Little, Rick R.

Rick R. Little is president and chief executive of the ImagineNations Group and founder of the International Youth Foundation (IYF). At the age of 19, he convinced the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to grant him $133,000 to develop a school-based program to offer young people positive and productive ways to face life challenges. This grant resulted in the founding of his first organization, Quest International, in 1975. Little served as its creator, president, and CEO. Quest programs, implemented in more than 38,000 schools in over 30 countries, provide a set of programs teaching life skills.

In 1989, Little was invited to work with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, where he led a process involving hundreds of leaders from more than 30 countries. People from business, philanthropy, education, government, and social services, as well as young people themselves, gave him advice that resulted in the establishment of the IYF in 1990. It was launched with the largest charitable investment ever made by the Kellogg Foundation—more than $68 million. IYF is now among the world's largest public foundations focused on finding and supporting “what works” for young people. IYF operates in more than 60 countries and territories. Its global network invests more than $135 million annually in hundreds of youth development projects.

Little also serves as Chairman of the Oversight Board of the Global Alliance (GA) for Workers and Communities, a unique partnership of private, public, and nongovernmental organizations. The alliance seeks to improve the workplace experience and life opportunities of young adult workers in global manufacturing. More than 200,000 workers in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and China have been engaged in GA programs.

As founder and current president of the ImagineNations Group, Little leads an organization that partners with individuals and organizations to engage youth in envisioning better lives for themselves. To provide youth with an outlet for their voices to be heard, ImagineNations and its partners will survey close to a million young people in the developing world. The results of the survey will be disseminated through nationally focused social awareness campaigns serving to inform and influence policy and program development as well as donor agency involvement. ImagineNations and its partners will also direct young people to practical opportunities and resources that empower them with an improved ability to improve their lives and the lives of others.

Currently, Little serves as a member of the United Nations' 12-person High-Level Panel advising Secretary General Kofi Annan on youth employment issues, and he sits on the boards of the IYF, the Balkan Children and Youth Foundation, the German Children and Youth Foundation, FilmAid, and the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy. He was also the founding president and a member of the founding board of America's Promise. He has received numerous awards, including the Scrivner Award from the Council on Foundation, and is currently writing a book on tolerance with Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordon.

Little's 25-year career has brought the gift of hope to literally millions of young people around the world. His faith in the potential of every young child to develop positively has been confirmed and rewarded by the countless young people whose lives have been significantly enhanced by his vision, passion, creativity, energy, and unique world leadership. His efforts on the world stage have contributed to bringing the positive, healthy development of children to the forefront of concern among leaders of civil society and of government. Rick Little's career stands as the exemplar of how the dedication of one person can change the work on behalf of young people.

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