TAMPA, Fla. (March 28, 2019) – The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has selected 17 local education programs to receive more than $286,000 in grant funding. The programs focus on eliminating gaps in education accessibility and increasing school readiness.
The grants aid schools and organizations in increasing education accessibility to at-risk populations, developing leadership skills, preparing students for careers, and improving the mental and emotional well-being of students. The grants make it possible for organization to provide services to students and cover costs for programs and materials.
These grants align with the Community Foundation’s history of supporting educational programs. The $269,000 is in addition to almost $3 million granted by the Community Foundation and its donors from July 1 to December 31, 2018. In total, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay awards about $15 million each year to nonprofit organizations and, since its inception in 1990, has granted more than $215 million.
The Cypress Initiative received $37,500 in grant funding for its Speaking to the Potential, Ability and Resilience Inside Every Kid (S.P.A.R.K) Mentoring Program, which promotes the well-being of the lives of at-risk students in Hillsborough County Public Schools. Through S.P.A.R.K, students learn how to take personal responsibility in their education and relationships, and face life situations with a greater sense of purpose and confidence.
The grant will help fund S.P.A.R.K Mentoring Programs in five Southshore area middle and high schools. The program holds three classes per school with 25 students per class.
In addition, Pasco Education Foundation was awarded $40,000 for its Investing in Teaching and Leading Excellence for Greater Student Achievement Project. The project focuses on improving resources and professional development for teachers in Pasco County. It will also provide more professional development opportunities aimed at elevating high academic standards to help increase the success of students.
“We’re thankful for these organizations that are working to build a brighter future for Tampa Bay area students and teachers,” said Marlene Spalten, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay. “We’re grateful to be able to support programs that help fill educational gaps and provide development opportunities that are crucial to our communities.”
Additionally, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has awarded the following education grants:
• AMIkids’ Y.E.S. program received $25,000 to assist troubled youths through education, counseling and behavior changes. The program provides a clear path for kids to obtain a high school diploma or GED.
• AmSkills was granted $3,000 for its adult pre-apprenticeship program that addresses economic development workforce needs. It provides foundational skills training, manufacturing job exploration through hands-on projects, manufacturer tours, job placement, and on-going coaching for unemployed and underemployed people in Tampa Bay.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay was awarded $20,000 for its Town & County Initiative to support Morgan Woods Elementary School as an on-site location for its after-school program.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast received $10,000 for its Power Hour program, which helps young people develop academic, behavioral and social skills through homework completion, high-yield learning activities and tutoring for an hour a day.
• Champions for Children was awarded $10,000 for its Kids on the Block program. The program utilizes puppets to elicit conversations with children about bullying and abuse.
• Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was granted $10,000 for programs focused on education about economic crimes targeting seniors in Sun City Center.
• Hillsborough Community College Foundation received $19,500 for its Food 2 Finish program, which aims to remove the hunger barrier of students completing higher education by providing food banks for students on campus.
• Kiwanis of SouthShore was granted $6,000 to send 30 students leaders from Lennard and East Bay High Schools to the Kiwanis District Convention in Orlando. The students will learn about hard work, teamwork, school spirit and giving back to the community.
• Parents and Children Advance Together (PCAT) Literacy Ministries, Inc. received $21,282 for its PCAT literacy program, which expands programs in Ruskin and Wimauma Elementary Schools to help students’ reading levels.
• Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation was awarded $10,000 toward its Concept College Readiness program, which increases at-risk high school students’ interest and enrollment into college programs.
• Pinellas Education Foundation, a coalition of businesses and community leaders who collaborate to improve the quality of public education, received $6,809 for operational costs.
• Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) was granted $22,000 to hire a graduate support coordinator to support students and help them in completing high school.
• Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay received $25,504 to help increase involvement in its retired and senior volunteer program.
• Sun City Center Chapter 226 of the Military Order of the World Wars was granted $7,000 to sponsor 18 students to attend The Military Order of the World Wars Youth Leadership Conference.
• University of South Florida Foundation was awarded $22,988 for its research project on bedside optical monitoring of strokes.
About the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisors, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. For more than 25 years, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors as a way to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to award nearly $215 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.
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