CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Young People’s Alliance Education Fund was awarded part of a $2 million grant on Wednesday from the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF). It is one of 26 youth-led organizations from across the country that have been recognized for focusing on using responsible technology to address challenges of the next generation.
The Young People’s Alliance empowers young people through student-led organizing and advocacy. The students involved work to amplify North Carolina youth voices through advocacy work at colleges across the state, as well as the state legislatures and on Capitol Hill.
The grant awarded by the RTYPF is funded by 14 organizations that are a part of the RTYPF Advisory Committee. One of those organizations is The Archewell Foundation that was founded by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2020.
As an added surprise to the grant money awarded, Prince Harry and Meghan called some of the members of the inaugural RTYPF Advisory Committee to congratulate them. Sam Hiner, a Mooresville native and student at UNC Chapel Hill, was congratulated on the phone by the royals.
“Social media was a major area that I think in many ways is helpful to a lot of people, but at the same time, creates huge harms…especially in terms of mental health,” Hiner said on the phone.
This philanthropic effort made by RTYPF aims to help support the next generation to advocate for the changes that they want to see within tech. Eligible non-profits can apply for grant amounts ranging from $25,000 to $200,000.