Coaching is one of the most powerful influences on a young athlete’s experience. A well-trained coach can build confidence, foster resilience, and create an environment where youth thrive—not just in sports, but in life. Yet, across the U.S., coaches remain under-supported, under-trained, and fragmented. The Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) set out to change that.

Preliminary Findings from the MCC Implementation Study
New research from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) highlights the influence of coaches trained by MCC Partners and identifies critical next steps to strengthen the youth coaching system. 

Here’s what we’ve learned:

• Coach training works. 93% of coaches agreed training had an influence on building their confidence, and 94% believe all coaches would benefit from having foundational training in youth development-related practices.
• Athletes benefit too. Coaches reported improvements in athlete enjoyment, relationships, and retention, with 71% of coaches believing that their participation in training made athletes more likely to return.
• Momentum is building. The MCC Partners have trained 730,985 coaches—on track to reach 1 million by the end of 2025.

The MCC Partners are also aligning on what it means to be a “good” coach and setting a shared standard for youth development-focused coaching. Their collective efforts are shaping the future of coaching across the country.

Take Five: Recommendations for the Youth Sport Field

Despite this progress, challenges remain. The lack of a formal coaching system, limited resources, and outdated coaching mindsets make widespread change difficult. The MCC Partners have put forward a set of recommendations that span research, practice, and policy:

• Define, operationalize, and adopt a minimum standard or framework for what it means to be a “good” coach in the United States.
• Review trainings available in the field to ensure they reflect what it means to be a “good” and “trained” coach.
• Expand access to high-quality, comprehensive training.
• Build capacity for policy implementation, professionalize coaching, and change the narrative about coaching youth sport. 
• Develop a shared research-practice agenda and prioritize systematic, shared measurement efforts to understand the coaching landscape and document coach development and effectiveness.

We’re winning beyond the game—learn more about our efforts at: MillionCoaches.org/implementation-study/.

Teen mental health is under strain from growing pressures—achievement, appearance, social expectations—many of which are amplified by technology. Young Futures’ Under Pressure Cohort is tackling these challenges head-on.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Young Futures names their Under Pressure Cohort—10 bold, solutions-driven leaders making strides in improving youth mental health and the “always on” pressures teens face growing up in a hyper-digital world. These visionary changemakers, chosen from nearly 200 applicants, are advancing solutions such as digital and AI literacy education, and peer-to-peer support groups, helping pre-teens, teens, and their caregivers reclaim their mental wellbeing and confidently navigate adolescence.

Research from our collaborators, the Harvard School of Graduate Education’s Center for Digital Thriving (CDT), published by Common Sense Media, was instrumental in shaping the Under Pressure Challenge, highlighting how digital tension may amplify the pressures, or “grinds” young people face. 81% of American teens report experiencing pressure that makes them feel bad in at least one of six domains (game plans for the future, achievement, appearance, social life, friendships, and activism). Today’s pre-teens and teens navigate relentless pressures, which may be amplified by technology and social media. This open funding call sought solutions that alleviate these pressures, spark hope, and empower teens with the agency to navigate life on and offline in a digitally saturated world.

“Our nation’s future depends on the mental and emotional wellbeing of our young people. If we fail to address the weight of digital tension and the relentless pressures they face, we risk a generation overwhelmed by stress, robbed of their potential to lead, create, and innovate,” said Young Futures Executive Director Katya Hancock. “This is not just about individual lives—it’s about the collective future of America. That’s why we are proud to support this exceptional cohort of visionaries who are tackling these challenges head-on. By equipping young people with the resilience and tools to thrive in today’s complex digital landscape, we ensure they have the foundation to build a stronger, healthier society for all of us.”

Meet the Innovators:

• Anahita Dalmia – Agents of Influence: Created during her senior year of college and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Agents of Influence offers a gamified solution to help the next generation make informed and responsible decisions in a world where misinformation and disinformation distort our reality.
• Carolyn Gan – California Partners Project: Passionate about driving lasting change, Carolyn helps caregivers support the teens in their lives with research-backed and culturally sensitive resources.
• Arielle Geismar – Design It For Us: At just 16, Arielle gained national recognition for organizing 10,000 students to protest gun violence and has since led impactful campaigns and shaped policies in technology, mental health, and youth rights. At Design It For Us, she co-leads work advocating for safer social media and online platforms for kids, teens, and young adults.
• Juliana Lozano – Despierta: Drawing from her own experiences with therapy and as a first-generation college graduate, Juliana founded Despierta to provide culturally responsive care for Latinas, particularly for immigrant and first-generation communities.
• Michael “Mike” Fauteux – GiveThx: With over two decades of experience as an educator dedicated to advancing equity, Mike applies gratitude science in this digital program to bolster student and educator wellbeing and social-emotional skills.
• Valerie Grison-Alsop – Give Us The Floor: Inspired by the cultural and identity struggles she faced growing up, Valerie combines her career expertise in media and advertising, background in science, and empathy as a mother to create research-based solutions that provide safe and accessible online peer support for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth nationwide.
• Samin Bhan – Lookupp: Nationally recognized for his work reshaping the future of social connection at the intersection of technology and research, Samin co-founded Lookupp in high school with his brother, Atiksh, offering a solution that encourages communities to “look up” from their phones and be rewarded for engaging face-to-face with those around them.
• Madeline “Maddie” Freeman – NoSo: At just 24, Maddie was named to the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, recognized for her work as founder and CEO of NoSo, a digital wellness nonprofit helping teens around the world find a healthy tech/life balance.
• Regisha “Reggie” Rijkaard – Pause 4 Peace Foundation: From giving her weekly allowance to homeless individuals as a child to establishing a reading center for underserved children in the Philippines as a teen, Reggie has committed her life to uplifting marginalized communities through education and mindfulness. As the leader of Pause 4 Peace, a global movement, she is influencing the next generation of influencers to navigate the digital world mindfully.
• Michelle Culver – Rithm Project: Having been at the forefront of human flourishing for over two decades, and with experience as an educator and leader building Teach for America’s first national program, Michelle launched the Rithm Project to empower young people to rebuild and evolve human connection in the age of AI.

