In early 2022, Elevate Children Funders’ Group commissioned a research study to better understand child and youth participatory models used by funders. The resulting Funders’ Toolkit for Child and Youth Participation, co-created by an amazing group of young leaders, and with the guidance of an advisory committee and the ECFG Child and Youth Participation working group, is the first of its kind to offer support and guidance on the substantive “how-to” of child and youth participation - tailored specifically to funders.

Meaningful participation in philanthropy can be a powerful catalyst for increased impact and transformation at multiple levels, from the individual to the systemic, but many funders still shy away from implementing meaningful child and youth participation across their work. Despite the many excellent resources available for nonprofits and development agencies addressing child and youth participation, few resources exist that address the unique, practical needs of funders. This Toolkit aims to fill that gap.
While the primary audience for this Toolkit is funders, we encourage young people and civil society organizations to use the tool in their own advocacy. We encourage any organization reflecting on its role in the funding ecosystem to explore the Toolkit and use it in any way that is helpful.