This year’s Give Next group at PCA shifted from a traditional classroom setting to a student-led lunchtime club model. While the shift brought some uncertainty, it ultimately deepened students’ engagement with the program’s core goals of connecting with their peers and community and developing a deeper understanding of complex social issues.

The lunch club launched with four young men – an uncommon starting point for a Give Next cohort and one that echoes broader patterns in the nonprofit sector where men remain historically underrepresented. According to 2024 data from nonprofit reporting entity Candid, men make up approximately 31% of the nonprofit workforce, compared to 69% women.

Against that backdrop, and in a setting where students could have easily spent their lunch periods elsewhere, the group quickly grew through peer connection and word of mouth. 

But would students voluntarily give up their lunch periods every week? Would they stay engaged when the work became challenging and miss out on other activities?

According to Give Next teacher Melinda Phipps, the answer was clear: “Yes! Absolutely and decidedly, yes!”

In many ways, Give Next became a space where a group of young men showed up consistently, built trust with one another, and explored community issues and the responsibility that comes with grantmaking.

“The crew grew by one or two students for three consecutive weeks, expanding both the depth of expertise in the group and the diversity of voices involved,” Melinda shared.

The commitment of these young men to show up each week and lead the work stood out. According to Melinda, many were new to PCA, but over time, participation in Give Next evolved into camaraderie and belonging.

Choosing Empathy

As the students explored issues facing their community through the program, the mission statement they ultimately chose focused on homelessness prevention, particularly for youth and families navigating housing instability.

When offered the chance to complete site visits and see the nonprofits serving the communities they wished to grant dollars to, PCA students made a thoughtful yet unexpected decision.

“Students expressed concern that visiting spaces serving individuals during vulnerable moments could feel dehumanizing,” Melinda explained. “Instead, they felt it was more respectful to continue learning through interviews and conversations with organizations, additional research, and the anecdotal experience of some of the students who had experienced homelessness personally.”

That decision reflected something important in their Give Next group. The students were not only learning about the complex issues and causes surrounding housing insecurity; they were also actively shaping how they would engage with the nonprofits working in this space, with their voices and insights guiding the process.

Their perspective became even more personal when one student in the program experienced temporary housing instability after a fire damaged his family’s home, deepening their understanding of the issue and their passion for funding the nonprofit organizations working to help solve it.

Learning to Listen

For Melinda and fellow educator Angie, one of the most meaningful moments came as students learned to challenge their own assumptions, a key component of the collaboration and growth that happens as youth take ownership of the grantmaking process.

“One student was fully committed to the very first organization interviewed,” Melinda shared. “However, after engaging in five additional interviews and hearing different perspectives of his Give Next crew, he surprised us all by making the case for a different organization all together.”

Throughout the program year, Melinda and Angie saw many of the students experience growth through an open-minded approach and a willingness to consider opinions outside of their own.

“What stood out most was their willingness to truly listen to one another,” Melinda reflected.

By the end of the year, students had built far more than grantmaking skills. They strengthened empathy, collaboration, and trust in one another, skills these teachers hope to see their students gain, and key components of the Give Next program.

This is what Give Next looks like in practice: students leading decisions, learning from one another, and building a deeper understanding of the issues affecting their community.

Join the Give Next Donor Community

Give Next is about more than student grantmaking. It’s about building a culture of giving, youth leadership, and inspiring young people to take action across Larimer County.

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