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The Burke Foundation today announced it has awarded eight grants totaling more than $3 million to local nonprofit organizations providing programs and services in the foundation’s focus areas of urban education, youth and leadership development.
“Dick Burke’s vision was to make a difference in the lives of Milwaukee’s youth by ensuring that more young people have access to high-quality educational opportunities. We are excited to continue his legacy with new grants that provide innovative opportunities and programs that we believe can make a transformative impact on the lives our youth and on the long-term viability of our changing community,” said Kathy Burke, Board Director of the Burke Foundation, and daughter of Dick Burke.
The eight organizations receiving grants are:
•Messmer High School, a challenge grant to support the creation of a new STEM-focused student productivity center
•Milwaukee Academy of Science, a leader in STEM education whose mission is to graduate urban students prepared to compete successfully at the post-secondary level, for general operations including instructional technology, support staff and administrative support in the organization’s high school
•Milwaukee Excellence Charter School, a 6th through 12th grade school committed to putting all students on the path to college, for general operations including support to expand student programming, staff training and leadership support
•Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation, dedicated to supporting MPS and the academic achievement of its students, a challenge grant to support the Greener, Healthier Schools project, providing five MPS schools with outdoor classrooms within their redeveloped schoolyards
•City of Milwaukee MKE Parks initiative to support the renovation of play areas at 29th and Melvina and 30th and Cawker streets
•Silver Spring Neighborhood Center to support the Opportunity Youth Re-Engagement Program that connects unemployed individuals 16-24 years old with educational and employment resources
•St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, providing health and educational day services to all ages and abilities, for the creation of an Intergenerational Play Garden
•United Community Center, providing programs to Hispanics and near south side residents of all ages, challenge grant to support the organization’s Early Learning Academy
“Three of the new grants – to Messmer High School, Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation and United Community Center – are challenge grants to help these organizations obtain additional support to advance their mission,” said Tina Quealy, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation.
“Through our open grant process, we had the opportunity to learn about the incredible and challenging work being done in Milwaukee to alleviate achievement gaps and to support young people. We are inspired by the number of well-run organizations and passionate leaders we met who are providing much-needed services to young people and are doing impactful work in our city,” she added.
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