Investing Beyond Grades, Graduation, and College: Developing the Whole Child
Fundraising Consultant and Grant Writer with Purpose Possible
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, funders recognize the need for a transformative approach that goes beyond traditional success metrics. Since COVID, funders have seen the urgency around investing in resources that develop the whole learner. While grades, reading levels, and graduation rates are valuable measurements of a successful education, how can programs prepare students to be adaptive, grow, and thrive throughout their education and adulthood?
Moving away from the one-size-fits-all model, education funders increasingly support a comprehensive "whole-learner" approach, acknowledging that mental and physical health, workforce development, and life skills are just as important (if not more important) than academic achievement.
We are seeing a trend in funders supporting youth-serving organizations that demonstrate a holistic understanding of a child's development, emphasizing the importance of addressing fundamental needs and emotional stability–alongside academic achievements—to tell a complete story.
Before you submit your next grant application, here are some commonly asked funder questions that demonstrate impactful whole-learner programs to consider:
Student Voice: A crucial component of a comprehensive education approach.
How is your program incorporating student voices to understand their needs, challenges, and experiences?
How is that feedback used to inform programming, staffing, resources, etc?
Utilizing pre- and post-program surveys allows for direct insights, ensuring that programs evolve based on real-time feedback.
Mental Health & Wellness: Mental health is a cornerstone of a child's overall well-being.
How is your organization addressing mental health?
What resources are you offering?
How is mental health incorporated into the day-to-day activities of the program?
What training has the staff received to support the mental, racial, and economic challenges of the youth they serve?
Discipline is not enough. Students and educators need the tools to cope with challenges, understand emotions, and manage experiences.
Life Skills: Grantmakers want to invest in programs building life-ready individuals.
How does your program contribute to students becoming self-sufficient beyond graduation?
If students enter the workforce, what knowledge and skills will they possess to help them to succeed?
What are the long-term impacts of your programs?
Helping students achieve academically is important, but you must invest in programs—like workforce development and career pathway programs—that transcend academics.
Breaking Poverty Cycles: Ending the cycle of generational poverty by creating opportunities for equitable access.
How can your program help break the cycle of generational poverty for a child?
Are your programs accessible to students regardless of financial ability?
Are your programs accessible to students with location or transportation barriers?
What financial literacy resources are available?
Ensuring students are trained in financial wellness and can access resources is an investment in life skills and well-being.
Additional Wrap-Around Services: Efforts to eliminate barriers to success.
Does your program provide essential services like meals and transportation?
What financial burdens are students and families incurring, and how can these be minimized?
Are you partnering with community organizations to help meet the needs of your students?
Equitable education opportunities are one small piece of the wealth disparity crisis, and schools often fail to provide resources outside of the classroom that low-income students and their families need to have any chance of breaking the cycle of poverty and succeeding beyond graduation.
In pursuing a comprehensive "whole-learner" approach, investing in students' emotional, mental, and practical well-being becomes as important as academic achievements. Relying on graduation rates and test scores to determine a student’s post-secondary success ignores critical factors like mental health, housing stability, financial stability, and sources of trauma. By asking these questions and actively addressing these facets, youth programs can prepare students for success beyond the classroom. Tracking the impact with student feedback, staff feedback, benchmarking, and other metrics can make youth-serving organizations more appealing to funders and thus more able to invest in their mission-driven work.
Here are a few recommended resources for youth-serving professionals:
Caroline Egan is a Fundraising Consultant and Grant Writer with Purpose Possible. She has worked with 21st Century Leaders, Next Gen Men & Women, Tapestry Public Charter School, Wesley International Charter School, Veritas School of Social Sciences, Odyssey Atlanta, and many other youth and education organizations.