The San Diego Foundation announced available grant funding of up to $500,000 for nonprofit organizations interested in providing free summer learning to San Diego Unified School District students during the summer 2023 Level Up SD program.
According to Mark Stuart, President, and CEO of the San Diego Foundation, LevelUp SD Summer 2023 is “a vital partnership that nurtures a diverse and resilient local workforce by providing social-emotional and enhanced learning support to address pandemic-related gaps in academic achievement”.
The Level Up SD summer program was launched in 2021 to provide free summer academic and enrichment programming for students enrolled in San Diego Unified schools, from Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) through high school. San Diego Unified’s Level Up SD uses funds from the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) and Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grant.
“San Diego Unified is thrilled to once again partner with the San Diego Foundation on Level Up SD so all students have access to meaningful summer enrichment programs,” said San Diego Unified Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson. “Every student deserves summer experiences that allow them to thrive and gives them a chance to develop a sense of belonging in all that San Diego has to offer – from surf camp to theater camp, and so much more.”
Recent data reveals greater learning loss for students compared to pre-pandemic levels than initially estimated. According to the San Diego Foundation, the needs are the greatest amongst students traditionally furthest from opportunity.
SDF is offering $10 million in grant funding for Level Up SD summer 2023 to support UTK to eighth-grade students, the nonprofit organization announced. Interested nonprofits serving grades UTK-8 must submit a Letter of Interest to SDF to be considered for an invitation to submit a full application. Letters of Interest (LOI) must be submitted online by noon on Jan. 10, 2023.
Grant amounts may range from $50,000 to $500,000 and fund an array of program types that offer not only enrichment activities but also a strong academic component.
For more information, visit https://www.sdfoundation.org/community-impact/impact-areas/education/level-up-sd/
