YMCA of the USA has announced an enhanced relaunch of the Character Development Learning Initiative (CDLI+), an innovative character-nurturing program focused on building positive character traits in young people across the nation. The initiative is made possible through a $30 million investment by Lilly Endowment Inc. This grant empowers Y-USA to scale impactful character development programs to more than 450 Y locations across the country and engage 400,000 youth by 2029.
CDLI+ is being funded through Character Development Through Youth Programs, an initiative designed to help youth-serving organizations create, test, implement, and sustain strategies that support character development in the young people they serve in chapters and affiliates throughout the nation. Y-USA is one of eight organizations being funded through the initiative.
Building on the foundation of the original Character Development Learning Institute, which was piloted in 2016-2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down normal operations, CDLI+ will amplify the Y’s commitment to fostering positive character traits in young people across the United States. This initiative revitalizes and expands the Y’s approach, incorporating research-driven practices, inclusive environments and robust evaluation methods designed to enhance character-building skills among youth.
With support from Lilly Endowment, Y-USA and the CDLI+ program aims to:
- Strengthen Adult Practices: Train Y staff and volunteers nationwide to model empathy, emotion management, responsibility, and leadership while building environments conducive to the growth of these skills.
- Expand Program Reach: Engage 400,000 youth in character-building activities by the end of 2029 while also measuring positive outcomes.
- Ensure Equitable Impact: Embed the Y’s “Equity for All” strategy into all program elements, fostering inclusive environments that reflect and celebrate diversity.
“Through CDLI+, we are expanding the Y’s capacity to prepare young people for success in school, their careers and their lives,” said Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of Y-USA.
“From the earliest days of its grantmaking, the Endowment has supported projects to encourage character development, especially among young people,” said Ted Maple, the Endowment’s vice president for education and youth programs. “We are heartened by the thoughtful and strategic approaches these youth-serving organizations are taking to support children and youth in developing character traits that will be important for them in their future roles as individuals, family members and citizens.”
CDLI+ is expected to become the largest national character development initiative of its kind, with plans to involve 35,000 adult practitioners and reach youth in communities across the country. This initiative underscores Y-USA’s commitment to nurturing resilience, integrity and leadership in youth, positioning the Y as a leader in character development for generations to come.