The Highmark Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2023-2024 School Grants Program, which will make available a total of $500,000 for school grades K-12 in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The goal of the program is to create healthier school environments that experience positive, sustainable, and lasting change through comprehensive strategies.
“We created this multi-faceted program more than a decade ago to equip schools with resources to create healthier and safer school environments,” Highmark Foundation President Yvonne Cook. “The Highmark Foundation recognizes the role that schools play to promote students’ health, safety, education, and well-being, and this program supports the value of early intervention and preventive health programs.”
Public, private, parochial and charter schools, and vocational high schools throughout West Virginia and Pennsylvania (excluding Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties) are invited to apply for the two offerings of the Highmark Foundation’s School Grants Program:
- School Grant Program funding supports evidence-based programs that address the following priority areas: physical health, social health, and school-based health. Schools are eligible for grants up $7,500. All applications must be submitted online by April 28, 2023.
- Supportive Services Health Grants are part of a strategy to support economically disadvantaged school districts and high-needs schools with financial assistance to meet basic health requests. Schools must meet strict criteria to be eligible.
- Child Health and Wellness Grants up to $1,000 will be awarded to schools to assist with the purchase of items impacting students’ supportive, social, and health needs.
- School Equipment and Supplies Challenge grants will match up to $2,500 for the purchase of specialized equipment or supplies that enable school nurses to better perform their valuable services. Proof of matching funds from other sources must be included in the application. Matching funds may be secured through grants from other foundations, local businesses, or school fundraisers. The Moses Taylor Foundation may be an option for matching funds for schools located in Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, or Wyoming Counties. Applicants will be directed to contact senior program officer, Christine Marcos, at cmarcos@mosestaylorfoundation.org, for more information.
Entering its eleventh year, the Highmark Foundation’s School Grants Program has provided more than $3.8 million to help bring about healthy changes in schools in Highmark Foundation’s service region.
The link to the online application can be found at https://highmarkfoundationrfp.versaic.com.
