Books for Brave Kids: $1,500 each.
- Roots of Liberation Healing Garden Circle: $900 (full request).
- Beat the Heat Baskets: $1,000 (full request).
- Groups receiving less than 50%: Empowerment Health Fair ($700), Heart in a Box ($600), Through the Eyes of the Youth ($700), Hearts in Harmony ($600), Heart of the Community ($600), Being a Service to Others ($600), Healing Hands ($700), Operation Teen Champion ($800), Moments Music Matter ($600), Beauty in Bold ($700), Top Enrichment CDC ($600).
- Several groups were withdrawn or did not present (Gems Gifted, Empowered, Motivated Spartans; Helping Heroes, Jackets for Joy; iA Youth Leaders Corp; Native Born Youth Group; Project 91).
Meeting Transcript
Chair Castro, agenda item number one, call to order and roll call. I call the youth neighborhood association partnership program to order. Deputy City Clerk, can you do a roll call, please? Chair Castro. Here. Vice Chair Camarillo. Here. Member Flank. Here. Member Italy. Present. Member Deville. Excuse. Member Cruz. Here. Member Burgess. Excuse Member Travino. Here. Member Lightfoot. Excuse Member Lopez de la Torre. Excuse Member Burnle. Excuse Member Borgas. Excuse member Moore. Here. Member Jones. Here. Member Hernandez. Here. Member Diaz. Here. Member Mota. Here. Thank you, Chair. You have a quorum. Announcement regarding compliance with open meeting law. Are we in compliance with open meeting law? Yes, we are. Agenda item number three, public comment. Comment during this portion of the agenda must be limited to matters on the agenda for action. If you wish to be heard, come forward and give your name for the record. The amount of discussion as well as the amount of time any single speaker speaker is allowed may be limited. Seeing that there's no one, moving on to agenda item number four presentations on the youth neighborhood association partnership program applications by presenters listed on December 1st, 4th, 8th, or 11th, 2025 agenda who are excused by the board on presenters original scheduled meeting date. Today we do not have any um white nap presenters scheduled for today. Chair Castro, moving on to agenda item number five, discussion for possible action regarding the scoring and recommended funding of the youth neighborhood association partnership program for fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Oh, this Tara Manor for the record, sorry. Good afternoon, everyone. We have reached deliberation day. So today we'll be looking back at all of the all of the presenters, and we'll be deciding on what how much funding each group will receive. We have 45,000 to award. We have 45 groups that made it this far.
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