Over the next five months, this cohort will join the Young Futures Academy, where they’ll receive one-on-one mentorship, participate in expert-led Masterclasses, join a unique peer community, and gain essential skills in storytelling, communications, strategic planning, fundraising, and nonprofit leadership. In addition, the cohort will come together in March for the Young Futures Innovators Retreat in Pescadero, California, to build meaningful relationships with their peers, the YF Team, and YF Faculty. This cohort will be part of the growing YF 500: A collaborative funding initiative by Young Futures introduced in the 2024 Impact Report, which will power 500 YF Innovators over the next five years—scaling impact and driving lasting systemic change for youth across America.

“We’re thrilled to welcome this incredible cohort of YF Innovators to the Young Futures Academy,” said Sierra Malia Fox-Woods, program manager at Young Futures. “Throughout the Academy, they’ll have the time and space to reflect on their work, refine their vision, and connect with an amazing and growing community of like-minded social impact leaders, knowing they’re not alone in the challenges they face as leaders dedicated to helping young people thrive.”

The journey is just beginning for this cohort, and the powerful transformations that will emerge from this dynamic group of visionaries will shape the futures of tomorrow’s leaders.

For more information about the Under Pressure Cohort and Young Futures, please visit https://www.youngfutures.org/innovators/.

About Young Futures

Young Futures (YF) is a nonprofit seeking to make the digital world an easier place to grow up. YF provides a social compass for teens and families navigating the tech-driven world by supporting emerging nonprofits working tirelessly to help young people and their families not just survive but flourish as a team when navigating the uncertainties of the digital wilderness. Young Futures is a project of the New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. Its principal sponsors include Pivotal Ventures, Susan Crown Exchange, and The Goodness Web.

Media Contact
Brooke Messaye, Young Futures, 1 (323) 240-6653, brooke@youngfutures.org | https://www.youngfutures.org/

2025 Cohort will be backed by $2.4 million in funding to shape a safer digital ecosystem

February 5, 2025 — Today, the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF) announced $2.4 million in funding to support 18 youth and intergenerationally-led organizations working to create a safer and more equitable digital ecosystem. This is RTYPF’s second year of investing in the youth-led responsible technology movement, and its newest cohort arrives at a crucial moment, bringing innovative solutions and fresh perspectives to enhance the future of online safety. 2025 grantees will use grant funding to advance work across a variety of issues, including tech accountability, youth mental health, responsible AI, and technology-based climate solutions.  

The 2025 cohort includes young advocates responsible for raising awareness of the Kids Online Safety Act and censorship of women’s health ads and information on social media platforms, and four individuals recognized by Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for their work across social media and AI. In a first, the fund is led by an intergenerational steering committee that spearheads strategic planning, grantee selection and programming decisions. RTYPF’s Young Leader Advisors (YLA) are key decision-makers, differentiating this grantmaking approach as youth-led and youth-driven. 

“As a generation raised by technology, we believe that young people are essential to building a more responsible and humane technology future,” said YLA grantee Trisha Prabhu, Founder and President of ReThink Citizens, “We have a unique perspective shaped by growing up in a digital world – and that drives our commitment to creating a better, more responsible tech ecosystem for us, our peers, and future generations.” 

“We’re proud of RTYPF’s innovative model, which empowers young people to make meaningful decisions about grantee funding and support,” said Yoelle Gulko, Director of documentary film Our Subscription to Addiction, “This inter-generational approach not only unlocks new opportunities for grantees – it helps young people become leaders in the movement for a more ethical tech landscape.”

