FUTURES Foundation Receives Grant to support Access, Achievement, and Instructional Excellence

The Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (Consortium) recently awarded FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools $139,704 in matching funds through the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program.

FUTURES’ grant project Foundations for the Future: Increasing Access, Achievement, and Instructional Excellence will oversee matching grant funding to directly impact over 5,700 students and over 2,000 teachers. First, funds will support student learning through tutoring, intervention and district-aligned online learning tools. Second, funds will facilitate teacher professional & leadership development, including training, curriculum planning, and conference registration. Lastly, funding will provide essential classroom supplies through an online Teacher Resource Store and starter kits for all first-year teachers. Overall, these initiatives support the school district’s Strategic Plan Goal “to engage ALL students in high levels of learning EVERY day.”

The Consortium has received legislative matching funds which provide a dollar-for-dollar incentive for local

education foundations to raise private contributions for eligible projects for more than 20 years. Since the inception of the program, more than $173 million in combined private and state dollars has been provided for local projects that serve students, literacy initiatives, encourage STEM and career/technical education, increase classroom innovation, support teachers, and/or increase graduation rates. The Consortium is the membership organization for Florida’s school district-wide local education foundations. Established in 1987, the Consortium connects individuals, organizations, and financial resources to build the capacity and effectiveness of local education foundations throughout the state in achieving student success. In the last year, the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program:

• Saw an investment total of $17,574,275
• $7 million in State allocation was matched with over $10 million in private-sector investment
• 60 school districts participated, and 109 projects were funded
• Participating education foundations serve 99% of Florida’s K-12 public school students.

To learn more about the Consortium and the statewide impact of the program, visit www.educationfoundationsfl.org.

Founded in 1985, FUTURES is a nonprofit, direct support organization for Volusia County Schools. Its mission is to engage business, civic, and district leaders to promote and achieve educational excellence for Volusia County Public Schools. FUTURES’s 32-member board of directors consists of area leaders who direct and raise funds to facilitate a variety of programs in the school district. For additional information about FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools, please contact Executive Director Shimene Shepard at 386.255.6475, ext. 50730, or futuresfoundation@volusia.k12.fl.us, or visit its website at www.FUTURESVolusia.org.

Photo 1: Principals who will receive matching grant funds this year – from L to R, Kevin Berry, Pathways Elementary; Dr. Julie Roseboom, Tomoka Elementary; Jennifer Williams, Citrus Grove Elementary; Dr. Chad Miller, Deltona Lakes Elementary; Alisha Zarbo, Sweetwater Elementary