The Waldron Charitable Fund today announced that it will make $1 million in grant funding available to support community organizations serving the critical needs of the nation’s underserved children and the 30 million students who receive free and reduced-price meals. As more and more schools nationwide close in response to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this initiative will directly fund those who serve critical health needs (both physical and mental), provide nutritional assistance, and support special education for underserved school children.
To get critical funds to organizations as quickly as possible during this time of crisis, the application window for grant funding will be open until 5 p.m. ET on Friday, March 20, 2020. Grantees must detail their ability to provide critical services quickly and to as many underserved children in their local community as possible while still providing social distance and safety in light of COVID-19. Local community organizations throughout the US that serve children ages 12 and under are welcome to apply. Grants of between $10,000 to $50,000 will be awarded to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations via the Waldron Charitable Fund.
The Waldron Charitable Fund is a donor-advised fund housed at the Boston Foundation and co-managed by Rob and Jennifer Waldron. Rob Waldron is CEO of Curriculum Associates, an education technology company that provides more than eight million K–12 students nationwide with adaptive assessment and personalized learning materials to prepare them for success. Jennifer Waldron works with uAspire, a nonprofit organization that removes financial barriers to higher education, and she is a volunteer and former board member at Jumpstart, an early education nonprofit organization.
“Having served schools across the country for many decades, I understand that these institutions provide so much more than academics to the students in their care,” explains Rob Waldron. “I am deeply concerned about the loss of essential services for our nation’s underserved children due to school closures, and I hope others will join me in supporting the local organizations doing heroic work to serve students during this challenging time.”
“The level of need for support we see here in Boston is echoed in communities large and small around the country,” said Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. “We are grateful to the Waldron Charitable Fund for setting an example for all donors to support coronavirus-related efforts in their local communities and nationally.”
To apply, please email a document no longer than two pages in PDF form to WaldronFund@gmail.com that addresses the following:
- Briefly describe the 501(c)(3) organization.
- What problem are you working to solve?
- How many underserved children will be positively impacted by your efforts?
- How will you distribute your solution while keeping children safe during the COVID-19 crisis?
- How quickly can your service be provided?
Please include a copy of the organization’s most recent Form 990 and annual report, if one exists. A duplicate copy should be mailed to the attention of Rob Waldron at Curriculum Associates, 153 Rangeway Road, North Billerica, MA 01862.
Applicants must represent 501(c)(3) organizations, and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply. Because of government procurement rules for K–12 curriculum companies, organizations directly affiliated with a school—such as a parent–teacher organization (PTO) or a local school foundation—are ineligible.
