Seven schools and many families living in the federally-designated Promise Zone will benefit from a $30 million, multi-year grant to a consortium led by Drexel University. Drexel President John Fry, Mayor Jim Kenney, Superintendent Dr. William Hite, community members and area elected officials gathered at Morton McMichael Elementary School on Wednesday to announce that the community has won the 2016 Promise Neighborhoods Program Implementation Grant Competition.

The grant provides up to $30 million over five years. The $6 million award that was announced yesterday provides the first year of funding. Some $76 million in matching funds have also been secured from the City and area non-profits, including the William Penn and Lenfest Foundations.

The grant will provide “enrichment” for families living in the Promise Neighborhood, which mirrors the boundaries of the Promise Zone and stretches from the Schuylkill River to 48th Street, and from Girard Avenue to Sansom Street (see map). The grant will also support the following schools: Belmont Charter (K-4); Locke Elementary (K-8); Morton McMichael Elementary (K-8); Martha Washington Elementary (K-8); Samuel Powel Elementary (K-4); SLA Middle School (5-8) and West Philadelphia High School (9-12), according to a Drexel statement. 

Drexel University was the lead applicant of the grant and will help coordinate the initiative and share its expertise across all aspects of the program.

Over the next five years, the partners will focus on a broad “cradle-to-career” approach, with initiatives that expand early literacy and early science efforts in local child care and pre-K programs; enhance K-12 instruction in these seven schools; empower parents to advocate for their children’s learning; and improve access to education and job training for young adults and all residents in the Promise Neighborhood.

More information about this grant and how it will be applied can be found here. Also, read this article by Philly.com.