Participants gain first-hand experience in:

• Relationship building
• Community service
• Leadership
• Social justice
• Grant-making

The after-school program teaches high school-aged young women and gender-expansive teens about leadership, philanthropy and social justice issues through experience with grantmaking in their own community. 

Participating teens work through the philanthropy process each semester, making grants of up to $5,000 to organizations that work to improve the quality of life for women and girls in Arizona. Unidas teens are inspired to serve as a powerful resource in their community. They learn about the differing perspectives of their peers while forming lasting friendships with a diverse group of young people.

What Does Unidas Do?

The Unidas cohorts meet once weekly via Zoom. This allows for accessibility and a unique chance to make connections with students from other schools in their area. The participants work together to determine a specific social justice topic for that semester’s grant focus. Unidas participants will then get to review applications, interview potential organizations, and finally choose a grantee. Meanwhile, members connect and create community with each other, practice self-care, learn about and discuss social justice topics, and gain professional development skills to support their future goals.

About the Unidas Grant

Through a community discussion, presentations and thoughtful consideration, Unidas participants prioritize an area of concern or community that they strongly feel needs to be supported. Each semester, Unidas opens up grant applications to nonprofit organizations that meet that need. Currently, grant applications are closed.