Forest Hills Foundation announces student grants, seeks sponsors for May 9 5K

Stacy Gillard, speaking for the Forest Hills Foundation for Education, outlined priorities for the year and gave specific opportunities for students and supporters. She said the foundation budgeted $25,000 for student-led grants (applications due Feb. 12, awards in mid-March) that allow students to propose classroom or extracurricular projects; examples of past support included playground equipment at Mercer Elementary and upgraded computers for a school newspaper club. Gillard said the foundation has previously provided nearly $10,000 to orchestra clinicians and asked the board to help publicize student-grant opportunities to principals and families.

Gillard also announced the foundation's May 9 5K and said organizers were seeking business sponsors and volunteers. Board members asked for clarification about earlier references to district grants (one board member noted Mercer campus lunch tray funding was a district grant, not foundation money) and about the foundation’s administrative overhead. Gillard said the foundation typically runs about 27–28% overhead but aims to keep overhead low so the large majority of donor dollars support students.

What happens next: The foundation will publicize grant application details to principals and parents, include students on the grant review committee, and continue outreach for the May 9 5K sponsorships and volunteers.