The fund’s grantees are receiving between $50,000 and $125,000 in one-year grants, which were allocated based on capacity and funding needs. The 18 organizations joining Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund’s second cohort are:

• AI Consensus (Young Leader Advisor grantee), is a student movement working to transform education through the responsible use of AI. Their mission is anchored in empowering students and engagement across stakeholders.
• Center for Intimacy Justice (renewal grantee) is a nonprofit changing tech platforms’ discriminatory suppression of women’s health information online. They lead investigations, legal actions, and multi-pronged media and advocacy strategies to change biased tech practices that censor women’s health.
• Cyber Collective’s Internet Street Smarts program (renewal grantee) is revolutionizing digital safety education through a culturally relevant, engaging approach that speaks directly to Gen Z and historically marginalized communities. 
• Decifer Studio (new grantee) is a research and design studio leveraging creative technology and storytelling to demystify the socio-political workings and impact of technology, for and with the public.
• Design It For Us (renewal grantee) is a youth-led coalition advocating for safer online platforms and social media. They aim to drive and achieve key policy reforms to protect kids, teens, and young adults online through the mobilization of youth activists, leaders, and voices. 
• Encode (renewal grantee) is a coalition of youth activists and change makers fighting for human rights, accountability, and justice in artificial intelligence. Harnessing a global network of volunteers from all over the United States and world, they champion informed AI policy and encourage youth to confront the challenges of the age of automation through political advocacy, community organizing, educational programming, and content creation.
• Generation Patient (Young Leader Advisor grantee) represents adolescents and young adults with chronic conditions across the United States and internationally. They focus on peer support, advocacy, and access to educational information and resources as fundamental pathways to empowerment.  
• #HalfTheStory (renewal grantee) is the pioneering non-profit on a mission to empower the next generation’s relationship with technology through research, education, and advocacy. 
• Innovation For Everyone (new grantee) is building a youth-led AI ethics literacy movement by sparking nuanced conversations about AI from the classroom to the board room to equip the public, and especially youth, to think critically about the sociotechnical impacts of AI and their role in re-envisioning a more equitable and just digital world.
• The Los Altos Institution‘s (new grantee) mission is to give youth around the world the opportunity to conduct academic research, regardless of their socioeconomic status. They connect students to research professionals and fund their projects in order to help develop the thinkers of tomorrow.
• Our Subscription to Addiction (Young Leader Advisor grantee) is a documentary that captures a young filmmaker’s raw and vulnerable experience with phone addiction. After hitting rock bottom down the YouTube rabbit hole, she is determined to repair her relationship with her phone and reclaim her life by finding her voice in a growing youth-led digital well-being movement.
• Paragon Policy Fellowship (new grantee) provides college students with real policy experience while building tech capacity for state and local governments.
• People’s Public Lab (new grantee) is bridging the gap between research and community through their community-led projects that empower and amplify people who have faced historical and systematic oppression, displacement and other forms of social injustice.
• ReThink Citizens (Young Leader Advisor grantee) leads with a mission to tackle cyberbullying and foster digital literacy by equipping all youth with the tools and education they need to safely take on today’s digital world.
• Rooted Futured Lab’s (new grantee) mission is to address the systemic neglect and exclusion of environmental justice in technology development and application.
• Seek Common Ground (Young Leader Advisor grantee) and its Student Action Network for Equity supports student organizers advancing democracy, racial justice, and education equity. 
• trubel&co (pronounced “trouble and co”) (new grantee) is a tech-justice nonprofit that recruits, trains, and mobilizes the next generation to tackle social and environmental challenges using data, design, and technology.
• Young People’s Alliance Education Fund (renewal grantee) empowers young people through student-led organizing and advocacy. Their student advocates work at colleges across North Carolina, state legislatures, and on Capitol Hill to amplify youth voices.

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About the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF): The Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund is a first-of-its-kind philanthropic initiative aimed at supporting youth and intergenerationally led organizations shaping the responsible technology movement. The Fund, now in its second year, has raised over $4.5 million to support 501(c)3 eligible public charities, with award amounts ranging from $50,000 to $125,000, depending on the organization’s stage and funding needs. Learn more about the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund and the 2025 cohort at: www.rtyouthpower.org.

The organizations partnering to invest in the fund are Omidyar Network, Hopelab, Susan Crown Exchange, The Archewell Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, The Carmel Hill Fund, Enlight Foundation, AI Collaborative, Oak Foundation, Pinterest, Pivotal, and Reynolds Lookup Fund. 

CONTACT: rtyouthpowerfund@evergreenstrategygroup.com 

Each year, our staff and board nominate several organizations to receive Catalyst Awards: one-time contributions made as part of our year-end giving. These organizations typically work on issues beyond our primary program areas. What unites them is their distinct and promising approaches to chronic social problems.

In a year marked with profound challenges, the work of these 22 organizations feels urgent and critical. We’re proud to support their exemplary work.

Arts and Culture

Fred Rogers Productions: Fred Rogers Productions (FRP) builds on the legacy of Fred Rogers by creating quality children’s media that models an enthusiasm for learning and earns the trust of parents and caregivers. Since 2012, FRP has launched six new series on PBS KIDS that promote social-emotional learning and build excitement about STEM. These programs reach a monthly broadcast audience of more than 5 million viewers and include more than 80 million videos on streaming platforms. They’ve inspired educational games and apps, summer camps, and resources for parents and preschool teachers.

Community and Economic Development

Ladder Up: Ladder Up is a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides low-income, underserved  communities with free financial services that help address many of the systemic inequities that can hold people back from realizing economic stability. Services include Tax Assistance Program, Legal Tax Clinic Help, and Financial Aid for College, and Financial Literacy. During 2023, Ladder Up served over 27,000 individuals and their families with an economic impact of $45.5 million dollars to the communities it serves.

