Contribution will be used to support education and equity issues as well as address other critical needs
PHILADELPHIA, PA — (October 2, 2020) — The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia (The Fund) announced it received a $1.5 million unrestricted grant from the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. The contribution will be used to help address educational and equity issues across the District that have only been heightened by today’s crises.
Among other initiatives, the grant will help support the District’s Equity Coalition, a newly established program designed to create more equitable schools and eliminate practices that uphold privilege and power among students, faculty, and staff. The coalition was formed in response to the growing movement for racial justice, furthering conversations about equity and access that go beyond the digital divide. The funding also will be put toward an analysis of needed supports, hiring more educators of color, and the creation of a new fellowship program.
“We knew we needed to turn a challenging moment into an opportunity and be effective for our students and the District,” said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, president and CEO of The Fund. “We have been fortunate to have a longstanding partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal, which was willing to provide a contribution to help us with the decision-making and needs that best serve our students, as they face challenges like never before. Nonprofits are rarely given unrestricted funds, particularly from corporate donors, so we knew we had to maximize this opportunity with creative solutions.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close last spring, the achievement gap that so many of our City’s students face threatened to be exacerbated. This grant gives students who attend the 220 District-run public schools additional resources to help them succeed despite these barriers and will provide operational efficiencies that are vital to delivering education to students, as well as support for teachers and administrators too, as schools have been forced to rethink even their most basic teaching models.
“The dedication of partners such as the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation truly makes our school communities thrive,” said William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D., superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. “We appreciate the company’s support and know that, especially during these unprecedented times, this assistance will go a long way in helping us continue to make progress towards delivering high quality education for children throughout Philadelphia.”
The pandemic has required all sectors to adapt and remain flexible, with an emphasis on cross-sector collaboration. The City’s corporate and philanthropic communities are working together with the District to meaningfully prepare students for an increasingly digitized future and to forge more equitable spaces.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Comcast saw the need to be part of major solutions in its hometown and these solutions require everyone working together – the public, private and philanthropic sectors,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. “Through this commitment to The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, we continue to make investments to create a more equitable playing field for our students and our communities.”
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About The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia
The Fund is a nonprofit connecting the private sector with the School District of Philadelphia. We align investing partners – private foundations, corporations and businesses, community organizations and individual donors – with District leadership to achieve schools’ plans and strategies. There are three pillars to what we do: champion strategic priorities, manage funds and facilitate partnerships. By coordinating these efforts, The Fund helps students in the District succeed and reach their full potential.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Barbara Beck
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