Positive Education is one of five focus areas for competitive grantmaking in 2019-20.
Depression has been on the rise since World War II, and almost 1 in 5 students will experience a major depressive episode before graduating high school.
Positive Education is one way to address those issues among students. It is a strength-based approach that emphasizes critical life skills such as grit, optimism, resilience, growth mindset, engagement, and mindfulness. Students with these critical life skills are more likely to be successful.
One indicator of need: The Tampa Bay area is currently ranked 15th out of 20 comparison communities in the 2019 Regional Competitiveness Report with a 74% high school graduation rate for economically disadvantaged students. By comparison, Austin is at 87.8%.
Positive Education promotes academic environments that meet students where they are developmentally and encourage students to connect with their passions as they progress through school. Programs for children in preschool through high school will be given priority.
Positive Education projects may include:
- Kindergarten readiness through primary grade levels
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Approaches to teaching that incorporates a growth mindset
Most of the grants proposals submitted in the past will still be viable candidates for funding this year. We simply will look at them through a different lens.
For example, Inner Explorer received a grant last year in the Education category. This year, that same proposal to provide a daily mindfulness program to 45,000 students and teachers would fall under Positive Education.
Applications for competitive grants will be accepted through Nov. 22, 2019. The Community Foundation’s additional focus areas are Community Vibrancy, Empowering Women and Girls, Economic Mobility, and Mental Well-Being.
The Foundation will continue to award its Opportunity Grants. Application for those grants is open throughout the year. Opportunity Grants are not categorized into focus areas.
Learn more about applying for a competitive grant. See summaries of previous competitive grants.