Pullman Tech: Workers skilled in the rehabilitation of historic buildings are in short supply in Chicago and across the nation. Many systemic barriers to accessing trades training programs still exist, including accessibility to a diverse and under-represented audience. Pullman Tech Workshop (PTW) is a nonprofit social enterprise formed by local area residents with a passion for preservation, education, and community revitalization to address these needs. With programming like the preservation literacy initiative, transitional employment, and porch build program, PTW hopes to fill this specialized gap in the construction industry through work-based education and community revitalization.

Working Credit: Working Credit is a nonprofit organization that partners with individuals and communities to interrupt the effects of structural racism by providing credit building education, one-on-one counseling, and access to the products people need to thrive financially. The programs help participants to achieve and sustain the prime credit score and establish a safety net of at least $1,000 in available credit for emergencies. In 2023, Working Credit worked with 48 employers and other systems-level partners to impact the lives of over 3,000 people through workshops and counseling.

Education

3G Workshop: The 3G Mentoring Program is an ongoing experiment in building intergenerational connections, created by members of the Sesame Workshop Alumni Network. Experienced adults, high-school and college students, and preschool children engage in joyous, meaningful experiences that create bonds, develop skills, and expand perspectives. The program is powered by joyous Sesame Street videos whose rich content sparks discussions that speak to all three generations.

YouthTruth: YouthTruth harnesses student perceptions to help K12 school leaders, school system leaders, and foundation leaders accelerate improvements so all students can learn and thrive. Through its research-based surveys, wraparound support, and tailored advisory services, it partners with schools, districts, states, and funders to enhance learning for all students. YouthTruth has surveyed nearly 3 million students and 750,000 school staff and families across 39 states.

Environment

Gardeneers: Gardeneers works with Chicago’s South- and Westside schools and communities to contribute positively to the larger food system. It does this by supporting youth in its school garden and farm programs to build their own knowledge, skills, and habits to become leaders who care for themselves, their environment, and their communities. The organization supports 19 schools and a community of 200+ volunteers.

Glass Half Full: Glass Half Full recycles glass “waste” into sand and gravel for coastal projects, disaster relief and prevention, construction, new glass products, and more. Before Glass Half Full was created in 2020, there were no glass recycling facilities in New Orleans. The organization offers free drop-off hubs across the city and converts glass into sustainable sand and gravel. The organization has processed over seven million pounds of glass which is used for coastal restoration and disaster relief and integrated into new glass products.

Health and Human Services

Centro Sanar: Centro Sanar’s mission is to accompany adults and families in their journey to heal and thrive by providing high quality mental health support to community members on Chicago’s southwest side. Founded in 2020, Centro Sanar has served nearly 1,000 clients through mental health, case management, community organizing activities, research initiatives and consultation services.

Dollar For: Medical debt is the top cause of bankruptcy in America. Dollar For works to reduce medical bills by helping patients navigate hospital financial assistance programs. The organization empowers patients and advocates on their behalf by helping clients understand if they qualify for charity care, preparing applications, and working with hospitals to secure debt relief. 188 million Americans are living on the edge of poverty. Medical debt pushes people into poverty more than anything else. Every $1 donated results in $25 in debt relief for a patient in need.

Inseparable: Inseparable envisions a world where mental health is treated as a critical and equal piece of overall health, and where systems are designed with their impact on mental health in mind. Inseparable utilizes a campaign-style approach that results in fast and meaningful progress. The approach effectively deploys the following strategic approaches: Run Campaigns, Release Reports, Champion Lawmakers,  Build Hope, Empower Activists, and Shape Narratives. 

Night Ministry: The Night Ministry is a Chicago-based organization whose mission is to provide human connection, housing support, and health care to members of our community who are unhoused or experiencing poverty. In 2023, The Night Ministry served more than 5,100 individuals who were unhoused or experiencing poverty. Nearly 1/3 of Chicago’s unhoused young people were provided housing. 

Share Our Spare: Share Our Spare seeks to disrupt cycles of generational poverty by collecting new and gently used essentials for children ages 0-5 including diapers, wipes, baby care items, baby gear, clothing, books and toys. They then redistribute these items across Chicago and the surrounding counties through a network of over 80 agency partnerships, reaching over 6,000 children each year. 96% of families served have reported being less stressed about providing essentials for their children.

Journalism and Civic Engagement

Movement Voter Fund: Movement Voter Fund invests in grassroots groups working to advance democracy, equity, and sustainability in the United States. In 2023, MVF worked to move or advise more than $15 million in 501(c)3 funding to support 318 partner organizations in 41 states. It also helped its partners register hundreds of thousands of voters; win structural advances in voting rights and election administration; develop thousands of volunteer leaders; and build stronger alliances and statewide organizing ecosystems.

Open to Debate: A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, Open to Debate addresses a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Open to Debate promotes civil discourse and critical thinking by facilitating structured debates on important societal issues. Its mission is to empower individuals to engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives, enhancing understanding and reducing polarization within public discourse. Success for Open to Debate is evident when participants demonstrate improved critical thinking skills, increased willingness to engage in discussions, and a greater appreciation for differing viewpoints.

