A new $150,000 fund has been created by the United Way of Southwest Michigan to help schools during the pandemic. CEO Anna Murphy tells WSJM News school districts are going to take a hit because of a massive hole in the state budget and reduced sales tax revenues. The Education Support Fund will seek to help offset that.
“We feel very strongly about ensuring that kids have the right place, the right tools, the right resources to learn and grow so they can be successful and move on and graduate ultimately from high school,” Murphy said.
Murphy says school districts will receive part of the Education Support Fund based on their number of economically disadvantaged students. The fund will be flexible.
“Sometimes funding that comes into schools, they’ve got strings attached or it’s restrictive. These dollars will allow them to do what they can without too many string attached to it. So if they need it for educational support or social and emotional support, or even staff training, they can do that.”
Murphy says 36 school districts will be able to apply, and they have been informed. The applications are due on June 16, and the funds will be released on the 19th.
