DC Youth and Young Adult Update 9-5-2025

By NYEC | September 5, 2025

News at NYEC: 

 

Legislative Branch:  

  • House LHHS Subcommittee Approves FY26 Bill: The House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee advanced its FY26 LHHS proposal. A summary of the bill is available here. The bill eliminates funding for critical programs that serve opportunity youth, such as the WIOA Youth Program, Adult Education State Grants, and Reentry Employment Opportunities. On top of these eliminations, the bill makes drastic cuts to AmeriCorps and Job Corps, the nation’s largest residential job training and education program. Take action by contacting your Representative and letting them know that these programs are critical to the success of young people in your district! NYEC released this action alert to make your advocacy as easy as possible. Your voice can make a difference today, urge Congress to reject these cuts and support opportunity youth!  

Executive Branch: 

  • US Department of Labor Releases Semiannual Regulatory Agenda: The Trump Administration announced its Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. Including nearly 150 proposals under the U.S. Department of Labor’s jurisdiction, the agenda reflects President Trump’s policy priorities. View the complete semiannual agenda here.  

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines: 

  • HHS Grant: Community Economic Development Projects: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will solicit applications to award approximately $15.2 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary funds to Community Development Corporations (CDC) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects to enhance job creation and business development for individuals with low income. CED awards will be made as part of a broader strategy to address objectives such as decreasing dependency on federal programs, chronic unemployment, and community deterioration in urban and rural areas. Applications are due September 8, 2025.  

Previously Shared: 

  • HHS Grant: Grants to Support New Investigators in Conducting Research Related to Preventing Interpersonal Violence Impacting Children and Youth: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) helps researchers develop skills in violence prevention research. The goal is to support scientists in becoming independent researchers. Applicants must propose a research project that focuses on at least one of the following NCIPC research priorities related to interpersonal violence and suicide affecting children and youth (birth to age 17). These research priorities include adverse childhood experiences, child abuse and neglect, youth violence, intimate partner violence (including teen dating violence), sexual violence, suicide, and cross-cutting preventions (i.e. examining two or more of these priority topics). Find more information here. Applicants are encouraged to explore multiple forms of interpersonal violence and/or suicide among children or youth, community factors that increase the risk of interpersonal violence and/or suicide, and the practical relevance of the research for prevention and intervention efforts. Applications are due December 1, 2025. 
  • HHS Grant: National Center on Head Start Early Learning, Health and Family Engagement: The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start announces the availability of approximately $15,000,000 to be competitively awarded for the purpose of operating the Head Start National Center on Early Learning, Health, and Family Engagement. This NC will provide training and technical assistance that reflects current evidence, is research-informed, and promotes best practices. Applications are due December 15, 2025. 

 

From the States: 

  • Virginia: Claude Moore Opportunities, a health care workforce non-profit, in collaboration with George Mason University’s Center for Community Mental Health (CCMH), Serve Virginia, and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, is launching a new initiative to expand youth mental health services and the youth mental health workforce in the Commonwealth. Officials say the initiative will include academic, practical, and direct service components to give more young Virginians access to mental health resources that can help them thrive, and to expand Virginia’s workforce of trained and credentialed mental healthcare professionals. The initiative will serve as a pilot project with the ultimate goal of expanding the program into more communities around Virginia and providing a national model for other communities to replicate. 
  • New York: Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the allocation of $7.5 million to create Youth Safe Spaces in New York. These non-clinical, peer-led Safe Spaces are slated to serve individuals aged 12 to 24 and aim to provide resources, encourage peer connections, and promote positive mental well-being in community settings.  

Resources 

  • National Network for Youth, National Youth Advisory Council: The National Network for Youth (NN4Y) is accepting applications for its National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC). NYAC brings together young leaders with lived experience of homelessness to inform policy, guide programs, and advocate nationally for youth in crisis. Applicants must be at least 18, have exited crisis housing, and be stably housed, employed, or enrolled in school. 
  • The Grantmakers for Thriving Youth (GTY) Resource Hub is an online library of articles, briefings, and research focused on what supports young people to thrive. The hub covers topics such as youth participation, education policy, accountability in school systems, and evidence-based practices for youth development. Resources are regularly updated and can be searched by theme, making it a useful tool for funders, practitioners, and policymakers working with youth. 
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