The peer-to-peer Youth Enterprises Investment Fund was established to ensure a steady stream of income so that peers will be able to be a part of the economy.

The Fund will leverage several funding sources and build on them, such as City funding, school system funding, private corporate investors, private foundations, and individual investors.

The Fund is held at the Baltimore Community Foundation. People can invest in the Fund by clicking here. 

This Investment Fund acts as a venture capital fund to ensure the individual peer-to-peer groups are able to pay their participants. The Return on that investment is in the form of a Social Return on Investment.

In order learn more about applying for funding from the peer-to-peer Youth Enterprise Investment Fund, click here.

Funds will be distributed by an independent investment board, made up of business owners, young people, and public officials. 

An Investment Committee will help maintain and grow the Investment Fund.

 

  

Contact Information for P2PYE:

Odette Ramos: 443.801.8137 oramos@strategicmgmt.net

Chris Goodman: 443.957.5346 chris_byc@yahoo.com

 
 

 

NOTE: APPLICATIONS NOT ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME;

PLEASE CHECK BACK IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR UPDATES.

 

 
 

 

Groups that want to have a Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprise must submit a Business Proposal that contains the Sections in Bold below. Business Proposals can be any length, but must contain the following sections. Photos, videos, etc are encouraged, but you will not get these materials back.

You are encouraged to work with the Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprise Fund Business Manager before submitting a business plan.

Business Plans can be submitted at any time, but the Investment Board meets bi-monthly.Business Plans should outline the costs needed for one year, and other funds the Enterprise has obtained.  An Enterprise can only submit one business plan per year for the same enterprise. If the enterprise is starting a new peer-to-peer component, or emergency funds are needed for some reason, please contact the Busness Manager at (look for updates soon) to inquire about the process.

Business Plans should include:

      

 

Product or Service: Description of Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprise, and where it takes place

      

Size and scope: Numbers of young people affected (those paid, and those served by paid peers.) and ages.

How this enterprise reaches “the underserved”: Underserved means peers who do not have the access and connections to resources that others do.  Please describe what "underserved" means to your Enterprise, the population the Enterprise serves more specifically, and how the Peer-to-Peer work benefits this underserved population.

“Underserved” can include, but is not limited to:

  • Baltimore City resident

  • Economics of target population = _% of poverty line

  • Youth who are from low performing schools (e.g. restructuring implementation status for school improvement)

  • Etc.

    

How the Knowledge transfer happens:

  • How the youth participating in the Enterprise will become experts in the relevant field

  • How the youth experts are transferring their knowledge to other peers

  • How the youth participating are interacting with peers to impart their expertise

  • How the Enterprise benefits the community.

    

Management: Peer or adult capacity or track record for managing the Enterprise.

   

Marketing: Evidence of target audience for paid peers, peers served, and market for service (i.e. in school, neighborhood, or sector specified by the enterprise).

    

Budget: Costs of the Enterprise. Costs associated with an Enterprise could include any one or more of the following:

  • Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises – funds to pay the peers as staff

  • Paid peers: ages 10-13 (stipends) and 14-24 (stipends or formal wages) to serve other young people
    Peers served: under 24 years old.

  • Salary of adult staff and other supplies as needed to ensure a successful Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprise.

  • Full or part-time staff who were once paid peers in the program, and then “aged out.” The organization in effect creates a career ladder for the Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprise.

  

Return: Quantified Social Return On Investment (SROI) and other evidence of expected returns.

(see Social Return page for details).