Prison Journalism Project: Prison Journalism Project (PJP) is an independent, non-partisan, national initiative that enables incarcerated and formerly incarcerated writers to become journalists and publish their stories. Active in 175 prisons across several states, PJP trains and supports individuals in the criminal justice system to become correspondents, reporting on the issues affecting the system, and it distributes those stories to mainstream news outlets. PJP has published 1,500 stories from 500 writers across 175 prisons, and distributes those stories to mainstream news outlets. It continues to expand through several initiatives aimed at training and supporting incarcerated writers to foster greater transparency on mass incarceration and enact policy change.

Protect Democracy: Protect Democracy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group dedicated to defeating the authoritarian threat, building more resilient democratic institutions, and protecting our freedom and liberal democracy. Protect Democracy experts and advocates use litigation, legislative and communications strategies, technology, research, and analysis to stand up for free and fair elections, the rule of law, fact-based debate, and a better democracy for future generations.

Trust for Civic Life: The Trust for Civic Life supports the people and organizations transforming their communities through the work of everyday democracy. Through grantmaking, networking and learning, the Trust reinvents American democracy by supporting local efforts that bring residents together to solve the challenges they decide are most critical for their community to thrive. The Trust invests in regions that are full of opportunities for impact but are often overlooked by national philanthropy. A community-led nomination process enables local leaders to help identify and direct resources where they are needed most.

Social Justice

Ameelio: Ameelio is a tech nonprofit that is committed to transforming prison communications. Through free letters, postcards, and video calling, Ameelio supports meaningful connection between incarcerated people and their loved ones outside. Its educational technology platform also expands access to education, vocational training, and reentry resources. By virtually connecting incarcerated people with support networks and vital resources, Ameelio cuts recidivism and sustainably reduces prison populations. Ameelio currently works with over 29 prisons, allowing communication access to more than 40,000 incarcerated individuals.

Youth Development

build4good: build4good, an initiative of New America, is a paid mentorship program that matches post-secondary students who are majoring in computer science, integrated digital media, UI/UX design, or other technology-related fields to mission-driven nonprofit organizations with technology-specific project needs. This mostly remote summer internship program aims to inspire a network of future leaders to develop socially minded technology, discover public service-oriented careers, and help nonprofits harness the power of technology for social good.

Give Us The Floor: Give Us The Floor helps LGBTQ+ youth deal with distress through inclusive, innovative and unique online peer Supportive Group Chats that provide constant contact and anonymity in a safe youth-only community, breaking the isolation and shame cycles they are experiencing. Trained youth facilitate the confidential groups and participants help each other with prevalent mental health and social issues such as depression, isolation, anxiety, identity, discrimination, bullying, relationships, domestic violence, and body image. 

In Tandem: In Tandem bridges the gap between youth and organizations, fostering collaboration to create impactful, youth-centered solutions. It can help organizations who are interested in engaging young people at any stage of the Research & Design process, including co-designing projects and facilitating youth focus groups. In Tandem handles the logistics of cultivating a community of young people, including coordinating sessions, managing parental consents, and  proctoring sessions, ultimately preparing both youth and organizations for authentic participation.

In youth sports, the influence of a well-trained coach can transform the experience for young athletes, shaping their development both on and off the field. The Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) is an ambitious initiative to revolutionize youth sports by training one million coaches in youth development principles. This effort is not just about increasing the number of trained coaches, but about changing the culture of youth sports and continuing to build demand for coaches who are equipped with the skills to foster positive, inclusive, and growth-oriented sports environments.

This past month partners of the Million Coaches Challenge were in Baltimore for the Project Play Summit where we listened to leaders discuss the state of youth sports. Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program hosted two days of critical conversations where MCC partners were featured in conversations around understanding the impact of coach training and building a national coaches strategy. It was a great time to connect, strategize, and celebrate with leaders from across the country. MCC also got a shout out from emcee Greg Olsen! 

We followed the Project Play Summit with two days of further discussion at the Million Coaches Challenge convening where members of the MCC cohort strategized on how to equip a generation of coaches with knowledge and tools about youth development techniques. 

Conversations about our current efforts inspired us, but our thinking did not stop there. We looked past the immediate goal of providing evidence-based training and began cultivating the MCC legacy. We explored ways in which this group could ensure coaches are well-versed in youth development and skill-building techniques long after the challenge goal is met. 

The MCC also released our Impact Statement, “The Power and Possibility of Coach Training in Youth Development”, which found that 88% of MCC coaches agree that participation in training made them better coaches. The statement underscores the significant positive impact of structured, evidence-based training programs. It features data from our dedicated partners who are committed to creating quality sports experiences for all young athletes, regardless of their background. Here are some of the highlights: 

Coaches believe training is effective

Ninety percent (90%) of coaches who have completed MCC training programs are highly likely to recommend these programs to others, attesting to their effectiveness and the value they provide. Furthermore, it’s noteworthy that many coaches who undergo training in MCC partner programs also engage in coaching additional sports outside of their primary focus. This underscores the versatility and applicability of the training they receive, highlighting how it equips them with skills and insights that are transferable across various sports disciplines.

