LEADING for Equity Grants

LEADING for Equity grants are designed to support district-wide (or multi-school) collaborative, equity-explicit projects within the 6 priority areas described below. Award amounts range from $5,000 – $25,000.

UPDATE, Jan 2024: Due to the need to realign our fundraising calendar with our grantmaking calendar, the Berkeley Public Schools Fund will be taking a one-year hiatus from new grantmaking. As such, our ’24-25 grant applications will not open this winter/spring as originally planned.  The Schools Fund will, however, continue to support some of our ’23-24 grantees doing ongoing work into the next school year. We intend to resume full grantmaking activity in a year.

Learn more about our ’23-’24 LEADING for Equity Grantees

Check out this Side-by-side Comparison of LEADING for Equity and LEARNING for Equity grants

Priority Funding Areas

LEADING for Equity proposals will be prioritized where they clearly support at least 1 of the Schools Fund’s priority funding areas:

Explicit About Equity

LEADING for Equity proposals will be evaluated based on the following equity dimensions:

  • For whom? (Who is the proposed audience?)
  • By whom? (What relevant qualifications do the educators have?)
  • What? (What is the curriculum or content?)
  • How? (What is the chosen pedagogy? How will the project be implemented?)

Read more about what the Schools Fund means by “equity.”

Systems Change

To drive systems change in BUSD, LEADING for Equity proposals will be evaluated on:

  • The composition of the grants team (including site and district members, where relevant)
  • The systems & structures that enable essential collaboration across project partners

Who Can Apply

LEADING for Equity grants are open to current BUSD staff members, certificated and classified. Community organizations may partner with BUSD staff but the BUSD staff member must serve as the Project Lead.

Please consider whether a LEARNING for Equity grant may be a better fit. See this side-by-side grants comparison.

Are you a current grantee interested in re-applying for the same or similar project? Read more about our criteria for re-applying.

Questions? 

Email Duffy Ross: duffyross@berkeley.net

Strategic Investments Where They Matter Most 

With universal goals for all BUSD students, the Schools Fund works in a focused way to ensure that all students, and especially those furthest from opportunity, thrive in school and in life. 

Grantwriting Tools

For Current Grantees

Grantees can request funds with this Equity Grant Funds Request Form

Are you paying BUSD Staff? Read these Instructions for Completing BUSD Timesheets

Are you working with external contractors? Read this Working with External Contractors.

Are you purchasing technology? Read this How to Request/Purchase Grant-funded Tech through BUSD.