Local grant program provides funding to City Schools principals to celebrate and honor their staff
The Heart of the School Fund, a grant program for school enhancement projects, announced today the awarding of over $100,000 in grants to 58 Baltimore City principals for projects that recognize and thank their school staff. The grant program is part of the Heart of the Schools, a year-round program managed by the Fund for Educational Excellence, that recognizes and supports Baltimore City Public School principals through grants, recognition and events.
The grants, each ranging from $1,500 to $2,500, will allow schools to commemorate staff for their hard work and dedication to their students. Projects include end of the year celebrations, teacher room makeovers, wellness days and team building retreats.
“Given how challenging the past two years have been, we spoke with staff in Baltimore City Public Schools to identify additional means of support that we could provide to help the broader school community,” said Kevin Leary, senior program director at the Fund for Educational Excellence, who manages the Heart of the Schools program. “What we heard was how much school staff would appreciate flexible funding to come together and celebrate each other.”
Based on these discussions, the Heart of the Schools decided to dedicate the May Heart of the School Fund grant round to recognize and support teachers. Heart of the School Fund grants are distributed six times throughout the year to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their students’ learning, their staff’s growth and their schools. Since 2016, the Heart of the Schools has provided grants for over 175 principal-identified projects that might not otherwise have been funded.
“It’s been a difficult two years for teachers, and we’re glad to be part of efforts recognizing their heroic work,” said Roger Schulman, president and CEO for the Fund for Educational Excellence. “We’re grateful to be able to step in and help fund these projects that would be otherwise difficult for schools to fund with their public dollars.”
The Heart of the School Fund is a part of a broader year-round Heart of the Schools program honoring City Schools principals for their exemplary innovation, execution and leadership inbuilding strong school cultures. Coordinated and managed by the Fund for Educational Excellence, the program is a collaborative of dozens of businesses, foundations, individuals and nonprofits.
Those interested in learning more and supporting the Heart of the Schools program can find more information online at https://www.heartoftheschools.
The Fund for Educational Excellence believes that all Baltimore City Public School students deserve an excellent and equitable education. Through its relationships with the school district and philanthropic, corporate, and community leaders, the Fund builds support for school system improvements, promotes racially equitable public policy and practice, attracts and oversees philanthropic investments, and manages innovative programs that support City Schools’ students and communities. The nonprofit, founded in 1984, serves as Baltimore’s independent public education fund and works for every student to reach their full potential. To learn more, visit ffee.org.
