New planning grant opportunity opens June 18

(Note: This grant application is now closed)

The Natrona Collective Health Trust is excited to announce a new grant opportunity to support the planning and design of youth-centered third spaces in Natrona County.

What are third spaces?
Third spaces are welcoming, accessible environments that exist outside of home (first space) and school (second space). Whether it’s a library, club, sports venue or coffee shop, these informal settings help young people build social connections, feel a sense of belonging, and access supportive resources. Third spaces foster resilience, reduce isolation, and offer alternatives to risky behaviors.

Grants for third spaces are an outcome of the Trust’s broader work with the Youth Mental Health Collective (YMHC) – a community-driven initiative responding to rising mental health challenges and violence among young people. At a recent youth forum facilitated by the Trust, participants voiced a need for more safe places to gather and connect. This summer, the Trust will launch two grant programs in direct response to that need: the first is a planning grant for designing new third spaces and the second effort, scheduled for July, will award funds to selected existing third spaces.

What is a planning grant?

This planning grant is designed to give organizations the dedicated time, resources, and flexibility needed to thoughtfully develop a new third space for youth. The funds are not intended for implementation or construction, but rather to support the foundational work that comes before launching a new program or space. This includes youth engagement, research, community input, strategic visioning, and sustainability planning.

At the heart of this opportunity is co-creation – an approach that brings young people and community members together as equal partners in imagining, designing, and shaping the future of a third space. Rather than building a space for youth, this grant supports organizations in building a space with youth.

The goal is to ensure that any future third space is youth-driven, community-supported, and built to last – not rushed or reactive. Organizations can use this grant to engage youth in meaningful ways, explore feasibility, build strong partnerships and create a plan that reflects the real needs and aspirations of Natrona County youth.

What is included

• Grants of up to $50,000 to support planning, youth engagement, strategic design, and feasibility studies for third space initiatives
• Up to 12 months for completion
• Final funding decisions made by a youth-led review panel

Who can apply

Eligible applicants must:

• Be a 501(c)(3) public charity
• Be based in and primarily serve youth in Natrona County
• Propose projects focused on planning or expanding third spaces for youth

This planning phase is the first in a multi-year investment in youth third spaces, with future funding available for implementation and long-term programmatic support.

The application period opens June 18 and applications will be accepted through July 17. Access the application by clicking on the Apply Now button on our grantmaking page. (Please note, this application is not available in our grant portal) Recipients will be notified on or before August 3.

The Trust will host a virtual lunch-and-learn session on Wednesday, June 25, at 11 a.m. to provide more information and answer questions. Click here to register for the virtual session.

For more information on this grant opportunity, contact Samantha Smith, Senior Director of Programs and Community Engagement.