The Recovery Summer Coalition (the Coalition), facilitated by Early Milestones Colorado (Early Milestones) and Colorado Education Initiative (CEI), is pleased to announce 11 grants to fund regional equity-centered efforts that leverage the upcoming summer for supporting Colorado children and families. An estimated 4,000 youth will be impacted by the efforts of nearly 75 organizations. These grants were made possible by $350,000 in joint funding from Caring for Colorado Foundation and Rose Community Foundation.
Formed in January, the Coalition of nonprofit and education organizations, communities and individuals called on policymakers and convened to developed strategies toward a new approach for summer programming. Partners emphasized a shared urgency for whole child programs rooted in equity, engagement and wellness for students and their families. From the resulting request for proposals, the Coalition received 24 funding applications. Eleven grantees were selected to receive between $10,000 and $40,000 for community- and place-based initiatives.
Facing unprecedented challenges created by more than a year of global pandemic conditions, grantees demonstrated creativity in engaging with the students and families who most need enhanced offerings. Funds will help these organizations strengthen and expand programs to provide more equitable access and support ahead of the 2021-2022 academic year.
“These grantees will offer the most innovative, student- and family-focused programming designed to accelerate a summer of recovery for Colorado,” said Early Milestones Executive Director Jennifer Stedron.
“We have seen exceptional collaboration by a cross sector of schools, districts and statewide partners to reach and serve more students and families, particularly those disengaged during the pandemic, and offer support to those who have traditionally experienced difficulty accessing such programs,” added CEI President and CEO Rebecca Holmes.
Recovery Summer grantee programs address a range of needs including:
- Onsite or virtual mental health services to provide high school students with academic and social-emotional support;
- School- and science center-based learning and enrichment opportunities for youngsters through fifth grade; and
- Purposeful summer programming for early childhood education in socio-economically disadvantaged areas via a mobile preschool program, eliminating cost and travel barriers.
“With the influx of education relief funding, including our Recovery Summer grants, Colorado has a breakthrough opportunity to collectively redesign Colorado’s education systems and supports to emphasize whole student and family needs,” said Holmes.
The Coalition aims to use successes and lessons learned from these initiatives to fuel future system-level innovation for engaging students and families both during and outside the traditional school year.
A few of the Recovery Summer grantees:
The Powerhouse and La Plata County: Expanding engagement and improved academic performance for students who traditionally have difficulty accessing summer learning opportunities. Community partners will build on relationships with youth-serving organizations to provide richer experiences for students and parents and expand work in Outlying Communities [Aztec (NM), Cortez, Ignacio, Mancos, Pagosa Springs, Silverton, and Towaoc].
United Way of Southwest Colorado: Empowering and supporting students to improve confidence, communication, respect for others, empathy, problem-solving, and their ability to self-regulate, while also providing accessible academic and enrichment support ahead of the next school year.
Adams 12 Five Star Schools/Five Star Explores: Providing opportunities for academic enrichment, offering students a broad array of services, programs, and activities designed to reinforce and complement school-year instructional strategies. This initiative also aims to meet technology-specific needs for participating students.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo: Meeting the needs of working families through increased hours (additional 2.5 hours daily) and number of youth served (additional 60 youth daily). Programs aim to improve social and emotional wellness, math and literacy, and meaningful family engagement, confidence, and capacity.
Summit 54 (Roaring Fork): Collaborating with recreational partners to provide Friday field trips and Outdoor Experiential Learning with a focus on expanding support to include 6th graders and increasing social and emotional training.
You Be You Early Learning (Aurora): Providing purposeful summer programming to 16 early childhood education (ECE) students in a socio-economically disadvantaged area and eliminating cost and travel barriers. This effort will evaluate the mobile ECE model for program expansion to other underserved communities, grow partnerships to connect parents with tools and services; and develop a clear network accessible to parents.
For more information about the Recovery Summer Coalition and grantee programs, visit ColoradoSummerCoalition.org.