Fund for Portland Public Schools

The Fund for Portland Public Schools is actively engaged in cultivating an excellent academic and social/emotional experience for students. We’re calling on Portland’s businesses, entrepreneurs, leaders
and broader community to join us in supporting public education.

Inspired Sustainable Schoolyards
We’re working to help schools with outdated outdoor spaces reimagine their schoolyards with improvements such as depaving, accessible play structures, sensory gardens, increased tree canopy, green infrastructure and murals. Why? We know that inspired spaces enable outdoor learning and discovery, promote physical and social play, enhance self regulation and foster pride and a sense of belonging. Help us build community and climate resilience.

Arts Education & Enrichment
We’re expanding access to professional productions, guest artist residencies in schools, sectional instructors for student musicians, specialized, high-quality equipment and materials for courses and performance groups and more. Why? We believe that the arts are essential to student expression and voice. Help us deepen students’ engagement with the K-12 Visual and Performing Arts pathways in their schools.

Crisis Relief
We’re repurposing our successful COVID-19 Relief Fund that has distributed over $1.1 million to PPS students and families so that we remain nimble and responsive to emerging needs of our community. Why? We understand that students need the basic building blocks–shelter, food, warm clothing–so they can show up healthy and ready to learn. Help us support families who, even after trying to access community and government resources, still face extreme financial hardships that cause instability for their children.

Our key strategies are:

Collaboration: Listen to schools, students, families to understand their needs and work with external partners to design best practices for their participation.

Innovation: Take risks and embrace change and new ideas when connecting private resources to public education to accelerate excellent teaching and learning.

Responsiveness: Be nimble and adaptable, advancing pilot projects or stepping in to support emerging needs.

The Fund helps businesses, community members and others to interact in meaningful ways with school communities and students. The Fund is highly collaborative, working with sponsors, donors, philanthropists, and volunteers to design and implement appropriate ways for them to bring resources and opportunities to students.

Climate Justice
PPS students have been vocal advocates for rigorous opportunities for learning about climate science and justice. A gift to The Fund enabled the creation of K-12 science and social studies units and a high school elective course—designed by students, industry partners and teachers—now offered at seven high schools.

Literacy
Educators and caregivers alike know students will succeed when they can read at grade level and access information and inspiration from the written word. The Fund supported teacher training in LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), accelerating the district’s commitment to expanding access to this research-based method for teachers and students.

Crisis Relief
As a “start up” nonprofit when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, The Fund raised and distributed more than $1 million dollars in direct aid to students and families for necessities like food, hygiene supplies, utility bills and more. A highlight of these efforts was connecting students to the virtual classroom and their peers through access to much needed internet connectivity and a broad distribution of Home Classroom Kits so scholars could continue their learning with the required supplies—from math manipulatives to paints.