At the Steelcase Foundation, we envision Kent County, Michigan as a place where everyone’s inherent brilliance can shine and all people can participate, grow, and flourish. Over the next two years, we’re doubling down on our commitment to public education, the role family well-being plays in students’ flourishing, and change across systems that impacts students’ lives. These priorities aren’t a shift from our existing mission and vision. They reflect where we believe our resources can make the greatest difference, based on what we’ve learned from partners about what’s needed and what’s already working.

Recent federal actions and state budget cuts have created burdens of uncertainty and disruption for students, families, public educators, and community partners. While some of these efforts have faced legal challenges, they still threaten to create a devastating regression in students’ rights, their academic opportunities, and family well-being. We seek to encourage and support our partners in navigating the current challenges with resolve, conviction, and purposeful action. Now more than ever, we believe that defending and working toward a bold vision for public education and thriving families requires us to be intentional, including:

• reinvesting in effective programs and approaches already deepening felt difference for children and families every day;
• resisting efforts that threaten to narrow opportunity, undermine dignity, and silence diverse perspectives and experiences;
• recommitting to the values of justice and collective care, to the centuries-long efforts to realize this nation’s ideals, and to the deep wisdom of people-centered movements directing the way forward; and
• reimagining systems to dismantle barriers, expand access, and center joy in learning.

Below is an overview of our focus areas for grantmaking for the next two years. This summary is not an exhaustive list, but it is meant to provide guidance and help partners understand where we plan to concentrate our resources.

Defending + Strengthening Public Education

Public education is a cornerstone of equity and opportunity. We invest in protecting its integrity and ensuring all learners have access to a high-quality, radically-inclusive, and liberatory education system. 

School Communities

• Educator professional development related to creating inclusive, student-centered learning environments
• Educator pipeline efforts addressing recruitment and retention, especially of diverse educators
• School cultures of belonging and psychological safety

Youth + Family Voice

• Youth collaboration and leadership in schools
• Arts and cultural experiences that prioritize youth leadership and belonging
• Family/caregiver collaboration and leadership in schools

Systems + Transitions

• Positive transitions through PK-12, especially into kindergarten, to middle school, to high school, and to postsecondary
• Research exploring disparate outcomes in education

Whole-Child Learning, Whole-Family Supports

Students flourish when their families are flourishing. We invest in holistic, culturally responsive approaches that meet students and families where they are, help them get to where they aspire to be, and make learning and belonging possible.

Stability + Support Beyond the Classroom

• Targeted approaches to supporting students’ and their caregivers’ well-being
• Stabilization efforts for immigrant and refugee students and their families
• Navigation support for students and their families accessing public benefits and other essential services (especially with changes to Medicaid eligibility)

Relationships + Learning

• Out-of-school time (OST) programs centering social emotional development, belonging, and/or academic enrichment
• Early relational health efforts between children and caregivers
• Research investigating the impacts of felt difference related to youth and family well-being

Postsecondary Access + Success

Education doesn’t end at high school. We support the critical transition to postsecondary education and early career pathways that help students access, persist through, and succeed in those opportunities, especially those who are first-generation or historically underserved.

• Postsecondary access and readiness
• Postsecondary persistence and retention

Want to learn more or see if your work aligns with these priorities? Start by exploring stories and resources on our to see how we approach community partnerships. If you’re still unsure whether your program fits, reach out to Trudy Ngo-Brown at trudynb@steelcasefoundation.org.