Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Empowering Youth and Strengthening Communities through BBBS Mentoring

The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative, Category 1 (National Mentoring Program) provides funding to support national mentoring organizations in their efforts to strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring activities within local chapters or sub-awardees (in at least 45 states) to reduce juvenile delinquency, drug abuse (specifically opioid abuse), truancy, and other problem and high-risk behaviors. FY 2020 funding will address the factors that can lead to or serve as a catalyst for delinquency or other problem behaviors in underserved youth, including youth in high-risk environments. Programs are required to target American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, and also highly encouraged to target their mentoring services to children of parents on active military duty; children of incarcerated parents; youth impacted by opioids and drug addiction; youth in rural communities; and youth that experience bullying (including cyberbullying). Programs are also highly encouraged to incorporate youth and law enforcement engagement activities. This program is authorized by Pub. L. No. 116-93, 133 Stat. 2317, 2410.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) will serve thousands of young people across the United States with their FY 2020 funding. All new mentoring relationships will aim to significantly reduce the likelihood of juvenile delinquency, bolster self-confidence, and prepare young people to be contributing citizens to society through a tailored supportive adult relationship. The mentorship matches will focus on buffering the risk factors exhibited by youth, such as an absence of trusting relationships, exposure to violence or drug use, and poverty, by nurturing each child’s deepest potential through the guidance of a trained and compassionate adult. Youth will engage in 12 months of evidence-based mentoring specifically designed to have the highest efficacy for their unique circumstances. The target population includes youth who are currently or have been involved in the juvenile justice system; youth in communities with high crime, violence, drug abuse, failing schools, and gang presence; American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) youth; those in rural or persistent-poverty communities; youth who have an incarcerated parent or a parent deployed in the military; and those impacted by opioids and drug addiction. BBBSA will administer subawards to approximately 95 affiliate agencies in at least 42 states based upon the results of a competitive application process. Selection will be determined based on record of strong grant performance, high program quality and capacity, and satisfactory financial controls and internal processes. Once selected, BBBSA agencies will perform thorough screening that exceeds the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring benchmark standards in order to protect mentees while developing the most impactful mentoring match. No portion of the funding will be used for research. CA/NCF