Creative Youth Development Organizations in this Challenging Time

Käthe Swaback, Program Officer

Creative Youth Development | YouthReach

Their concerns, needs, and wisdom

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is who we are and what we do. We don’t plan on changing…but we don’t know what to expect if we refuse to change.” – YouthReach grant recipient

In Winter 2025, Mass Cultural Council reached out to the 85 Creative Youth Development (CYD) organizations receiving YouthReach grants to explain changes in the next funding cycle. For the 26 organizations that contacted us for follow-up, we utilized this time to ask three questions:

1. What is at the top of your mind for your work, given current events?
2. What resources, trainings, and/or connections do you wish you had (including care for staff and yourself)?
3. What are the effective practices/resources that have helped your staff?

In addition to these conversations with our grant recipients, we also asked these same questions as part of our larger convenings with the field.

Through our partnership with EdVestors, The Youth Arts Impact Network met virtually in March with Creative Youth Development programs across Massachusetts to address concerns from organizations and teaching artists, particularly focusing on the health and well-being of organizations and young people.

Significant concerns and proactive responses emerged within the discussions largely due to changes in federal policies and funding. Organizations grappled with a lack of understanding of government functions and protections, questioned the reliability of information, and felt “on edge” due to rapid changes.

Many reported the increased need for mental health, legal resources, and contingency plans to help prepare staff for ICE raids and funding cuts. Organizations expressed a need for networking and wellness support for both staff and youth. Beyond measures to continue their work with youth, participants also discussed how to lead and take a stand in adhering to the core values of their organization.

They voiced concerns for:

1.  Immigrant communities, particularly supporting them with resources as they navigate immigration mandates and enforcements such as, legal resources, training on immigrant rights (like “Know Your Rights“), and preparedness for potential ICE raids at workplaces and within communities. The fear within immigrant communities affects their daily lives and participation in programs.
2. Funding, particularly the loss of federal funding, including the recently announced cancellation of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants, and the anticipated impact on state and local funding sources. The NEA’s cancelled grants and shift away from diversity, equity, and inclusion language in their guidelines is challenging for organizations who work with diverse populations and youth. This funding uncertainty is leading to considerations of program reductions and increased efforts to seek support from private foundations and donors.
3. Core values, such as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA) are deeply important to CYD work, and organizations feel targeted by the current political climate. They are struggling with how to continue their DEIA work and messaging while navigating potential funding restrictions and increased scrutiny. Many are seeking guidance and examples of how to address DEIA when the current administration is seeking to end funding for programming in the government and private sector, including nonprofits.
4. Mental health and well-being of staff and youth are paramount, with a focus on self-care, creating safe spaces, and helping young people process their emotions. Organizations are observing increased stress, anxiety, and trauma related to current events and are actively seeking mental health resources, training for staff, and strategies to create safe and supportive spaces. Self-care for staff is recognized as essential.

They expressed needs for:

1. Sharing resources and up-to-date reliable information.
2. Legal clarity/pro-bono help, especially concerning immigration cases and understanding immigration-related issues.
3. Courageous public statement examples from funders and nonprofits who wrestle with issues of compliance and staying true to their mission.
4. Increased donor engagement and support of crisis funding.
5. Trainings offering wellness supports, mental health resources, advocacy, and ways to navigate difficult conversations while working with diverse populations.

What they found helpful:

1. Funders who reach out to engage, who wish to build relationships, support opportunities to network, and are willing to strategize with organizations to better prepare for what may come.
2. Implementing effective practices to support staff, such as clear communication, offering shared listening spaces, and creating updated policies/resources to be able to better address current concerns.
3. Building ways to enhance safety, joy, connection, and health in their work environments both for staff and for the young people with whom they work. Many organizations emphasize the need to be a place of refuge and support for their communities, while also preparing for potential challenges and advocating for their values.

One organization spoke about the central and urgent importance of advocating for systemic change:

“We have never just done direct service; we tie everything to policy change. We don’t want to just serve youth, we want to equip them to advocate for their rights at the city, state, and federal level. If waitlists for mental health care are too long, if ICE is threatening their safety, we need to be the voice demanding change, proposing policies that protect our safety net or highlighting the gaps in the system.”

All discussions underscored the essential role of community, connection, and collaboration.

Organizations highly value networking with peers, sharing resources and best practices, and strategizing collectively. There is a strong desire for increased communication and support from funders as well as a recognized need for collective action and advocacy to address injustices and protect communities.

At Mass Cultural Council, we are deeply appreciative of CYD programs that support young people and offer a myriad of ways to create, connect, and catalyze change in their communities and our nation. We welcome the continued dialogue, including with our cross-sector partners, to help bolster the approach, vision, and solutions offered by our young people and organizations.

“Our approach has always been to provide our youth both the short-term relief and long-term stability… Our center is often the only place where youth feel safe to process overwhelming emotions…Our goal is to ensure youth thrive, not just survive, and to show them that their dreams are possible, even in difficult times.” – YouthReach grant recipient

Download the Detailed Report on Responses from Creative Youth Development Organizations

Creative Youth Development | YouthReach