LITERACY-RICH ENVIRONMENTS
We fund efforts to provide high-quality, literacy-rich programming and environments for children throughout the city. Grants were awarded to:

  • Four organizations to continue high-quality summer literacy programing for students in neighborhoods across the city.
    • - Drexel University to expand the Summer K Bridge summer program to North Philadelphia. ($156,000 over 2 years)
    • - Read to Succeed (fiscally sponsored by Fund for the School District of Philadelphia) to support efforts to recruit and retain qualified educators for the Read to Succeed summer program. ($314,000 over 2 years)
    • - Mt. Airy USA to strengthen implementation of the Holman Field Summer Reading Camp program. ($38,000 over 2 years)
    • - Tree House Books to serve additional children through the Words on Wheels summer program. ($125,000 over 2 years)

 

  • Barnes Foundation to develop a strategic plan for a multi-institution network that advances informal learning in Philadelphia. ($200,000 over 18 months)
  • Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation to promote playful learning strategies statewide to create environments that support early literacy and child development. ($50,000 over 9 months)
  • Mount Vernon Manor Inc. to relocate Urban Thinkscape to the Belmont Commons Cultural Activities Park supporting playful learning and early literacy at the new community space. ($110,000 over 12 months)
  • Mt. Airy USA to create videos documenting the community engagement and implementation of the Literacy-Rich Neighborhoods Initiative. ($20,000 over 12 months)
  • Temple University-College of Education to conduct a qualitative evaluation of summer literacy programming. ($289,550 over 30 months)
  • Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association to improve the quality of literacy programming and distribute literacy-rich activities and resources to young children and families in the Oxford Circle neighborhood. ($298,836 over 24 months)
  • Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network (fiscally sponsored by Ultimate Block Party, Inc.) to create and pilot a toolkit that communities can use to evaluate the impacts of playful learning installations. ($99,400 over 18 months)

 

If you have questions about our Literacy-Rich Environments portfolio, please contact Amanda Charles.

 

QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTERS
We fund projects that expand high-quality early childhood education settings, improve the quality of existing centers, and enhance the infrastructure that supports enrollment of all children in high-quality settings and their transition to kindergarten. Grants were awarded to:

 

if you have questions about our Quality Early Childhood Education Centers portfolio, please contact Kellie Brown.

 

STRONG K-3 LITERACY INSTRUCTIONS
We fund the growth of knowledge and skills of educators to support the literacy growth of students from kindergarten through the third grade, and to promote strong models of instruction for educators to learn from each other. A grants was awarded to:

  • Book Trust to continue a reading program that allows kindergarten through third grade students in the School District of Philadelphia to select books monthly to build their home libraries. ($700,000 over 24 months)

 

If you have questions about our K-3 Literacy Instruction portfolio, please email Ebony English.

 

QUALIFIED EDUCATORS
We fund policies, programs, and systems that prepare and support high-quality teachers to work with our children. Grants were awarded to:

  • College Unbound to support a TA (Teaching Assistant) to BA (Bachelor of Arts) program in Philadelphia, which enables paraprofessionals to earn their bachelor’s degree and emergency teacher certification. ($320,000 over 24 months)
  • National Center on Education and the Economy to support research and communication efforts for the “PA Needs Teachers Campaign.” ($110,000 over 12 months)

 

If you have questions about our Qualified Educators portfolio, please contact Ebony English.

 

ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
We support coordinated statewide efforts to advocate for the development and maintenance of policies that appropriately provide resources for schools, centers, and educational environments. Grants were awarded to:

 

If you have questions about our Advocacy and Public Information portfolio, please contact Jennifer Stavrakos.

 

HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION
Through our High School Completion strategy, we support projects that help students transition into high school and the implementation of evidence-based pathways to high school completion. A grant was awarded to:

 

If you have questions about our High School Completion portfolio, please contact Ebony English.