LEADING for Equity Grants

LEADING for Equity Grant Application

LEADING for Equity grants are designed to support collaborative, equity-explicit projects that are district-wide (or multi-school). Award amounts range from $5,000 –  $30,000. See this complete list of ’22-’23 LEADING for Equity Grants Awarded.

Come discuss your project ideas & get helpful feedback at an upcoming Grants Office Hours.

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 number of schools committed to the project
  • The extent of district-level collaboration
  • The systems & structures that enable essential collaboration across project partners

Who Can Apply

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

LEADING for Equity proposals from a single school will not be accepted.

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 our criteria for re-applying HERE

Grantee Requirements

We ask grantees to participate in the following:

  • Start-of-the-year: Conversation on Goals & Evaluation*
  • Mid-year: Project Check-in
  • End-of-year: Final Reflections

*only for projects awarded $10,000 & above

Questions? 

Come to an upcoming Grants Office Hours or email Duffy Ross: duffyross@berkeley.net 

Investing in Recovery to Level the Playing Field

With a mission laser-focused on equity, the Berkeley Public Schools Fund supports new and existing efforts that ensure success for students furthest from opportunity.

Timeline: 2023-24

  • The ’23-24 LEADING for Equity grant application will open Mon, January 16, 2023
  • The application deadline will be Thurs, March 16, 2023
  • All applicants will be notified of funding status by Fri May 24, 2023
  • Grantees will be able to access funds starting July 1, 2023

Grantwriting Tools

For Current Grantees

Once a grant has been approved, payments can be requested by completing an Equity Grant Funds Request Form

If you are paying BUSD staff for their time, please carefully read these Instructions for Completing BUSD Timesheets

When you finish your project, you will be asked to complete a CUSTOMIZED version of this Follow-up Report. Follow-up Report Instructions

Interested in re-applying? See our criteria for approving repeat projects

LEADING for Equity Grant Application