WASHINGTON, D.C. –America’s Promise Alliance, the nation’s largest network dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth, is extending the Healthy Schools Fund to communities working to create healthier school environments for all children.

As part of Together for Healthy and Successful Schools, a new initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), America’s Promise will select three to five districts and/or community-level organizations that will receive up to $300,000 for two years to support existing collaborative efforts.

Through this work, America’s Promise seeks to answer the following questions:

What if every young person went to a school that focuses on academics as well as social and emotional development and physical health? How do we create the conditions to make it so all children, no matter where they are from, or how much money their family makes, has access to a school that helps them develop into well-rounded adults?

Recognizing that school-centered health intersects with many areas outside of education—housing, employment, transportation, and food access— efforts should serve as a hub for cross-sector collaboration, youth and community engagement, and broader policy and systemic change. Selected grantees will display alignment with this vision and a proven ability to accelerate positive change for young people in schools and their communities.

“America’s Promise has always believed that to support young people who are struggling the most, it takes approaches that focus on all of a child’s developmental needs,” said John Gomperts, president and CEO of America’s Promise. “When communities have healthy schools young people experience greater health, achieve better academic outcomes, and in turn, impact the entire community. Our partnership with RWJF will enable us to help build demand among practitioners, community members, and decision-makers to make healthy schools the norm and create the conditions for every child to have a healthy, successful life.”

Districts and organizations in are eligible to apply in Colorado. 

“To ensure all young people can seize educational opportunities, they need to be at their healthiest,” said Jennifer Ng’andu, senior program officer at RWJF. “Research shows that healthy, nurturing, and safe schools help young people make the most of their education and that success leads to a healthier, longer, more successful life. RWJF launched the Together for Healthy and Successful Schools initiative in recognition of the critical connections between health, learning and long-term well-being.”

To learn more about the America’s Promise Healthy Schools Fund via informational webinar, and to apply, visitwww.americaspromise.org/healthy-schools-fund. The deadline to submit applications is January 22.