Leaders within organizations have recognized the value of trained coaches in enhancing the atmosphere of sports activities, leading to a dual focus on fun and the teaching of life skills. This approach fosters a positive environment, as evidenced by a high percentage of coaches who report that their organization’s atmosphere has improved as a result of the training they received. Additionally, these coaches experience increased enjoyment in their roles, further highlighting the benefits of specialized training in creating a more engaging and beneficial sports experience for all involved.

Young People want Consistency

Youth perspectives highlight the importance of consistent coaching, and leaders believe trained coaches are more likely to continue their involvement season after season. This continuity is partly attributed to the perception of adequate training, with many coaches, especially those from programs like Girls on the Run, feeling well-prepared and thus more inclined to return to their roles. When describing their experiences, the words “supportive,” “fun,” and “positive” emerge most frequently from coaches, painting a picture of a rewarding and enjoyable coaching environment.

74% of responding coaches perceived that their participation in training had a positive influence on athlete retention (American Institutes for Research, 2024).

A Call to Action

For coaches –  it’s crucial to remain at the forefront of youth development by actively participating in training programs designed with a youth-centric approach. Aligning with organizations that not only prioritize but also offer comprehensive training programs in this area can significantly enhance a coach’s effectiveness. Moreover, the landscape of youth development is ever-evolving, necessitating a commitment to continuous learning and skill updating to meet the latest needs.

For Families and caregivers – you play a pivotal role in the athletic and personal development of young athletes. Choosing programs where coaches have undergone training in youth development is essential. Moreover, advocating for the prioritization of coach training within community sports programs can lead to a more enriching environment for young athletes. Sharing and promoting information about available training opportunities with community sports leaders can further enhance the quality of coaching.

For Sports programs and organizations – you have a responsibility to ensure coaches are well-prepared to meet the needs of youth development. This involves providing access to and encouraging participation in training programs designed to address these needs. By continuously seeking out new training opportunities, programs can stay ahead of the curve. Furthermore, advocating for the importance of coach training across different regions, sports, and networks can elevate the standard of coaching universally.

For funders and philanthropists – investing in training programs that prioritize evidence-based approaches to coach training is crucial. This not only elevates the quality of coaching but also ensures that young athletes receive the best possible guidance and support. Supporting organizations dedicated to offering high-quality, evidence-based training programs can make a significant impact on the sports ecosystem, fostering an environment where young athletes can thrive.

The Million Coaches Challenge is more than just a numerical goal; it’s about changing the narrative around coaching. By training one million coaches, MCC is helping to build a legacy where every young athlete has access to a quality coach who prioritizes their development and well-being. Join the Million Coaches Challenge today and be part of this transformative movement. To learn more about MCC and its partners, visit https://www.millioncoaches.org/

Each year, our staff and board nominate several organizations to receive Catalyst Awards: one-time contributions made as part of our year-end giving. These organizations typically work on issues beyond our primary program areas. What unites them is their distinct and promising approaches to chronic social problems.

In a year marked again by recovery, the work of these 22 organizations feels urgent and critical. We’re proud to support their exemplary work.

Arts and Culture

The WasteShed: The WasteShed is a creative reuse center in Chicago that collects reusable art and school materials that would otherwise be thrown away and makes them available to teachers, artists, & anyone who needs them, at low cost.

CreatiVets: CreatiVets’ programming uses various forms of art, including songwriting, visual arts, music, and creative writing, to help disabled veterans cope with service-related trauma.

Firebird Community Arts: Firebird Community Arts empowers and connects people through the healing practice of glassblowing and ceramics. Project FIRE, their signature program, is a glassblowing and trauma recovery program for youth injured by gun violence in Chicago.

Community & Economic Development

Chicago Westside Sports: Chicago Westside Sports is a gathering of volunteers representing local organizations and churches, community members and the Chicago Police Department working together to provide opportunities for youth to engage in safe and healthy activities such as zero cost Club Baseball, AAU Basketball and Team USA Archery.

READI Chicago – Heartland Alliance: The READI—or Rapid Employment and Development Initiative—model is informed by evidence that combining cognitive behavioral interventions (CBI) with paid transitional jobs can help reduce violence.

DreamSpring: DreamSpring increases access to business credit and provides loans to enable underserved entrepreneurs to realize their dreams via its’ new proprietary online lending platform.

Education

Genesys Works: Genesys Works creates career pathways and opportunities for youth from underserved communities while simultaneously helping employers fill critical talent gaps within their companies. They do this by providing skills training, counseling and coaching, and paid internships for high school seniors.

Accelerate U: Accelerate U at National Louis University offers affordable, rapid training experiences that come with college credit, industry credentials and a path to a full-time job immediately. It’s “job-first” higher education.

Chicago Scholars: Chicago Scholars uniquely selects, trains, and mentors academically ambitious students from under-resourced communities to complete college and become the next generation of leaders who will transform their neighborhoods and our city.

Open Future Institute: Open Future Institute’s The QUESTion Project supports public high school students to build the foundations for their lives, their future and a healthy society, through a semester long daily class, called the QUESTion Class. The QUESTion Class creates a space where students can explore and develop their own identity, strengthen their sense of agency, and build confidence to pursue a life of purpose.

Humanity Rising: Humanity Rising is a student-led movement to create a better world through service.  Their mission is to build the next generation of leaders and social innovators. Humanity Rising helps students discover their service passion, amplify their VOICES to inspire their peers, and recognize and celebrate their efforts with scholarship awards.

