March 15 Deadline To Apply For Grant To Support Trailblazing High School Leaders Pursuing Transformative Change 

In full transparency, the following is a press release submitted to SOURCE media.

***

BOSTON – As many pandemic restrictions ease, it has created a pull for schools to return to the way things were before COVID-19.

High school and system leaders face a tough decision: seize the opportunity to make changes that will lead to more equitable outcomes for students or return to the status quo.

Barr Foundation, a nonprofit focused on helping all students thrive in and beyond high school, is seeking up to 10 grantees for “Meeting the Moment: Transforming the High School Experience.”

High school and system leaders from all over New England are invited to submit a proposal for up to $100,000 to support internal learning and planning, stakeholder engagement, and project management from July 2023-July 2024. 

“Now is the time to challenge the status quo and move towards a vision of educational excellence that our students deserve,” says Barr Foundation Director of Education Jenny Curtin. “Too often, school and system structures, policies, practices, and belief systems limit access to opportunity and contribute to inequitable outcomes for students of color, low-income students, students learning English, and students with special needs.” Barr is seeking applicants that are ready to embrace this pivotal moment and are open to new possibilities for fundamental change at both the high school and system level. They must also have a significant or fast-growing percentage of high need students, and/or a plan to center the needs of students not currently being served well by the current school model.  

Grantees will receive financial support and will participate in a community of practice that allows them to develop both a vision of excellence and an implementation strategy to make that vision a reality.

[broadstreet zone=”66385″]

The work will have three phases with aligned supports from national experts, at no cost to the grantees: 

• Learn (Fall 2023) – Deepen collective capacity to understand and respond to the students served; utilize and enhance leadership experiences; and identify how policies, practices, and organizational systems contribute to or prevent students from thriving in our schools. 

• Dream (Winter 2024) – See what’s possible through interactions with and visits to bright spot schools/districts. 

• Plan (Spring 2024) – Develop a plan for a transformed high school experience and system customized to the local context. 

For more information or to apply for the program, visit the website or email  EducationRFP@barrfoundation.org.

Applications will be open through March 15 at 5pm.  

The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, and connect all students to success in high school and beyond. Learn more at barrfoundation.org.