The Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Youth Grants program, in partnership with The Hershey Company and Hershey’s Heartwarming Project, is aimed at empowering young changemakers aged 5 to 25 in the U.S. and Canada. The grants are designed to support projects that encourage youth involvement in service, advocacy, philanthropy, and community engagement during Youth Service Month (April 11-May 11, 2025). These grants specifically support youth-designed and youth-led projects that engage a significant number of their peers in volunteer opportunities, fostering social awareness, relationship-building, and community connections.

Youth applicants can apply for one of two funding levels: $250 or $500. The grant amount depends on the number of youth participants involved in the project. For a $250 grant, applicants are required to engage at least 25 youth volunteers, while the $500 grant requires at least 50 volunteers. A total of $50,000 in grants will be distributed, with the intention of funding projects that address a variety of issues or community needs that resonate with the youth participants.

Proposed projects must take place within the applicants' local communities and be focused on youth engagement, particularly involving youth from diverse and underrepresented social backgrounds. The projects must also incorporate opportunities for youth to build meaningful connections with peers, caring adults, and community partners. Although the projects can focus on any social issue or community need, they must aim to foster inclusivity and social awareness, especially by engaging marginalized groups such as youth of color, low-income youth, youth with disabilities, and others from historically underserved communities.

Eligible applicants must design projects that engage youth not only as volunteers, but also as planners and leaders in the execution and recognition of the project. Additionally, these projects must align with the time frame of Youth Service Month, with an emphasis on activities around Global Youth Service Day (April 25-27, 2025). Successful applications will ideally include partnerships with community organizations that focus on the issue addressed by the project and will emphasize the creation of long-lasting relationships between participants and the community.

Applicants are required to submit a post-project impact report by Sunday, June 15, 2025. Additionally, they will need to attend an orientation session scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Notification of funding decisions will be made by late March 2025. If applicants have any questions, they can consult the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section or contact the youth grant administrator, Katie Reusch, at kreusch@ysa.org.