Rapid Response Funds Available to DPS Schools for Reopening

DPS Foundation is teaming up with Duke University and Duke Health’s “Doing Good” employee giving program to provide rapid response funds to Durham Public Schools as they prepare for some students to return to the classroom.

School Reopening Grants will support needs identified by DPS educators, administrators, caregivers, and students. All 53 DPS schools can apply for $5,000 to address pressing needs as they prepare to offer in-person learning. Some larger grants of up to $20,000 will also be available. 

“Returning to the classroom will present a number of challenges to our school communities, and we stand behind the educators, school staff, students, and families who deserve to feel safe, supported, and heard during this time. We’re so grateful to Duke employees and members of the Durham community whose contributions are allowing this support to be quickly made available.”

- Magan Gonzales-Smith, Executive Director of the DPS Foundation.

Acceptable proposals can cover a range of needs including personal protective equipment and other materials to increase health safety, professional development and social-emotional support for teachers, equipment for outdoor learning spaces, tutoring and other social-emotional supports for students, support for DPS families such as a parent/community school liaison, and more. 

Applications open on February 26 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting March 14. The first awardees will be notified March 19. We will be hosting two virtual info sessions on Saturday, February 27th and Wednesday, March 10th. See the website for details.

The year-round Duke Doing Good employee giving program invites Duke staff and faculty to make monetary gifts to benefit local schools, nonprofits and neighborhoods. Doing Good emphasizes donor choice in deciding how gifts improve quality of life in the Triangle, including the following categories: Emergency Relief Fund,  Health, Neighborhoods, Schools, Youth Empowerment, United Way of the Greater Triangle and a Community Care Fund to support nonprofits. School Reopening Grants will utilize funds allocated to the Doing Good Schools fund.

School Reopening Grants total $300,000 which includes a $210,000 contribution from the Duke Doing Good Employee Giving Program and also includes contributions from the Durham community for COVID Relief & Recovery. Since school closures were first announced in March, more than 1,500 people and organizations have contributed to help with issues created and exacerbated by the pandemic. 

If you’d like to contribute to DPS Foundation’s ongoing work to support students, educators, and families during this challenging time, click here.