This past summer was an exciting and record-breaking year at DYCD! Respectively, through the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and Ladders for Leaders, more than 70,000 youth participants and 1,800 interns worked with some of New York City's most dynamic employers. Check out what our participants shared about their experiences!

If you need an afterschool program in your neighborhood, or need information on improving reading skills or finding the nearest community center, DYCD funds a wide range of high-quality programs for youth of all ages. Visit our official website, check out discoverDYCD, or call the Youth Connect hotline at 800-246-4646, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm, to find your local program.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships, announced a four-year $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to integrate child-care support and parent coaching into its services for young parents who are out-of-work and out-of-school. New York City will invest an additional $316,000 in the New York City Performance Partnership Pilot (NYCP3), developed by the NYC Center for Youth Employment (CYE) in partnership with the NYC Children' s Cabinet, DYCD, and the Administration for Children' s Services (ACS). NYCP3 offers family-friendly support to help young parents achieve their employment and education goals—including, but not limited to, high school equivalency preparation, occupational skills training, and child care.

We are proud to announce that DYCD's discoverDYCD has been named Best Application Serving the Public by the Center for Digital Government. This is a prestigious honor for our agency, and it acknowledges, in particular, the great work of our IT team and all staff involved in the design and delivery of our public-facing application. The award will be presented at a special ceremony on the closing day of the New York Digital Government Summit in Albany on Friday, September 22.

NYC's largest street festival takes over Downtown Brooklyn for its 43rd year, with 10 blocks of food, performers, art, and more. Peruse dozens of Brooklyn-based food vendors, craft breweries, and artisanal shops, and try to catch all the acts at performance stages while burning a hole in your pocket with all the provisions. Pace yourself. A full list of event details can be found here.

As a scholarship seeker, you're probably already well aware of the importance of an education. But what about the naysayers? Have you come across someone who's tried to talk you out of college, saying that it's not worth it? The Education Matters Scholarship is giving you the chance to state why education matters. Submit your online answer here; deadline is November 30.

Since 2004, the Idealist Grad Fairs have been helping prepare the next generation of nonprofit leaders by connecting thousands of prospective students with hundreds of admissions representatives across the nation. The fair is free and open to anyone interested. To learn more, click here.

Workforce1 is hosting its Fall Employment Fair on Wednesday, September 27, at the Bronx Campus of Metropolitan College of New York. They will have opportunities in retail, security, construction, social service, and more. Register for free using Eventbrite.

Community college can be one of the most cost-effective options for people looking to start or change their careers; however, tuition can still be a large burden for many individuals. To help those with high financial need, SR Education Group is awarding two $2,500 community college scholarships. Click here to view the two open-ended, personal, and thought-provoking questions you will have to answer to be considered for this scholarship.

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is an intensive weeklong educational experience and scholarship sponsored by the United States Senate for outstanding high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. If you are a high school junior or senior already serving as an elected official in your student body or other state or community organization, you may already be qualified to apply.

Stonewall Foundation is proud to offer grants that benefit LGBTQ individuals who have a need for support. These microgrants range from $25 to $650, with some flexibility depending on the request. Right now, microgrants are made exclusively through the Bee Winkler Weinstein Fund, and are awarded to help young women that have lost family support because of their sexual orientation or gender identity to become self-sufficient. For more information, click here.

Project Learning Tree is offering grants of up to $1,000 to schools and youth organizations that link classroom projects with the environment. Students implement an action project that they help design to "green" their school or to improve an aspect of their neighborhood's environment. Application due September 30.

The Brooklyn Arts Council is offering up to $5,000 to local artists in Brooklyn who seek to improve their neighborhood through a community-based art project. Application due September 20. More information can be found here.

Partnership for Parks is offering up to $5,000 to strengthen membership, outreach, and project planning in community groups that are dedicated to improving their neighborhood parks. Application due October 1.