Posted by Zach Grossnickle — April 13, 2020
From closing the education gap to bringing more undeserved youth into STEM, this year’s K-12 Education Grant finalists are working hard to ensure all students — regardless of income or race —graduate from high school ready to succeed in college or a career. SVP’s New Grant Committee reviewed a many competitive applications, as well as conducted phone interviews with the top candidates before selecting the following four finalists.
Over the coming weeks, SVP’s New Grant Committee will (virtually) visit these nonprofits to learn more about their work and meet their teams. Then, the difficult decision-making process to select one organization as SVP’s next Investee. The Investee will receive an unrestricted grant with the intention of multi-year funding. The grant will be coupled with capacity building support to strengthen the organization for greater impact.
If you are interested in participating in SVP’s next grant committee, kicking off in the fall, please email Hana Gregory.
Somali Parent Education Board
Mission: To close the education gap by promoting parent leaders in the education system. Partner with parent leaders, providing workshops, inform parents about policy changes at the local, state, and federal levels in the education system.
SPEB works with Somali parents and students to embrace their dual culture while navigating the education system. They also collectively collaborate with existing organizations that share similar values as SPEB to make meaningful and positive influences to shift the education system. SPEB also partners with schools to develop culturally responsive methods to communicate/include parent voices.
SPEB’s Current State: SPEB has been mobilizing Community Ambassadors, Institute leaders and SPEB staff to establish drop-off sites in South King County neighborhoods. They have been creating new partnerships with organizations to provide more resources to families in need. They are brainstorming with our Institute team to provide the Learning Institute remotely through webinars and Zoom calls. Currently, they are gathering information from each Cohort member and assessing how they can accomplish this. Ensuring Institute Cohort members have access to devices and the internet to support remote learning.
How to Support SPEB:
SPEB is taking donations for tablets and hotspot access-For Cohort members that do not have access to the internet or technology to participate in our webinars/Zoom calls. Please continue to share our donation link with your network, post to your website and newsletters.
Support SPEB — Learn more about SPEB
Stem Pathways Innovation Network
Mission: To increase student and community access to STEM and build culturally relevant collaboration and problem-solving skills that will support underserved youth and communities to succeed in STEM-based fields.
SPIN’s Current State: SPIN is in conversation with their communities and has used surveys to understand their communities growing needs. They feel that now is the time to leapfrog over bureaucracy and get technology into the hands of kiddos and their families so they can access online tools and connect with their teachers and classmates
SPIN has a direct connection to families and students who need help now. From single moms trying to help multiple kids access distance learning through a single smartphone, to newly arrived immigrant families who intended to rely on driving Lyft and Uber and are now left somewhat unmoored over the past few weeks.
How to support SPIN: SPIN has mobilized to deploy laptops and hotspots to a limited number of families at Northgate as well as across Southeast Seattle. However, many more laptops, tablets and hotspots are needed as soon as possible. Please consider donating equipment or funds to support the purchase and deployment of this equipment. There are almost too many online resources to support kids in learning right now. There is way too few pieces of hardware and organizations with direct connections to support families. SPIN believes that now is the time, as one of the most technologically oriented cities on the planet, to close the digital divide for our most vulnerable families.
Support SPIN — Learn more about SPIN
Congolese Integration Network
Mission: Congolese Integration Network is a non-profit organization in South Seattle led by and for Congolese immigrants and refugees.
CIN provides our community members with access to critical resources including housing assistance, interpretation services, and employment support. By bringing community together and advocating for their health and well-being, they facilitate the social, economic, cultural, and spiritual integration of Congolese immigrants and refugees into their homes in Washington state.
CIN’s Current State: CIN has pivoted their services to help their communities emerging needs. They have seen a spike in unemployment, food insecurities and technology gaps. The CIN staff have worked tirelessly to help provide support and fill in the gaps that they see and keep emerging. The staff are doing door to door food and essential material delivers to their community members.
How to Support CIN: Now that the schools are not resuming for the rest of the school year, they are seeing the gap of access to technology that their students are facing. They need hotspots, tablets, laptops for their students to access internet and online lessons.
Support CIN — Learn more about CIN
South East Seattle Education Coalition
Mission: Our mission is to rally communities of color and allies to improve Southeast Seattle schools, so all students succeed, and all families are empowered.
SESEC’s Current State: SESEC has transitioned its main in-person programs to virtual programs. They are focusing on the emerging needs of their community members. They are supporting their community by helping highlight the different resources and information that has been circulating around the Seattle Public School region. With the vast amount of resources popping up it has become overwhelming for parents and families to navigate. Keeping to their values they are a hub for families to receive reliable information and resources.
How to Support SESEC: SESEC is facilitating a Tech Exchange to support our students and families of color in their ability to transition to online learning as we move forward through this adaptation process. In order to do so, they will be taking requests for technology from partners (teachers, organizations, etc.) and donations to be distributed out to families. They have two separate forms to access in order to track requests and donations while they match people up based on need and what is available: Donation Form and Request Form