How to Build a Youth Mentoring Program Grant with GrantCraft

The Case for Youth Mentoring Grants

Youth mentoring is one of the most well-researched and broadly funded areas in the nonprofit sector. Programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters, MENTOR, and countless local organizations have produced decades of evidence showing that structured mentoring relationships improve academic outcomes, reduce risky behaviors, and build social-emotional skills. For funders, this evidence base makes mentoring an attractive investment. For grant writers, it means you have a wealth of research to draw from when building your proposal.

But strong evidence alone does not win grants. Your proposal needs to demonstrate that your specific program is well-designed, your organization has the capacity to implement it, and your outcomes measurement plan will capture the impact. The GrantCraft Proposal Builder walks you through each of these elements in a structured sequence that ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Defining the Need for Youth Mentoring in Your Community

Your need statement should establish why mentoring is critical in the specific community you serve. Start with local data on the challenges facing young people in your area:

• Academic indicators: Graduation rates, reading and math proficiency levels, chronic absenteeism rates, and college enrollment statistics.
• Behavioral indicators: Juvenile justice involvement, substance use rates, and suspension or expulsion data.
• Social-emotional indicators: Youth mental health data, reports of social isolation, or surveys measuring sense of belonging.
• Demographic context: Poverty rates, single-parent household percentages, foster care involvement, or the presence of other risk factors in your target population.

Layer these data points to paint a complete picture. A community where 40% of children live in poverty, the high school graduation rate is 15 points below the state average, and there are no existing mentoring programs presents a clear and compelling case for intervention. For detailed guidance on structuring your need statement, see our resource on defining the grant problem and need statement.

Designing an Evidence-Based Mentoring Model

Funders want to know that your program model is grounded in evidence, not just good intentions. Reference established mentoring frameworks when designing your program:

Program Structure

Define whether your program uses a one-to-one model, group mentoring, peer mentoring, or a hybrid approach. Specify the frequency and duration of mentoring sessions, the expected length of the mentoring relationship, and the settings where mentoring takes place (school-based, community-based, workplace-based, or virtual).

Mentor Recruitment and Screening

Describe your process for recruiting mentors, including outreach strategies, eligibility criteria, background check procedures, and the training mentors receive before being matched with youth. Reference the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring published by MENTOR, which is the nationally recognized standard for quality mentoring programs.

Matching and Support

Explain how you match mentors with mentees based on shared interests, goals, geographic proximity, or demographic factors. Describe the ongoing support you provide to matches, including regular check-ins with program staff, mentor support groups, and intervention protocols for matches that are struggling.

Writing SMART Objectives for Mentoring Outcomes

Your objectives should reflect both program implementation targets and participant outcomes. Use the SMART framework to make each objective specific and measurable. For comprehensive guidance on this framework, see our guide on SMART objectives and specific aims in grant writing.

Example implementation objectives:

• Recruit and train 50 volunteer mentors within the first six months of the program.
• Match 45 youth with trained mentors within eight months, with a target match retention rate of 80% through the full 12-month program period.
• Deliver a minimum of 36 one-hour mentoring sessions per match over the 12-month program period.

Example participant outcomes:

• 75% of mentored youth will demonstrate improved school attendance, defined as a 10% or greater reduction in absences compared to the prior school year.
• 80% of mentored youth will report increased confidence in academic abilities as measured by pre- and post-program surveys.
• 70% of mentored youth in grades 9-12 will be on track for graduation at the end of the program year.

Building a Logic Model for Your Mentoring Program

A logic model visually maps the connection between your resources, activities, and outcomes. For a mentoring program, your logic model might include:

• Inputs: Funding, staff, volunteers, training materials, meeting spaces, evaluation tools.
• Activities: Mentor recruitment, screening, training, matching, ongoing support, enrichment activities, and data collection.
• Outputs: Number of mentors trained, matches made, sessions held, and enrichment events completed.
• Short-term outcomes: Improved school attendance, increased self-reported confidence, stronger adult relationships.
• Long-term outcomes: Higher graduation rates, reduced involvement in the juvenile justice system, improved college and career readiness.

Our detailed guide on logic models and theories of change provides a step-by-step walkthrough for building this framework.

Budgeting for a Mentoring Program

Youth mentoring budgets typically include personnel costs for a program coordinator and support staff, mentor training materials and background check fees, liability insurance, activity supplies for mentoring sessions, transportation support, data collection and evaluation costs, and administrative overhead. Use the GrantCraft Proposal Builder to structure your budget with clear justifications that connect every expense to your program activities.

Start Building Your Mentoring Grant

Youth mentoring is a fundable, evidence-based strategy that appeals to government agencies, foundations, and corporate funders alike. With the GrantCraft Proposal Builder, you can develop a comprehensive proposal that demonstrates both the heart and the rigor that funders require. Use the grant templates for a head start, and review the submission checklist before you finalize your application.

Learn more about grant writing strategies at Subthesis.

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