The Fund for East Ramapo’s Public School Students, established by Latham and Watkins, has awarded the following grants to the East Ramapo community.

East Ramapo Community Foundation for Public Education
The East Ramapo Community Fund for Public Education (ERCFPE) is a 501(c)(3) component fund of the Rockland Community Foundation and was awarded $20,000 (over the course of two years) to continue its work in providing up to $500 grants to teachers of the East Ramapo public school students, for the purpose of supporting enrichment programs and activities for their students.

Girls Reaching All Concepts of Excellence (G.R.A.C.E)

G.R.A.C.E. was awarded an additional $20,000 for a program called East Ramapo Central School District Middle School Girls through education, well-being and social justice. This school-based mentoring/enrichment program provides support for girls who benefit from a positive role model to help unlock their potential. The program includes personalized mentorship from 15 dedicated mentors who will follow a cohort of girls from Middle School through High School. Scholarships will be awarded to all mentees who successfully complete the program. The program’s mission is to address educational disparities, enhance well-being, promote food security, and to foster an understanding of social justice issues continues.

Proyecto Faro
Proyecto Faro’s Organización de padres empoderados/Empowered Parents (OPE) 2024-2025 Parent Empowerment Campaign was awarded an additional $20.500 to continue the work of this. parent empowerment initiative. The program continues to build the leadership of parents to advocate for change in the ERCSD over the last few years. OPE leaders will continue to deepen their leadership and advocacy skills so that they can create an ERCSD-wide parent empowerment campaign that will train parents to increase their knowledge of their rights and the rights of their children, an advance their skills in advocating for their children’s educational needs.

Rockland County YMCA

The YMCA Youth and Government for East Ramapo School District Students program received a grant of $25,000 to support 35 students from Ramapo High School and Spring Valley High School. This immersive, student-led civic engagement program equips high school students with the skills, confidence, and experience to become active participants in the democratic process. This program includes activities that help students debate bills, write legislation, and learn parliamentary procedures in a hands-on, interactive format. Students assume roles such as legislators, senators, lobbyists, reporters, and press personnel, preparing for real-world civic engagement and leadership.

Wonder Girls

Wonder Girls was awarded an additional $40,000 (to be distributed over two years) to broaden its programming in the form of leadership, business skills, social responsibility, confidence building and wellness to female students at East Ramapo High School. The program’s goal is to produce empowered, college/career ready young women who are confident in themselves, their education and are prepared for the business world. This additional funding for the 2025-2026 school year, will expand the program into Spring Valley High School, Chestnut Ridge Middle School, and Pomona Middle School, while maintaining a presence at Ramapo High School and Kakiat Middle School.

The Fund for East Ramapo’s Public School Students, established by Latham and Watkins typically awards grants in the $15,000-$20,000 range per approved project.