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Bessie Minor Swift Foundation supports area programs

Sierra Sun staff

The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation, formed by the owners and founder of Swift Communications, awards grants to programs that promote literacy, reading and writing skills as well as programs that focus on languages, sciences and interdisciplinary areas.

Since 2008, more than $620,000 has been awarded to deserving organizations in the communities where Swift Communications conducts business.

According to a news release, the deadline for 2019 grant applications was Feb. 15 and more than 185 applications were received. The Foundation grant criteria calls for detail about the number of people who will be impacted by the organization’s project and how significant a role the Bessie Minor Swift Foundation will play in the program. Further, applicants must provide a complete description of the project including objectives and strategies to meet those objectives, explain how the project will be evaluated and submit a budget. Recipients will report on their results and insights from their program once the projects are completed.



“This year, applications were of exceptional quality and more than $83,156 has been awarded to 37 deserving organizations,” the news release states. “The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation thanks the many groups that took the time and energy to apply and encourages those that were not selected to submit applications in the future.”

Applications will be accepted again starting Jan. 1, 2020 with a deadline of Feb. 15, 2020. For more information, visit the Bessie Minor website at http://www.bessieminorswift.org.



Area programs receiving grant funding included:

NEVADA

Incline Elementary School, Incline Village, $3,000 — Delivery of a workshop by Get in the Act! Science Theater at Incline Elementary School. Topics will be aligned to Incline Elementary School “STREAM” curriculum and to Next Generation Science Standards. Students participate in single and multi-day topics such as energy, light, rocks, and weather to explore science through word and movement. Funding will provide workshops for over 200 students.

Sierra Nevada Journeys, Reno, $2,787 — An estimated 450 children and their families will participate in three Family STEM Nights in northern Nevada. Family STEM Nights invite K-6 students, their parents, and siblings to attend a fun evening with engaging stations that reinforces STEM concepts learned in the classroom and fosters curiosity, innovation, and teamwork. Funds will be used for coordination and delivery of the program, supplies and education team transportation.

CALIFORNIA

Tahoe Lake Elementary, Tahoe City, $2,500 — Creation of a “Reading Sanctuary” room at Tahoe Lake Elementary School. Funding would be used to upgrade reading sets focusing on science, non-fiction, early reader, and high-level interest sets for reluctant readers in a Transitional Kindergarten-4th curriculum. Some funds will be used to purchase parent resource books to create a small lending library promoting parent education. The “Reading Sanctuary” room will provide a more mindful and quiet environment to promote best learning practices when this school of 250 students moves back into its remodeled school during the summer of 2019.


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