Several states, including Michigan, have legislation in place that allows youth to serve on the board of a non-profit organization. In Michigan, youth ages 16 – 17 can serve on the board of a non-profit as a full, voting member of the organization. In fact, in Michigan 50 youth serve on community foundation boards as voting members. The Michigan Community Foundations Youth Project Committee encourages each YAC to have at least one YAC member serving as a voting member on their community foundation’s board of trustees.
House Bill 5906 – Michigan Youth on Boards Act – Passed in 1998, this legislation gave youth in Michigan the right to serve as voting members on the boards of non-profit organizations.
Community Foundation Bylaws Regarding Youth on Boards – Developed by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, this resource provides an example of bylaw language used to address differences for a youth trustee on the community foundation’s board.
Legal Opinion on Youth on Boards and Scholarship Eligibility – An opinion from the Council of Michigan Foundations’ legal counsel, this memo explains under what circumstances youth board members of a community foundation can still be eligible for scholarships from the community foundation.
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