NC S721

Establishes the Youth Mentoring Grant Program within the Department of Health and Human Services to address youth mentoring service gaps and sustain community-based mentoring programs.

Creates the Youth Mentoring Services Council with at least seven members including representatives from DHHS, Department of Public Instruction, schools, courts, and nonprofit mentoring organizations to administer the program.

Grants funds available only to nonprofit organizations that actively recruit mentors for minimum one-year commitments of 2-3 hours weekly, conduct criminal background checks, provide mentor training, and match mentors to youth in high-risk situations.

Requires grant recipients to match every $5 in grant funds with $1 in non-grant funds and implement evaluation methods to measure program impacts and outcomes.

Appropriates $1,500,000 in nonrecurring funds for each year of the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, with priority given to COVID-19 pandemic recovery services; act becomes effective July 1, 2021.