The Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds Launch Ventures in Leadership Grant Program to Support School Leadership Innovation
NEW YORK, NY, April 2, 2001 - The Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds announced the establishment of Ventures in Leadership, a fast-track grant program designed to support innovative, effective ideas to improve education leadership in a wide range of communities. From April through December 2001, the Wallace Funds will award about 50 grants, ranging from $5,000-$50,000 each, to public schools, colleges, universities and other non-profit, tax-exempt community-based organizations with ideas to improve school leadership. Grant recipients will have up to two years to complete work on their leadership idea and report on results. The goal is to offer a broad array of organizations the means to test innovative, practical ideas about strengthening school leadership that have the potential of informing others in the field.
Applications must be submitted electronically and are only available on the Funds’ website, at www.wallacefunds.org. Directions on completing the application and details on eligibility and program goals are also available on the Funds’ website.
“Ventures in Leadership allows us to support exciting new ideas about school leadership from many types of organizations quickly and easily,” said Mary Lee Fitzgerald, director of education programs at the Funds. “This information will help us to propel and expand the local and national dialogue about how to develop effective leadership that improves student learning.”
An example of the type of idea that might qualify for funding is the creation of a new web site for local principals, superintendents, civic leaders and non-profit organizations to foster partnerships and share professional development opportunities to assist their abilities to improve student learning. Another example might be a local school board organizing a retreat to analyze the impact of district-wide policies and practices for recruiting and retaining superintendents and principals.
Ventures in Leadership is part of LEADERS Count, a commitment of the Wallace-Reader’s Digest Funds to help foster a national movement to place quality leadership at the core of school reform. The Funds’ objectives are to attract and place capable candidates as principals and superintendents; to strengthen their abilities to improve student learning; and to create a more supportive climate for their efforts.