OYA - Webber Family Foundation

Opportunities for Youth Achievement Initiative

In 2008, after several years of funding a wide variety of educational programs, the Webber Family Foundation adopted a more focused grantmaking strategy centered on helping high-achieving, lower-income youth perform at the highest levels of achievement in academics and the arts.

Today this work continues through the Foundation’s Opportunities for Youth Achievement initiative (OYA), which supports a pipeline of support to effective nonprofits working to lay a strong early foundation for our youngest learners; provide youth with unique enrichment opportunities that develop meaningful skills; ensure that quality school options are available for all learners; and support young adults in their post-secondary goals.

Through this initiative, our goal is to help unlock access to new opportunities where they didn’t exist before.

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Focus Areas

Todos Juntos

SCHOOL READINESS & EARLY LITERACY

Age 3 – Grade 3

We believe breaking the cycle of poverty starts early with a quality education.

The objective of this initiative is to increase the number of lower-income students who enter Kindergarten as high-achievers (at or above grade-level norms) and achieve reading proficiency by third grade.

Grants will fund quality preschool programs that provide structured, school- or center-based education for children ages 3-5, with a focus on early literacy and parent engagement. Grants will also fund early literacy programs – for students in Kinder to 3rd grades – working to decrease the post-PreK fadeout that can occur once children enter the public school system.

Andy Roddick Foundation Camps

OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME ENRICHMENT

Grades 4-12

We believe out-of-school time learning provides transformational experiences. We also believe the arts are essential for youth development and innovation.

The objectives of this initiative are to increase the number of lower-income students who develop academic and artistic skill during out-of-school time enrichment. We define enrichment as activities that extend learning beyond the content/expectations of the school curriculum. Enrichment could be academic (robotics clubs, book clubs, summer space camp, etc.) or in the arts (music lessons, screenwriting workshop, dance program, etc.). Not included are remedial programs to help struggling students achieve grade-level expectations.

Grants will fund long-term, intensive programs that serve lower-income students in grades 4 – 12 who are exceeding grade-level norms.

Specific interests include enrichment programs that help students fulfill their potential through academics and/or the arts. This initiative does not include development of leadership and/or social skills, mentoring (except in the context of academics or the arts), nor remedial programs to help struggling students achieve grade-level expectations. In the arts, grants will fund programs that allow students to study music, dance, visual arts, and/or theater in depth. Artistic skill development – not exposure – is the goal.

Magnolia Montessori For All

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Grades PreK – 12

We believe all families deserve the right to choose a quality education for their children.

The objective of this initiative is to expand the capacity of high performing charter schools that serve predominantly lower-income students.

Grants will fund schools serving grades PreK-12 that produce well-prepared graduates.

Peloton U

COLLEGE READINESS, ACCESS & PERSISTENCE

Grades 6-12+

We believe a college education unlocks opportunity in a competitive global economy.

The objective of this initiative is to increase the number of exceptionally well-prepared graduates who enroll in and succeed in college.

Grants will fund:

college preparation and access programs serving middle and high school students
college persistence programs for organizations working with students before high school graduation
college scholarships and emergency aid through partnerships with St. Edwards University (Austin, TX) and Montgomery College (Maryland)

Grant Info

Capacity Building Grants

The Foundation offers one-year Capacity Building Grants to mission-aligned nonprofits.

These grants allow organizations to develop or strengthen operations and programs in order to build effectiveness and sustainability.

Capacity Building grants can benefit both direct-service organizations as well as backbone organizations leading systemic work in one or more of the Foundation’s current focus areas. For more information about how we define capacity building, visit our FAQs, or our Impact Report for a sampling of projects types.

In addition to Capacity Building Grants, the Foundation also provides Partner Grants – multi-year general operating support for organizations whose missions are closely aligned with our Opportunities for Youth Achievement initiative’s goals – as well as Discretionary Grants. These types of grants are board- and staff-initiated.

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