Spotlight On

Mission:
To prepare young adults from under-resourced areas in Washington, DC for the world of work and a life of self-sufficiency, through education, mentoring, and meaningful paid internships.

Background:
Founded in 1996, Urban Alliance (UA) was created by a small group of volunteers to provide the tools necessary for youth living in under-resourced DC neighborhoods to excel. UA mobilizes a variety of community resources to provide youth with otherwise unavailable educational and employment opportunities. It served 6 students in 1996, since then UA has served over 500 DC students.

UA is dedicated to developing the untapped potential of DC youth. It is committed to instructing youth on how to find and maintain sustainable employment, supporting their aspirations for continuing education, and helping them plan and achieve their career goals.

Current Programs:
The High School Internship Program is a city-wide, year-round youth employment program. The program is open to DC public and charter school seniors who are eligible for a half-day schedule. Students must apply to be in the program.

Once accepted, students:

• Work part-time (paid) during the school year, Monday-Thursday, 2-5 pm. Find out where UA students work.
  
• Attend life-skills and job readiness workshops on Friday during the school year. Topics include conflict resolution, interview skills, professional writing, and work etiquette.
  
• Receive college/career planning assistance.
  
• Work full-time (paid) during the summer, Monday-Thursday.
  
• Attend financial literacy workshops on Friday during the summer.
  
• Open matched savings accounts, where they can save up to $1,000 matched at 3:1 ratio for a total of $4,000 for expenses.

By the end of the program, students have:

• Increased their exposure and proficiency in professional work skills.
  
• Gained long-term professional work experience.
  
• Graduated from high school.
  
• Solidified a post-secondary plan to either attend college or a job training program.
  
• Be capable of identifying and sustaining employment.

Funding Needs:
The Urban Alliance Foundation is supported by an amazing community of individuals, foundations, and corporations. Each year, over 50 corporations donate their money, time, and resources to our organization by becoming job sites.

The organization also received funding from 31 different foundations in 2005 - the largest funders included the Meyer Foundation, Moriah Fund, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and the Weinberg Foundation.

The "Spotlight On" highlights the activities of a different 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving the Metropolitan Washington, DC community. The selection of organizations for the "Spotlight On" is based on criteria such as programmatic interests, geographic focus, and size, to ensure the broadest possible representation of the region's nonprofit sector.

If you'd like to see your NPO in the "Spotlight," e-mail a description of your organization, following the above format, to dclibrary@foundationcenter.org, with "Spotlight Submission" in the subject line.