SEATTLE – The Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation is giving a $7.5 million Christmas present to area Catholic schools in recognition of the role they play in educating lower-income students.
The grant announced Thursday to the Fulcrum Foundation, a Seattle nonprofit that supports Western Washington’s 68 Catholic schools, will be used to increase the amount and number of scholarships and launch a fundraising campaign to establish two foundations totaling $35 million.
The Fulcrum Foundation helps about 700 families send their kids to Catholic schools each year, with grants of about $550 per child on tuition that averages $3,700 a year. The five-year endowment campaign hopes to increase grants to $1,000 per child.
“This is really going to help us take a major stride toward doing that,” said Joe Womac, executive director of the foundation. “It really is a recognition of the value of our schools.”
About 22,500 students attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle, which includes Western Washington communities from Canada to Oregon. Besides tuition grants, Fulcrum gives general assistance grants to schools in low-income areas and pays for teacher training as well as books and educational materials.
About $2.5 million of the Gates grant will kick off a campaign to raise money for a scholarship endowment and another endowment to offers assistance to schools. The remaining $5 million will provide immediate scholarships and school assistance until the endowments are funded.
Melinda Gates graduated from a Catholic high school in Texas, and the Gates Foundation has previously given money to Catholic organizations. In 2001, the foundation gave $1.6 million to the Yakima Diocese. Two years later, it gave $9.9 million to the Cristo Rey Network, a national association of Jesuit high schools.
Gates Foundation spokeswoman Marie Groark said the organization tries to make sure its funding reflects the proportion of attendance in public versus private schools nationwide.
“Obviously, we believe in increasing high school graduation rates and expanding the supply of options, especially for lower-income and traditionally underserved students,” she said. “We believe that public schools play an important role in that, but Catholic schools play a vital role as well. This funding reflects that.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
