We are proud to serve as an anchor partner to our district, helping to fill critical capacity gaps and bring essential programs and services to life, especially for students furthest from opportunity; our students of color, first generation, low income, English learners and special needs students.
That Ed Fund provides structural capacity for many district priorities, ranging from student wellness and academic enrichment, to music and arts, to college and career development. These priorities are also being targeted at the federal level for funding cuts. The federal government revoked a four million dollar mental health counseling grant that funded interns, training, and partnership for counseling across district elementary schools. We do not take these losses for our students lightly.
Our partnership bridges the gap and guarantees that the work continues by building something greater together: community-centered solutions that align with district goals and city-wide priorities. This year, we doubled our funding of community projects and partners, and will continue to work tirelessly to seek resources this coming year.
Priority Initiatives
This fiscal year, we were proud to collaborate with the district to secure over 1 million dollars for the next three years through the City of Richmond Department for Children Youth, a competitive grant making process funded by the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY).
The City conducted a community needs assessment and identified five core needs that served as a framework for their investment decision: Mental & Behavioral Health, Physical Health & Wellness, Learning Needs, Safety, Community & Belonging, and Connective Supportive Services. Insights from nearly 400 community members, including youth, policymakers, and service providers informed these needs. We will champion these priorities through the grants we received to ensure that WCCUSD can also prioritize them.
The programs we received funding for are:
- Richmond Freedom School
- Camp Achieve Summer Program
- Richmond High School Band
- Climate Coaches
The Ed Fund champions student and educator mental health by securing resources that create safe, inclusive school communities. Through a $300,000 RFCY grant, we funded five middle school Therapeutic and Restorative Behavior Clinicians, helping reduce chronic absenteeism by 10% and suspensions by 4.8% while serving nearly 400 students. In addition, we expanded districtwide climate and mental health support by fundraising and managing 19 school-based positions, providing ongoing HR and programmatic support to sustain this critical work.
High-quality out-of-school and summer programs are essential to preventing learning loss and supporting students’ academic, social, and emotional growth.
- Camp Achieve:With a $300,000 RFCY grant, the Ed Fund continues to support Camp Achieve, an 11-year partnership providing eight weeks of free summer programming for students in Richmond. Since 2014, attendance has increased by 194%, offering academic enrichment, life skills, and confidence-building experiences at four community centers.
- Freedom School: Richmond Freedom School, now in its fifth year, has served over 450 TK–8 students through a free, six-week summer program focused on literacy, cultural pride, and enrichment. Prioritizing African-American/Black students and inclusivity, the program offers a 10:1 student-to-staff ratio and intentionally supports neurodiverse learners through strong district partnerships.
Arts education fosters creativity, emotional expression, and critical life skills, yet is often underfunded in public schools. The Ed Fund protects access to the arts through targeted grants and partnerships that bring music, visual arts, and performance into classrooms across West Contra Costa. From scholarships and large-scale investments like the Richmond High School Band to classroom and cultural grants, we ensure creative expression remains accessible and valued for all students.
The Ed Fund helps students navigate the transition from high school to college and careers by addressing gaps in guidance, financial aid, and real-world experience. Through partnerships and targeted grants, we increased FAFSA completion by 8%, supported paid student internships, and awarded scholarships to graduating seniors across the district. These investments empower students to move forward with clarity, confidence, and opportunity.
In its second year, a multi-year anonymous grant has supported the successful implementation of an evidence-based literacy plan at Nystrom Elementary. Students across all demographic groups are showing significant literacy gains, and the school has emerged as a leader—sharing expertise with other WCCUSD schools and national audiences. The impact of this work continues to extend well beyond the classroom.
Following a 2021 equity assessment revealing deep racial disparities, the Ed Fund secured major funding to launch a districtwide anti-racism initiative in partnership with WCCUSD leadership. This work led to California’s first district adoption of an anti-racism policy within the Administrative Record, alongside a new anti-slur policy. Despite leadership transitions, momentum has continued, with schools demonstrating progress in areas such as suspension rates and academic outcomes.