Start a New Local Program

Are you a young leader looking to bring change to your community? Do you have a dream for a green economy project you want to start where you live? Have you started a project that you want to build in connection with a network of similar projects elsewhere?

You have three opportunities to build a Grand Aspirations program in your community:

1. Start a Summer of Solutions program

Local leaders interested in building youth leadership in their community can apply to start a Summer of Solutions program. SoS has been the primary program of Grand Aspirations since 2008, bringing together youth in communities across the summer for transformative training and project development. If you are interested in being informed when the Summer of Solutions application launches in September, let us know here and we’ll email you directly when it goes up.

You may be ready to start a Summer of Solutions program if:

• You want to train and empower young leaders in your community.
• You have some initial community connections that can help create concrete projects for program participants before June 2013.
• You want to work with Grand Aspirations until at least August 2013, but you are not sure about commitments afterwards.
• Your team can commit to meeting the Summer of Solutions guidelines (to be released in early September)

Please refer to the guidelines and applications for starting a new 2013 Summer of Solutions for more information and next steps.

2. Create a Local Initiative

Local leaders interested in starting or further developing an innovative green economy project can apply to start a Local Initiative. Local Initiatives are year-round projects that focus on building replicable, self-sustaining models for advancing a green economy. They differ from Summer of Solutions programs and Hubs in that they do not explicitly focus on building youth leadership.

You may be ready to build a Local Initiative if:

• You want to start a project for the first time OR you already have started a project but want to connect more deeply with others in a national context.
• You want to work with Grand Aspirations for at least one year from when you begin.
• Your team can commit to meeting the Local Initiative guidelines (to be released in early September).

Please refer the guidelines and applications for starting a new Local Initiative for more information and next steps. Then, click here to apply to start a Local Initiative in your community!

3. Become a Hub

Local leaders interested in forming a long-term regional center of project incubation and youth leadership development can apply to start a Hub.

You may be ready to start a Hub if:

• Have done green economy development work for at least a year and bring significant experience in project development.
• Have led a Grand Aspirations project, or a similar type of project, in your community.
• Have significant experience building youth leadership.
• Your team can commit to meeting the Hub guidelines (to be released in Fall 2012).

There is a formal application process for becoming a Grand Aspirations Hub. If you are interested, please fill out this short interest form and a GA representative will follow up with you with more information.