Community Matters 2 highlights the YOU Without Walls: “Swim With A Friend” Program. Access the video here. “Swim With A Friend (SWAF) is a youth swimming program dedicated to empowering inner-city kids with essential water safety skills. Developed by Community Matters 2, Inc. and generously supported by Dutchess County, SWAF offers a comprehensive approach to […]
Funding Opportunities
Dutchess County Agency Partner Grant Program
Dutchess County Youth Services Grants from NYS OCFS
City of Poughkeepsie Youth Services Grants
Watch Out For Me Campaign Watch Out For Me is a traffic safety campaign to educate the public and promote safe driving, walking, and bicycling. It includes videos, outreach materials (brochure, online quiz, posters), educational programs, and traffic safety messages on Dutchess County buses and bus stop shelters. These videos, written by and starring City of Poughkeepsie […]
Governor Hochul announced that her Youth Mental Health Advisory Board will begin accepting applications from interested children and teenagers. The application portal for the advisory board is now open. Middle and high school students interested in mental health issues or with lived experience are encouraged to apply for the advisory board. This initiative emerged following last […]
County Seeks Proposals for 2025-2026 Youth Program Funding Published: 2/14/2025 POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services’ Division of Youth Services is requesting applications for free youth programming services from municipalities and nonprofit, community-based organizations for the program year Oct. 1, 2025 to Sept. 30, 2026. Reimbursable grants ranging from […]
Dutchess County Youth & Police Initiative: New Dover Session Announced for 2024! The Youth and Police Initiative (YPI) is a way for youth, police departments and community organizations to build positive change and trust. The YPI curriculum produces strong, sustainable relationships that positively impact youth and police while reducing risk factors for delinquency and […]
FY25 Executive Budget Plan Merges Advantage and Empire State After-School Programs into New Streamlined LEAPS Initiative Program to Serve More than 40,000 Children in High-Need Areas in New York State Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than $100 million in state grants – an increase of $17.7 million over last year’s funding – will […]
Scholarships Available for Summer Camp at County’s Camp Nooteeming Full and Partial Camp Session Scholarships Are Available for Families Poughkeepsie, NY … Dutchess County’s Camp Nooteeming in Pleasant Valley will again welcome young people from across the county for outdoor camp experiences this summer, with scholarships available for families. The County partners with the Pathfinder Foundation for […]
The Dutchess County Division of Youth Services and the Putnam County Youth Bureau have collaborated on the “Parents as Driving Partners” initiative, aimed to foster safer driving habits and creating safe drivers by encouraging active involvement and shared responsibility between teens and their parents during the early stages of driving. Through the new program, teenagers [...]
Read More
County Legislature Receives Update on YOU Project *This release has been edited. Poughkeepsie, NY … The upcoming countywide youth center, the Youth Opportunity Union (YOU), continues to move forward with plans having undergone months of design, value-engineering and re-design by world-renowned, Poughkeepsie-based MASS Design Group and its associates. The Dutchess County Legislature was updated on this […]
Clearwater’s Youth Empowerment Programs are no-cost, three-day adventures on the mighty Hudson River, offering a one of a kind experience of scenic beauty, bonding, and personal achievement. Our unique multi-day programs connect youth to the Hudson River as they sail onboard the historic sloop Clearwater and camp along the river’s shores. Young Women at the […]