Philanthropy Corner
Philanthropy Corner
MacKenzie Scott gifts $7 million to support family engagement
Thanks to a $7 million gift to Parents as Teachers from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, which is the largest single gift in the organization’s 40-year history, the nonprofit will be able to invest in critical infrastructure that will support the sustainable growth and enhancement of services. A priority of Scott’s giving is to fund organizations that directly support communities. The gift is an affirmation of Parents as Teachers’ decades-long commitment to improving the lives of children and families across the country.
MacKenzie Scott gifts $7 million to support family engagement
Thanks to a $7 million gift to Parents as Teachers from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, which is the largest single gift in the organization’s 40-year history, the nonprofit will be able to invest in critical infrastructure that will support the sustainable growth and enhancement of services. A priority of Scott’s giving is to fund organizations that directly support communities. The gift is an affirmation of Parents as Teachers’ decades-long commitment to improving the lives of children and families across the country.
Emerson’s $50,000 grant promotes math and science awareness
The Emerson Corporation gifted Parents as Teachers a $50,000 grant with $40,000 earmarked for a partnership with Idaho-based Twiga Foundation. That portion of the grant will be used to train parent educators to incorporate block play into Parents as Teachers as a way to promote math and science among children in the City of St. Louis and the Normandy Schools Collaborative Footprint of North St. Louis County, Missouri.
This project builds on Parents as Teachers’ proven impact on narrowing the opportunity gap at kindergarten entry and STEM impact by providing curiosity encouraging tools and techniques to children and their parents utilizing the BLOCKFest® research-based model, products, and certified trainers. The Twiga Foundation collaborated with Parents as Teachers to arrange the block sites and train the parent educators.
Emerson’s $50,000 grant promotes math and science awareness
The Emerson Corporation gifted Parents as Teachers a $50,000 grant with $40,000 earmarked for a partnership with Idaho-based Twiga Foundation. That portion of the grant will be used to train parent educators to incorporate block play into Parents as Teachers as a way to promote math and science among children in the City of St. Louis and the Normandy Schools Collaborative Footprint of North St. Louis County, Missouri.
This project builds on Parents as Teachers’ proven impact on narrowing the opportunity gap at kindergarten entry and STEM impact by providing curiosity encouraging tools and techniques to children and their parents utilizing the BLOCKFest® research-based model, products, and certified trainers. The Twiga Foundation collaborated with Parents as Teachers to arrange the block sites and train the parent educators.
Enterprise Mobility Foundation sponsors Parents as Teachers Engage App
As part of its Road Forward initiative to support diversity efforts in non-profit organizations, the Enterprise Mobility Foundation has pledged $1 million a year over a five-year period to Parents as Teachers. A portion of the grant was used to create a new mobile app.
The Parents as Teachers Engage App is a new, twoway communication and engagement application for use in Parents as Teachers affiliates to further engage with families. Parents can easily communicate via chat, voice or video recording, and access curricula and other resources to share with their parent educator on their phone or tablet.
Enterprise Mobility Foundation sponsors Parents as Teachers Engage App
As part of its Road Forward initiative to support diversity efforts in non-profit organizations, the Enterprise Mobility Foundation has pledged $1 million a year over a five-year period to Parents as Teachers. A portion of the grant was used to create a new mobile app.
The Parents as Teachers Engage App is a new, twoway communication and engagement application for use in Parents as Teachers affiliates to further engage with families. Parents can easily communicate via chat, voice or video recording, and access curricula and other resources to share with their parent educator on their phone or tablet.
Investing in the Power of Families
This three-pronged initiative, inspired by the Parents as Teachers Board of Directors and launched in 2023, strives to support affiliates in restoring families’ enrollment numbers, increase direct services of needed mental and physical health supports to families and grow opportunities within communities that can lead to systemic positive changes through engaged parent leaders.
One of the first activities in the Investing in the Power of Families initiative was to offer affiliates the opportunity to apply for the 2024 Challenge Grants. These one-time competitive grants, which totaled $1,750,000, were allotted in $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000 monetary increments. They are intended to make an outsized impact in local communities where Parents as Teachers’ affiliates partner with families.
All successful applicants also received additional funding to purchase marketing materials, sparking enrollment and awareness to align with the most recent rebranding.
Affiliates applied to use the funds in the following categories: Combatting Maternal and Infant Mortality, Family Leadership Development, Workforce Development, Program Quality Improvement, Marketing/Communication Support, PBS Partnerships and DEIA. Two hundred and thirty proposals were received, and Parents as Teachers was able to fund 62 with the dollars available.
Investing in the Power of Families
This three-pronged initiative, inspired by the Parents as Teachers Board of Directors and launched in 2023, strives to support affiliates in restoring families’ enrollment numbers, increase direct services of needed mental and physical health supports to families and grow opportunities within communities that can lead to systemic positive changes through engaged parent leaders.
One of the first activities in the Investing in the Power of Families initiative was to offer affiliates the opportunity to apply for the 2024 Challenge Grants. These one-time competitive grants, which totaled $1,750,000, were allotted in $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000 monetary increments. They are intended to make an outsized impact in local communities where Parents as Teachers’ affiliates partner with families.
All successful applicants also received additional funding to purchase marketing materials, sparking enrollment and awareness to align with the most recent rebranding.
Affiliates applied to use the funds in the following categories: Combatting Maternal and Infant Mortality, Family Leadership Development, Workforce Development, Program Quality Improvement, Marketing/Communication Support, PBS Partnerships and DEIA. Two hundred and thirty proposals were received, and Parents as Teachers was able to fund 62 with the dollars available.