By Youth for Youth

By Youth For Youth (BYFY), a program run in partnership between the City of Madison, UW-Extension, and United Way of Dane County is a unique opportunity for Dane County high school youth to be impactful leaders in their community. BYFY provides the opportunity for youth to make local investment decisions to support youth-led and youth-designed programs and projects in Dane County.

BYFY members identify issues impacting youth in Dane County. They establish funding priorities, review grant proposals, and recommend funding from County and City grants. BYFY is a collaborative program supported by UW-Madison Extension, City of Madison, United Way of Dane County, Dane County Youth Commission, and the Madison Civics Club.

“BYFY is a program where youth are given the opportunity to impact their community by funding different youth programs in the area. It's a great program to be a part of and helps you understand the needs of our community along with helping others." – Past BYFY Member

“BYFY is an opportunity to work as part of team to fund youth-led social justice projects in Dane County. The program lets you gain experience in evaluating grant proposals and making funding decisions, which is a very impressive thing to have on your resume as a teen. BYFY is an incredible way to have an impact on issues you care about." – Past BYFY Member

By Youth For Youth 2026/2027 Youth Cohort applications will open at the start of the school year in Fall 2026. If you are interested in applying please complete this application

If you are interested in submitting a grant for 2026/2027, please check back in late September 2026.