Education
Education can help break the cycle of poverty.
Providing at-risk children and youth with academic opportunities helps prepare them for a stable and productive future. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide or supplement a high-quality education from kindergarten through high school.
Geographic Focus Areas
The Foundation supports Education projects only in its priority communities.
Priorities
The Foundation supports in-school and out-of-school STEM programs and programs proven to improve math proficiency, in order to prepare youth for evolving workforce needs that require STEM literacy.
Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:
- STEM programs, either in or out-of-school, that engage students in project-based learning. Programs should be able to demonstrate the academic impact of this work.
- Intensive, evidence-based math interventions proven to increase students’ math scores. Please note that the Foundation will not fund curriculum only.
- Construction of STEM spaces, including labs, makerspaces, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) centers.
The Foundation supports after-school, weekend, and summer programs for students, kindergarten through grade 12. Funded programs must have an academic component with demonstrated academic outcomes.
Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:
- After-school, weekend, or summer programs that work with students for a minimum of six weeks over the summer and one year during the school year and blend academic learning with enriching activities to increase academic achievement, school attendance, and positive social behavior.
- Summer programs that blend academic learning with enriching activities and provide nutritious meals, as well as opportunities for physical activity. See Summer Funding Collaborative for more information.
- Job opportunities that introduce teens to the workforce and teach soft skills necessary for work and life. Ideally these programs will have opportunities for advancement, continued involvement, or handoff to another employer.
The Foundation supports programs that assist students in developing a post-secondary plan and position them for success after graduation from high school.
Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:
- College access programs that help students and families navigate the college application and admissions processes, including SAT/ACT testing, financial aid, and scholarship access. Priority will be shown to programs that also help students persist through college to obtain a degree.
- Career technology education (CTE) programs that help students achieve an industry-recognized certification that will allow them to graduate from high school in a position to enter the workforce and eventually earn a family-sustaining wage.
I like hands-on stuff. And science is kinda like, you get to learn about the world… It’s a lifelong thing that you’ll take with you.
How to Apply
The Foundation has an online application process for all capital, program, and operating grant requests. To learn more about how to apply, including eligibility, click the link below.
If you have a visual impairment or any difficulty in navigating our grants intake tool, please email grantsintake@hjweinberg.org. We will be pleased to assist you.
Key Initiatives
The Foundation has committed $15 million to this multi-year, collaborative effort involving more than 30 community and government partners. The Library Project builds or transforms Baltimore City Public School libraries in neighborhoods where many students face academic and economic challenges. By 2024, the Library Project will serve nearly 9,000 students, as well as their families, through 19 new libraries (17 completed to date) and will have leveraged more than $30 million in additional federal, state, and local funds.
To see the new libraries (as well as the “before” pictures) and to learn more about the Library Project, please click here.
This more than $3 million annual partnership, which has grown to include nearly a dozen funders each year, has distributed more than $22 million in grants over the last six years, including nearly $8 million from the Weinberg Foundation. The SFC supports high-quality summer programs for children and youth. Programs address one or more of the following areas: literacy; STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math); youth employment; college and career readiness; environmental education; health and overcoming stress and trauma; and enrichment, including sports and arts programming.
Contact Information
If you have any questions, or require any additional information regarding the grant process, please contact grantsintake@hjweinberg.org.