Announcing $240,000 in Education Opportunity Project Grants

Image Description: Children of Various Races Doing Homework Around a Table.

Voqal is excited to announce its latest round of Education Opportunity Project grants focused on supporting organizations that are at the forefront of efforts to address educational opportunity gaps. The grants to UPchieve, SPARK, CommunityShare, and Weird Enough Productions reflect Voqal’s belief that bridging these gaps in the United States education system requires a diverse array of approaches.

UPchieve – $50,000
UPchieve is democratizing access to academic support through a free online platform for 24/7 tutoring and college counseling. Recognizing that many low-income students lack access to academic support at home, UPchieve taps into two large networks of volunteers to connect students with one-on-one tutoring in several subjects, as well as college counseling, whenever they need help.

SPARK – $50,000
SPARK is an effort by a broad coalition of education, business, and civic leaders to ensure that early learning is accessible to all children in Saint Paul. The program will supplement existing funding so that all 3- and 4-year-olds in Saint Paul, who live at or below 185% of poverty, will be able to attend an early learning program for free, while other households will qualify for subsidies. SPARK believes all families deserve quality, culturally responsive early learning options that are right for them.

CommunityShare – $70,000
CommunityShare is a nonprofit initiative powered by educators, designers, researchers, and social entrepreneurs who believe that young people everywhere deserve the opportunity to realize their full potential. It works online and offline to connect the skills and experiences of people in the community to the needs and aspirations of educators and their students.

Weird Enough Productions – $70,000
Weird Enough Productions is a social impact organization that uses diverse stories to empower young people and the adults that support them. It believes that if it masters media’s ability to uplift people, rather than divide them, it can equip a whole generation to change the world.

Voqal’s Education Opportunity Project seeks to measurably reduce educational opportunity gaps by providing capital and strategic advice to entrepreneurs and organizations working to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged populations. These organizations are leading the way in this important work, and we are excited for the more equitable and effective education system that will no doubt result from their continued efforts.

You can learn more about the Education Opportunity Project and the organizations it supports here.