Bethpage ($9.5 billion in assets, 414,044 members) redirected the $100,000 in funds from its provisions for unplanned needs and other sources within its overall $2 million annual budget for charity and sponsorships. It expects about 100 grants each year will receive funds.

The program is different for Bethpage in that it provides a way for youth to plan and execute projects that provide direct benefits to the community rather than spending their weekends serving pancakes, washing cars or selling chocolate.

"A lot of kids nowadays need to do community service projects, and they just don't have the resources to do it," Linda Armyn, Bethpage's SVP for corporate affairs, said.

"They come up with great ideas, but they don't have the money to execute on an idea."

That leads many to exhaust their other limited resource: Time. "They fall short because they spend so much time fundraising."

The mini-grants were developed by Bethpage's advocacy group, about 75 of its 730 employees, made up of senior managers to part-time tellers who team up for training and community service projects.

Bethpage's Difference Makers Committee will review all applications for grants and provide a volunteer mentor to grant recipients.

Bethpage Cares wants to support projects like organizing a beach cleanup, planting a community garden, or starting an anti-bullying campaign at school. It is encouraging applications from both individual students and student groups, such as after school clubs, honor societies, sports teams and community groups.

"Today's youth are both passionate and compassionate and we want to harness that energy and positivity for the good of everyone," Armyn said.

She said the grants were designed in part based on the process Scouts are required to follow to complete their service project to obtain the Eagle rank, the highest in Scouting.

Candidates must fill out an application that asks them to describe their project: "Include who it will benefit, where the project will take place, what you need to execute the project, describe the project goals and tell us why this is your passion."

The applicants then must identify non-profit groups or others who will participate, provide a timeline, detail the estimated costs, estimate maintenance needs, and, finally, ask for an amount between $250 and $5,000.

"We want thoughtful applications," Armyn said. "We don't want kids to rush it."

Since 2002, the credit union's Bethpage Cares program has helped employees volunteer more than 4,000 hours a year, supporting dozens of charitable organizations throughout New York.