Education
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes.1 These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.
Community Impact Grants ( 2023-2026 )
Prescription Plan Program with Colquitt Regional – This program will be to support the critical mission to provide medications to those in financial need at the time of discharge. The funding will be used to accomplish two major tasks, 1. creating a sustainable model to request future funding to support patient medication needs that are determined in an objective manner, that are open to all those in need, without discrimination, and 2. that provides a tracking mechanism to assess the impact of the program.
REACH Georgia Scholarships with Colquitt Co. Schools – REACH is a needs-based scholarship and mentoring program that begins in eighth grade. REACH Scholars are paired with a mentor and an academic coach who regularly meets with the Scholar and monitors their grades, attendance, and behavior through middle and high school. When our REACH Scholars graduate from high school, they are awarded up to a $10,000 scholarship to attend a Georgia HOPE-eligible two or four-year college of their choice. Many colleges match, double-match, and some triple-match the scholarship to provide Scholars with additional resources. Many of our Scholars are the first in their families to attend college. We are already seeing improvements in their grades, attendance, and social skills. Before participating in REACH, these Scholars may have yet to have an opportunity to pursue post-secondary education. Now, they are talking about college choices and future careers.
Bright Course Program for Residents at The Mustard Seed Cottage - Plans to utilize the Bright Course program in the housing program. This program will allow our residents to learn about topics such as prenatal care, parenting, relationships, life skills, and more. The residents coming into the cottage need these skills and a level of care that they will not receive if we do not offer them in their time of vulnerability. The goals and objectives of this program are to educate our residents/new moms in the areas that they need help.
Teens Have Vision 2 "The Raising Her Project" – The mission of “The Raising Her Project” is to promote healthy relationships between mothers and daughters with an emphasis on empowerment, bonding, healing, and growth. Area of need the project will address: The area of needs the project will address is the increase of mental health disorders and the following: child abuse, underage drinking, teen suicide, teen dating violence, and teen pregnancy.
Parenting Individuals with Disabilities Workshops for The Breathe Organization – Disability resources are incredibly hard to access and parents of kids and adults with disabilities are often overwhelmed and in need of guidance. Breathe Workshops are vital to the many families in Colquitt County who are parenting individuals with disabilities. Workshops are held monthly and are free to all parents/caregivers of individuals with disabilities in Colquitt County. The goal of the workshops is to educate parents on topics that relate to them and to guide them in applying for needed resources. We expect at least 150 families to attend workshops per year. The key leader for these workshops is Nettie Hatcher but we plan to also bring in leaders from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Workshops will be held at The Breathe Center. Volunteers will be used and are required to have an annual criminal background check. Workshop topics include but are not limited to: Communicating with Educators, Understanding the IEP and 504 process, applying for Katie Beckett, Waiver Applications, Georgia Medicaid, Transitioning to Adulthood, Understanding and Applying for Guardianship, Planning for the future, Understanding Autism, Job Training, Self-Care for Caregivers, Assistive Technology, Dental Care for IDD, Finding a Medical Specialist.
Community Impact Grants ( 2022-2025 )
Welcome Home Kits - Colquitt County Schools Packer Pre-K Program – This program will pave the way to improve the literacy skills, dental health, and parenting skills of all children and their parents/family in Colquitt County by providing a free welcome home kit for every child born at Colquitt Regional Medical Center. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a partner program to this welcome home kit with information for the free books program in each kit. There is also a partnership with The Basics (another funded CI Grant) that is offered in the kit. Kits are taken to Colquitt Regional on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week and Mary Beth Montgomery and Keith Adams engage with the parents and explain the kits.
The Basics – An evidenced based approach to early literacy and learning. Printable resources and materials for caretakers and parents to help teach or interact with their young learners from birth and before the start of school.
Mentor Kits for Educational Foundation for Elementary Schools - Mentor Toolkits will be placed at each elementary school. Mentors are trained to effectively use the toolkits to provide necessary supplemental literacy instruction to support students assigned by the program. CCEF targets at-risk students in the lower elementary grades to provide them with the needed support in early literacy skills to close the gap that widened during the pandemic.
Keys to Excellence/Money Matters I and II - Boys & Girls Club – This program serves ages 5-18 through targeted, evidenced-based programs to achieve academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyle outcomes. Pathways to Excellence implements three interventions to offset learning gaps and aid learning recovery throughout the Club experience: Project Learn high yield learning activities; Power Hour homework help and tutoring; Positive Action programming using intrinsic motivation to develop and maintain positive behavior patterns.Money Matters is a 12-week program that offers students financial literacy and is considered one of the Keys to Excellence.
Community Impact Grants ( 2021-2024 )
Leadership Legends – Diversity in leadership is another goal we have for our local students and community. We have embarked on a three-year grant with Leadership Legends to create a pipeline of African American males to become productive members of their communities and lead a transformational change process for the community. A big shout out to the school system’s own Brian Knighton, Principal at Stringfellow, for co-founding this fantastic organization along with RJ Taylor.
Dolly Parton Imagination Library & Colquitt County Schools – After over 15 years of “The Dictionary Project”, we are happy to announce a new partnership in the making with Nick Chastain, PreK Director, to bring free monthly books to ages birth to five in our community. Anyone is eligible to sign up for these free books. The 3-year community impact grant totals $30,000 to support this program.
SIGN UP HERE ::: https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/affiliate/GACOLQUITTCO/
Project Purpose – Project Purpose is a multi-pronged program designed to introduce high school students to local industry opportunities. A joint effort of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority and the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce, and through partnerships with local schools and employers, Project Purpose aims to position Southwest Georgia for excellence in workforce development, job growth, and economic impact. Two boot camp tracks designed for fast-paced preparation, credentialing, and interviewing for a select group of seniors. Upon completion of the boot camp, students will be guaranteed interviews with participating companies with entry-level positions available. They’ll also leave with multiple certifications through curriculum led by Southern Regional Technical College. Maximum 12 students per track.
heART Smart Program with Colquitt County Art Center – Providing access to a free monthly class in cooking, yoga and art journaling to low income families to promote better, healthier lifestyle choices.
Community Impact Grants ( 2018-2022 )
Arts, Books and Children Grant (ABC Grant) – Colquitt County Arts Center
YES Summer Camp (Youth Enrichment Summer Camp) – Southwest Georgia Community Action Council
Colquitt County Baby Book – Family Connection
Health Occupations Internship and Math Enrichment Program – Colquitt Regional Medical Center
Grant Opportunities
United Way of Colquitt County is offering a Community Impact grant in the area of education. Applications for funding must align with one of our education strategies.
1) Supporting parents and caregivers of young children to ensure nurturing environments that promote early literacy and school readiness.
2) Equipping trusted advisors (doctors, parents, educators) to screen, identify, and intervene on early development issues that could prevent student success.
3) Offering special support for immigrant families, especially the children, to learn English.
4) Enhancing out-of-school environments for youth particularly for students at risk of dropping-out.
5) Establishing community hubs (in libraries, schools, churches, parks) where students and families can take part in learning activities.
6) Expanding school-to-work programs for Junior High and High Schools students that educate students about life skills, workforce readiness, financial literacy, and college or career guidance.
Timeline
Applications are not available at this time.
To receive an application, please email your request to Caroline Horne at caroline@uwccga.org.
1Figure according to Communities in Schools, one of America’s leading drop-out prevention partnerships.