October 31, 2022

Transcend Awards $2M to Local Organizations Fueling Educational Change

Community-led programs driving equity and innovation awarded education grants

Eight recipients across the country to receive Community-Led Education Initiatives Grant to  drive extraordinary and equitable educational experiences

Communities across the country, October 31, 2022— Transcend, in partnership with the Walton Family Foundation, is proud to announce eight grant winners today, each receiving between $50,000 to $400,000 in funds. These recipients were selected among over 200 applicants for their work  building extraordinary, equitable educational experiences in their communities. 

“This initiative is built on the belief that communities, while often under-resourced, are best positioned to identify their own needs and drive leadership in the most promising change efforts,” shared Lavada Berger, Transcend Partner.  “The intent of the fund is to provide financial support to existing or emergent local initiatives to accelerate student learning both inside and outside of traditional school settings.” 

Recipients were chosen through a robust process and with a focus on programs reaching students in smaller and mid-sized communities that reach historically under-represented students.

Grant recipients include:

West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition (Delray Beach, FL)
The Coalition’s mission is to advance redevelopment to improve the economic, social and cultural future of The Set Community (a historically Black community in Delray Beach).

Maine Inside Out (Lewiston, ME)
Maine Inside Out activates individuals and communities to imagine and embody freedom through art, advocacy and support, and transformative justice. Formerly incarcerated people lead our work to build a world where everyone matters and belongs.

Rural Opportunity Institute (Edgecombe County, NC)
ROI supports youth, organizations, and communities to interrupt the cycle of generational trauma and design innovative solutions for healing and resilience.

EcoRise Youth Innovations (Austin, TX)
EcoRise mobilizes a new generation of leaders to design healthy, just, and thriving communities for all. They work at the intersection of sustainability education, climate resilience, and environmental justice by elevating youth voices and advancing student-led solutions to real-world challenges. 

Rosebud Sioux Tribe Education Department (Rosebud, SD)
It is the mission of the Sicangu Lakota Education Department to preserve, protect and perpetuate the Rosebud Sioux Tribe; To promote intra-governmental understanding and coordination and to make education a good experience and a good preparation for life.

Baltimore Algebra Project (Baltimore, MD)
Baltimore Algebra Project’s mission is to carve a community of leaders as well as exhibit leadership while remaining committed to the education of those in need of advancements in their socioeconomic status.

Up From Slavery Initiative (Bremerton, WA)
Up From Slavery Initiative’s mission is to heal, inform, and empower our marginalized and underserved communities through racial justice, financial literacy, and wellness.

Oceti Sakowin Education Learning Center (Rapid City, SD)
The Oceti Sakowin Education Learning Center is a Lakota-centered educational setting that provides Indigenous learners with a strong sense of identity, confidence, and ability to navigate any system they encounter because they know who they are.

“We are incredibly excited to collaborate with these winners in their work,” said Transcend co-founder Jeff Wetzler. “This process incorporated participatory grant-making principles to ensure communities had a voice in the selection decisions. ” 

The fund is a joint venture between Transcend and funded through support from the Walton Family Foundation.


About Transcend

Transcend is a national nonprofit that supports school communities to create and spread extraordinary, equitable learning environments. The organization was founded on a belief that we must reimagine schooling, using a community-driven approach, so all children can realize their infinite potential. Transcend pursues its mission by partnering directly with schools on design journeys while also sharing powerful models, tools and insights across the sector. To date, Transcend has worked directly with hundreds of schools and leaders in over 30 states, and has influenced thousands more. Ultimately, Transcend strives to fuel significant leaps in education so all young people can thrive in and transform the world.

For more information, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. 

About the Walton Family Foundation

The Walton Family Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. Three generations of the descendants of our founders, Sam and Helen Walton, and their spouses, work together to lead the foundation and create access to opportunity for people and communities. We work in three areas: improving K-12 education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support, and investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. To learn more, visit waltonfamilyfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Transcend is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates nationally.