The Maryland Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 2008 to provide young people a voice in policy making. MYAC influences legislation, spreads public awareness and serves as a liaison between youth and policymakers.
For FY 2026, the Council was allocated funding from the Maryland Children's Cabinet to provide grants to youth-led organizations and projects across the state. Grants are provided to organizations that have strong alignment with MYAC's legislative and entities that demonstrate commitment to ending child poverty and increasing economic mobility for young people
Additional information about the application can be found through the Governor's Office For children's website.
Application Requirements:
- Organization/project is youth-led and adult-supported
- Projects and proposals whose investments and services focus in communities where more than 20% of children are living in poverty, and
- Project proposals with strong alignment with one or more of the Council's legislative focus areas including:
Priority #1 Education and Resource Equity
- Access to Learning Opportunities
- Equity in the Quality of Educational Facilities
- Expansion of Staff and Student Education on AI and Developing Technology
Priority #2 Mental Health, Services, and Support
- Opioid Prevention and Awareness
- Increasing Mental Health Resources
- Mentorship Development
Priority #3 Safe School and Community Spaces
- Reducing School and Community Violence
- Developing Third Spaces for Students
Priority #4 Social Justice
- Equitable Access to resources for marginalized communities
- Restorative Justice Practices Towards Conflict Resolution
- Introducing and Increasing Youth Civic Engagement Requested funds are no more than $1,000
Completed application submission includes: Application form, budget template, program narrative, and W-9 form for the organization.
APPLICATION TIMELINE & REVIEW PROCESS:
- December 8, - January 29, 2026 | 12:00 pm - 11:59 pm | Applications Open & Announcements
- January 5 at 7:00 pm, and January 24 at 7:00 pm | Application Info Session (optional)
- January 29, 2026 | All Applications Due
- February 14, 2026 | MYAC Selects Finalist From Committee Recommendations
- March 14, 2026 | Finalist Presentations (virtually or in-person)
- March 28 - September 30th 2026 | Project Commencement and Implementation
Reports & Requirements
- September 30, 2026 | End-of-project reporting due
- Winter 2026 | Awardees Present Progress to MYAC (virtual or in-person) For questions, applicants may email the Council's Advisor, Mysiki Valentine, mysiki.valentine@maryland.gov