Environment

Chicago Frontlines Funding Initiative: The Chicago Environmental Justice Fund awards capacity building grants to neighborhood-based Environmental Justice organizations and values-aligned partners working in the Chicago metropolitan area. Their grantees are led by, rooted in, and accountable to low-income communities of color directly impacted by environmental harms.

One Earth Collective:  One Earth Collective inspires action, facilitates learning, promotes justice, and fosters equity and inclusion to create resilient communities and a healthier planet. They engage over 7,000 people annually through three program areas: One Earth Film Festival, One Earth Local and One Earth Youth Voices.

Health and Human Services

Top Box Foods: Top Box Foods partners with local community organizations across Chicago, New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Atlanta to delivers healthy food, specifically in under-resourced food deserts.

Teen Line: Teen Line provides support, resources, and hope to young people through a hotline of professionally trained teen counselors, and outreach programs that de-stigmatize and normalize mental health.

Little Heroes League: Little Heroes League is the only care coordination program embedded at top-ranked Level IV NICUs across the United States. Their coordinators fill a critical healthcare gap by streamlining care, communication and access to resources for families of medically complex babies—free of cost—and personalized for patients and their families.

HEART: HEART promotes sexual health, uproots gendered violence, and advances reproductive justice by establishing choice and access for the most impacted Muslims. HEART’s largest program is Health Education through which they provide comprehensive, culturally-sensitive, and faith-inspired sexual health and sexual-violence information.

Midwest Access Coalition: MAC helps people traveling to, from, and within the Midwest access a safe abortion by assisting with travel coordination and costs, lodging, food, medicine, and childcare.

The Confess Project: The Confess Project of America is the national organization supporting local chapters that train barbers and stylists to become mental health advocates, with the mission to build awareness and break stigmas around mental health within the Black community.

Journalism and Civic Engagement

Videos for Change: Videos for Change empowers young people with the skills and global competencies to create one-minute videos that inspire empathy, awareness, and action on important social issues.

The Markup: The Markup is an American nonprofit organization based in New York City, founded in 2018 with the goal of focusing on data-driven journalism, covering the ethics and impact of technology on society.

Youth Development

The 18^th Ward: The 18^th Ward provides high-quality, low-cost youth sports programs in New Orleans where everyone is welcome regardless of race, gender, income, or neighborhood. Their Coaches in Training program gives high school athletes a chance to practice their leadership, learn to coach, and provide a service to their community.

After years of virtual gatherings, we are energized after being able to convene not one but two Challenge cohorts in-person in Chicago! Convenings built around creating connections, sharing learnings, challenges and best practices with peers are at the core of our exchange model and while Zoom can connect some of these dots, there is something magical about making those connections face-to-face.

Million Coaches Challenge Convening

First in May, we gathered the Million Coaches community (our largest cohort to-date!) in Chicago. Outside of the group outing to the Cubs game, the group got straight to work discussing various challenges and opportunities in the youth sports training space including:

• How to effectively communicate the benefits of social and emotional learning and youth development techniques to parents, coaches and beyond
• Ways this community could work together to engage state and national policy for in-school and out-of-school youth sports coaching
• How to address the bias that exists within training and sports programs in order to better support and enable coaches to build spaces of belonging
• How to develop curricula to provide a necessary solid foundation and meet the varying needs and levels of experience of coaches

We are inspired by this group’s energy around coming together to make impactful changes in a very segmented landscape. We look forward to convening the group again in November to build upon the foundation set in May. Stay tuned for more learnings to be shared from this group via blog posts, webinars and more. 

Youth Voice in a Digital Age Final Convening

In June, we were able to gather the Youth Voice in a Digital Age cohort in Chicago for their last convening. After two years meeting on Zoom, it was energizing to be able to bring connections to life and celebrate the successes and pivots of this group. All of their learnings and resources have culminated into a new website coming soon! The site will include youth perspectives on digital well-being, learn how to support young people in their digital life and resources to support designing your own ways for implementing youth voice in your programming. 

Here are a few preview highlights from the initiatives represented in this group:

LISTEN | Young people talk about digital issues

Beam Center Podcast

Digital Harbor Podcast

Spy Hop Podcast

LEARN | How to support young people in their digital life

Project Zero Well-Being Toolkit

InspireEd Playbook

Although this group met for the last time, their work has solidified our belief that youth voice is a critical piece in all conversations involving young people but especially across topics of digital well-being. This belief will be imprinted on our work in our Tech and Society program area moving forward. 

The Power of In-Person

We don’t know what the future holds as far as in-person meetings, but we are so grateful to have been able to convene these groups face-to-face. There was an indescribable energy among these groups, an exchange of not only information but of true connections. We saw side conversations sparked beside the coffee station that are now becoming collaborative projects furthering the positive impact for our young people. We were delighted to see connections made that make reaching out from across the country or on the other side of a screen that much easier. Ultimately, we saw the human need for connection coming to life in a way that will certainly transfer to supporting our young people to thrive. 

