WORCESTER — A Worcester-based organization focused on student activism and public higher education is among ten youth-led groups receiving funding from the Peace Development Fund (PDF), the nonprofit announced this week.
PHENOM, the Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts, was awarded a grant through PDF’s Braiding New Worlds Fund, part of a $30,000 allocation shared among ten organizations nationwide. The initiative supports youth-led groups tackling urgent issues ranging from racial justice to climate change.
The fund is notable not only for its focus on youth organizing, but also for its structure: both the grantees and the grantmaking committee are composed of young people, aged 18 to 25. According to PDF’s announcement, this participatory model is designed to ensure that resources reach organizations creating innovative, peer-driven change.
“Traditional funding models often overlook the unique needs and innovative solutions developed by young people,” said Jessa McCormack, PDF program manager, in the announcement. “The Braiding New Worlds Fund, guided by the expertise of our youth committee, directly addresses this gap.”
PHENOM, which organizes students across Massachusetts, focuses on affordability, accessibility, and quality in public higher education. Its programs offer a leadership pipeline for young people to engage through fellowships, campus chapters, and board-level positions.
“We intentionally work to create a leadership pipeline for students,” said PHENOM Executive Director Henry Morgan in the release. “Empowering youth to advocate for themselves and those around them not only develops the power of our movement but also ensures that there is a steady stream of skilled movement leaders graduating college and fighting for change.”
The Peace Development Fund also awarded an additional $170,000 through other funding streams, including the Western Massachusetts Transformation Fund and the Seeding the Movement Fund, with recipients in the U.S., Mexico, and Haiti. The organization received 284 applications this year—its largest applicant pool to date.
Other grantees of the Braiding New Worlds Fund include groups based in New York, California, Nevada, Florida, and internationally in Haiti and Mexico.
PDF, based in Amherst, works to build the capacity of grassroots organizations advancing human rights and social justice through funding, training, and strategic support.
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