Youth/SURF

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Davie Community Foundation focuses its unrestricted dollars on youth in several ways; one of these is by sponsoring a youth grant-making board called the S.U.R.F. (Students Understanding Real Futures) Board.

The S.U.R.F. Board is a group of high school students who raise money and award grants to youth-led projects in Davie County.  This is an opportunity for young people to learn about philanthropy; giving of their time, talents, and treasures to make life better for others. Board members learn about needs in the community, the responsibilities that go along with giving, as well as important leadership skills that will serve them well into adulthood. In 2021 S.U.R.F. granted $4,030 for three projects.

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In May and June, new board members are selected by the current board through an application and interview process.

In the summer, the S.U.R.F. Board meets for a team building retreat to get to know new members and develop a trusting relationship with each other. S.U.R.F. meets monthly following the retreat.

In the fall, S.U.R.F. gets busy planning the fundraiser that supports their grant making, the POPSICLE 5K.

In February, the grant application process for youth-led grants gets under way. Church youth groups, school clubs and organizations, and other groups who have projects serving youth, may submit their applications to request funding.

In April, S.U.R.F. makes decisions about the best use of the money they’ve raised and awards grants to successful applicants. They exercise good stewardship in the granting of funds and perform regular follow-ups to see that grants are successful.