$7 Million CFY Grants To Advance OER for Low-Income Communities

  • By Caitlin Moriarity
  • 04/16/12

CFY, a national educational nonprofit, will use $7 million in grants it's received for the development and distribution of online educational resources for K-12 students in low-income communities throughout the country.

CFY is planning to use the grants to fund an initiative that will help parents, teachers, and students find and access digital learning materials such as learning activities, simulations, and videos to promote greater learning in the fields of English, math, science, and social studies.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded $5 million in grants to CFY to improve CFY's flagship online learning platform, PowerMyLearning.com.

PowerMyLearning.com provides online educational resources such as instructional tools, digital learning activities, and other relevant content to students, teachers, and parents in low-income communities.

In addition to the grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CFY has received $1.2 million in grants from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, which will allow CFY to evaluate the effectiveness of a number of online learning activities.

And the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has provided CFY with $1 million in grants for projects specifically targeting students in kindergarten through third grade, as well as their families.

With the grant funds, CFY reported it will expand PowerMyLearning.com's reach nationwide. Planned improvements to PowerMyLearning.com include better search tools and more resources that are tailored to specific student needs.

For instance, teachers and parents will be able to create customized playlists of learning materials, share those playlists, and track how students are using PowerMyLearning.com to learn.

Educators will also be able to use PowerMyLearning.com to rate the effectiveness of specific digital learning activities, measure student outcomes over time, and grant other users access to that data.

For more information, visit CFY's PowerMyLearning.com site, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation education portal, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation education site, or the W.K. Kellogg Foundation online grants database.

About the Author

Caitlin Moriarity is a freelance technology writer based in St. Louis, MO. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • cloud with binary code and technology imagery

    Hybrid and AI Expansion Outpacing Cloud Security

    A survey from the Cloud Security Alliance and Tenable finds that rapid adoption of hybrid, multi-cloud and AI systems is outpacing the security measures meant to protect them, leaving organizations exposed to preventable breaches and identity-related risks.

  • handshake between two individuals with AI icons (brain, chip, network, robot) in the background

    Microsoft, Amazon Announce New Commitments in Support of Presidential AI Challenge

    At the Sept. 4 meeting of the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education, Microsoft and Amazon announced new commitments to expanding AI education and skills training.

  • stylized illustration of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all displaying an orange AI icon

    Survey: AI Shifting from Cloud to PCs

    A recent Intel-commissioned report identifies a significant shift in AI adoption, moving away from the cloud and closer to the user. Businesses are increasingly turning to the specialized hardware of AI PCs, the survey found, recognizing their potential not just for productivity gains, but for revolutionizing IT efficiency, fortifying data security, and delivering a compelling return on investment by bringing AI capabilities directly to the edge.

  • open laptop with various educational materials like charts, quizzes, and documents emerging from the screen

    Pear Deck Learning Debuts New AI Features

    GoGuardian recently introduced new artificial intelligence features within its Pear Deck Learning curriculum and instruction platform, designed to aid educators throughout their teaching journey — from lesson planning to assessment.