LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Nicole Sullivan
President, Youth Frontiers
“There’s a thread you follow. It goes among things that change. But it doesn’t change.” These words from William Stafford beautifully capture the spirit of our work at YF this past year. Our mission to inspire character has remained firm in a world of constant shifts, anchoring us as we navigate growth, innovate new solutions, and cultivate curiosity.
This year, we have woven significant organizational threads into our fabric, marked by an expansion of the YF team. We welcomed a new Director of Finance and Operations, alongside several key roles, and successfully completed the YF Revitalization Project. This thoughtful initiative restructured our organization, enhancing clarity in roles, career development, and our capacity to meet the growing needs of our community through our expanded mission.
Thanks to your generous support, we exceeded our fiscal year fundraising goals, further strengthening our collective impact. This enabled us to maintain healthy reserves, which is increasingly critical in a tumultuous economic environment, especially for nonprofits. We are also grateful for a second year of donor investment into the YF Legacy Fund, which will enable us to innovate and launch key initiatives that wouldn’t otherwise be possible within the constraints of our general operating budget.
We invite you to review this year’s annual report and celebrate the impact on the more than 2 million people we’ve reached since YF’s founding in 1987. Together, we will continue to grow, nurture our communities, and make a difference in the lives of the students, educators, and leaders we serve every day.
FISCAL YEAR 2024
HIGHLIGHTS
July 1, 2023
—
June 30, 2024
472
retreats and programs spread character this year.
63,770
students, educators and leaders across the Midwest and beyond experienced our retreats.
335
schools partnered with us to inspire character and build community.
8,333
volunteers participated in our student retreats, completing over 43,000 hours of service.
LETTER FROM THE CEO
Joe Cavanaugh
Founder & CEO, Youth Frontiers
As I reflect on the challenges facing our community and young people today, I believe there is one essential trait that leaders need now more than ever — moral courage.
Moral courage means standing up for what is right instead of going along with what is easy. In today’s society, it’s easy to demonize the other, to point fingers, to stay in our comfort zones with people who think exactly like us.
It’s much harder to remain in community. It takes courage to listen to others and remain in relationship, even when it’s difficult. YF’s mission focuses on reweaving the torn fabric of our community.
YF accomplishes this by fostering connection every day. We remain dedicated to building character through our trusted student and educator programs, and now, we are expanding our efforts with innovative offerings for adults, such as our Parent Academy and the Geometry of a Leader Retreat.
I am also personally leaning on the character trait of courage. At this point in my life and leadership, I am called to speak more boldly, more firmly and with greater courage when issues arise that demand a response grounded in character. As YF continues to thrive with the next generation of leaders, I will be spending much of my energy and time out in the community, championing character-driven leadership.
Your support has been crucial in helping us inspire and challenge over two million students, educators and leaders to live with character since YF began in 1987. Thank you for showing courage through your actions. We continue to do this work because, like you, we believe that character matters — and that it can and must be inspired.