This year on International Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Day, we wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate how far this field has come and to envision what the future of this field could be. Our mission at SCE is to prepare youth to thrive in a rapidly changing world and we’ve seen high quality SEL as a critical lever in that mission. SEL supports young people’s sense of empathy, curiosity and resilience among many other critical life skills. We are proud to have seen the field grow and are encouraged by many efforts to sustain and bring the field into the future. 

A moment of celebration

It’s been eight years since SCE launched our SEL program which was, at the time, a burgeoning field. SEL has grown exponentially in that time. In the past few years alone, the field has grown in adoption – with more funders, practitioners, a multitude of implementation strategies in place and over $765 million spent per year on SEL.

We would be remiss not to celebrate several of our SEL partners in the past 8 years, who have been on the ground carrying this movement forward. The truth is, the movement has grown in adoption because…it supports young people’s ability to thrive and be resilient during times of hardship. 

SCE’s SEL Challenge Partners – SCE launched our SEL program with the Social and Emotional Learning Challenge. This was a collaboration between SCE, exemplary youth workers selected through an open national competition, and a team of expert researchers setting out to explore how youth are best supported in cultivating teamwork, resilience, agency and empathy skills in informal learning environments. This work culminated into resources for implementing SEL through the Preparing Youth to Thrive guide. 

Partners included: AHA! (Attitude, Harmony, Achievement), Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, The Possibility Project, Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory, Voyageur Outward Bound School, Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, Wyman, Youth on Board and YWCA Boston. 

SCE’s SEL Challenge Partners (Round 2) – This phase of the SEL Challenge focused on demonstrating how the Preparing Youth to Thrive content, training, performance measures and practices can be integrated into youth serving organizations across the country to improve SEL practice. Learn more about the findings and case studies here. 

The partners included: David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, School’s Out Washington (Seattle), Sprockets (St. Paul), After-school All Stars (Los Angeles), Beyond the Bell (Milwaukee) and Wyman.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) – One critical force that has spurred growth of SEL is the work of CASEL. More and more communities are seeking resources on SEL, particularly as the pandemic wears on, and SCE has worked closely with this expert organization to meet that demand by launching new communications initiatives, such as this webinar series.

OST System Partners – In 2019, SCE provided grants to five OST organizations to build capacity and implement high quality SEL in a variety of ways. These initiatives included developing virtual programming during the pandemic, adding staff specifically focused on enhancing adult learning experiences and expanding to new segments such as behavioral health networks and parents. 

Partners included: After-School All-Stars, Wings for Kids, BellXcel, Wyman and Y-USA

Envisioning the future of SEL

The pandemic has further accelerated the recognition that SEL is foundational to life preparation, satisfaction and success. The pandemic and racial justice movements have also highlighted many opportunities for SEL to adapt, grow and learn. A few key opportunities SCE sees for lifting SEL up in the future:

Cohesiveness of SEL practices across young people’s day

When schools shut down, young people looked to coaches and out-of-school providers for these skills and even before the pandemic, young people saw these adults as mentors. The expansion of SEL as a field has also infiltrated many out-of-school time programs but has yet to take a stronghold in youth sports. It’s critical that the future of SEL includes the training of youth sports coaches which is why we’ve partnered with ten organizations for the Million Coaches Challenge – to close the training gap and make SEL practices a part of every aspect in a young person’s life. 

Implementing equity in a more tangible way

From the start, SEL was focused on creating equitable outcomes for all students. While equity has been top of mind for years, it would be diminishing to say that the racial justice movement across the country didn’t spur a sense of urgency to review SEL implementation strategies with an equity lens.

Recently, there has been a movement among educators, practitioners, researchers and the funder community to explore ways that SEL implementation could be more equitable. It has been brought to light that SEL curriculum is not immune to the same inequities that abound in other aspects of education systems such as not being culturally responsive and not including BIPOC voices or lived experiences. In some cases, SEL is focused on personal “resilience” without taking into consideration the historical inequities and collective trauma of BIPOC students and adults.

The future of SEL needs to be culturally relevant and include trauma-informed practices. Success has been shown when partnering with families and communities to develop culturally responsive approaches. When SEL is taught absent of cultural relevance and as a means solely of self-regulation, it can unintentionally reaffirm oppressive systems.

Encouraging youth voice

Integrating youth voices, when done correctly, can empower young people with a stronger sense of agency, identity and belonging. There are many resources on adult practice and youth skills but there is a gap in information about how to create environments and experiences that focus on shared power and youth agency. There is a need to widen the set of voices that contribute to SEL and in particular, include the lived experiences of young people. 

Relationships at the core of SEL teachings

As an element of high quality SEL implementation, we’ve known there is great value in adult and peer relationships for young people. A consistent, caring adult being present in a young person’s life is linked to greater SEL and general life outcomes including resilience. We also see a strong link between relationships and connection and belonging. This pandemic has highlighted relationships as an important piece in young people developing strong social and emotional skills. This is why we’re currently supporting Making Caring Common in its relationship mapping efforts so every child has access to a consistent, caring adult and Search Institute to research the value of peer-to-peer relationships.

It’s been a long road to get to where the field is today and there’s a long road ahead but we are feeling optimistic and hopeful that young people will thrive if we continue to support the development of their social and emotional skills.