The Fund for Public Schools

Imagine studying geography using real-time satellite imagery on a digital white board, or examining the intricacies of DNA firsthand with a state-of-the-art microscope. Thanks to a generous grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to revitalize the neighborhoods around Ground Zero, The Fund has administered enrichment grants to over 50 public schools, allowing them to equip their classrooms with a range of resources that bring learning to life.

The Fund’s library grants have empowered over 200 schools to invigorate their library programs and better equip their library spaces. Whether it’s a new collection of bilingual books for families learning English, page turning devices to support children with special needs, or college and career guidebooks to help students plan for their futures, these vibrant libraries inspire generations of lifelong readers.

The Fund also supported an innovative early-literacy curriculum, Core Knowledge, which seeks to eliminate the literacy achievement gap between elementary school students from different economic backgrounds.

Not only does a robust arts education help students hone their observational and expressive skills – it also cultivates creative thinking and innovation, qualities that are increasingly in demand across a range of career paths. In 2010, the art galleries of Madison Avenue continued their steadfast commitment to nurturing the next generation of budding artists by hosting the annual Madison Avenue Gallery Walk, which raises critical funding for the Summer Arts Institute.