Asheville Reporter

The City of Asheville recently announced the approval of the fourth round of Strategic Partnership Grant (SPG) Program awards, continuing its commitment to supporting the local community. The awards, totaling $237,000, were granted to five different non-profit organizations aiming to address the opportunity gap for low to moderate-income school-aged youth.

According to the official announcement, the City has been actively involved in awarding grants through the SPG program since its relaunch in 2022, with a cumulative total of $1,018,709 awarded to 21 programs thus far. This latest round of funding underscores the City's dedication to closing the opportunity gap for Asheville's youth.

The applications for the grants were thoroughly reviewed based on various criteria, including the organizations' ability to address the opportunity gap for school-age youth, track and measure results, available resources, capacity to carry out the project, commitment to equity, and a feasible budget to support the program. Applicants also provided prerecorded presentations for evaluation by the Equity and Engagement Committee.

The recipients of the awards and their respective programs are as follows:

- Food Security Enhances Learning by PODS, Inc - $67,859

- Summer 2024 Enrichment Program Expansion by Horizons at Carolina Day - $35,000

- Youth Literacy by Literacy Together - $35,000

- Bolstering Transportation Support for the I/DD Community by The Arc of Buncombe County - $35,000

- Youthful H.A.N.D. Summer Jump Start Program by Serve to LEAD - $64,141

The City Council's approval of these grants highlights the collaborative efforts being made to support initiatives that benefit youth in Asheville and work towards bridging the opportunity gap in the community.