$1.5M in grant money supports new college promise fund, literacy programs in Arizona

PHOENIX — Three education nonprofits based in metro Phoenix will benefit from $1.5 million dollars in grants, thanks to donations from the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence.

The center is part of philanthropy group Arizona Community Foundation, which hopes the grants will empower students, according to executive director Lorenzo Chavez.

“We’re hoping that this will have two impacts: one on an individual level but more of a statewide kind of systemic level of really helping to fill that gap of the workforce shortage,” Chavez told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Which education nonprofits are getting $1.5 million in grants?

The largest chunk of change is going to the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, which handles gifts and funding for the Maricopa County Community College District.

The foundation is receiving $800,000 to expand the district’s scholarship promise program, which helps fund students and supports increased college attendance and completion.

Chavez hopes the program will boost the state’s workforce by giving students the tools and support they need to finish college and succeed beyond school.

“The goal of the project is remove financial barriers for students who are most in need,” Chavez said. “They get mentoring, they get tutoring, they get coaching that allows them to really kind of be successful throughout their journey.”

Chavez says the foundation wants to expand similar promise programs in other community colleges if this one sees an increase in college attainment.

What other education nonprofits are Arizona Community Foundation helping?

The second nonprofit receiving grant money is The New Teacher Project, which works to put high-quality teachers in low-income school districts.

The $400,000 it is receiving will help the Phoenix Elementary School District improve its students’ literacy rates.

The third grant recipient is ALL in Education, a Latino public education advocacy group, which is getting $350,000.

The money will be used for training teachers in how to teach early literacy skills in the Roosevelt Elementary School District.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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