America Forward Awarded Major Grant from the LEGO Foundation to Support its “Advancing Whole-Learner Education” Initiative
Washington, D.C., October 15 – America Forward, New Profit’s nonpartisan policy initiative that unites social entrepreneurs with policymakers to advance innovative and effective solutions to our country’s most pressing social problems, today announced that it has been awarded a $3.9 million grant from the LEGO Foundation to support its “Advancing Whole Learner Education” initiative. Together with previous LEGO Foundation support for whole-learner work at America Forward, this grant represents a bold investment of $4.8 million toward advancing policies that support whole-learner education and foster the development of holistic skills.
Over the next three years, the new grant will support America Forward’s efforts to deepen public engagement and expand federal support for whole-learner approaches to education that support the development of the critical, interconnected skills that all learners need to thrive – both in school and in life. The “Advancing Whole-Learner Education” initiative will support advocacy efforts of America Forward Coalition organizations and partners focused on whole-learner practice, deep engagement with public policy decision-makers, and a public engagement campaign to increase public awareness and understanding of whole-learner approaches to education.
“ To help students meet today’s unprecedented challenges, we need whole-learner approaches that are grounded in equity, that recognize the interconnected way social, emotional, cognitive, creative, and physical skills develop, and that provide safe and supportive environments and relationships. The urgency of this work is especially clear now, during a global pandemic that has deepened persistent inequities,” said Deborah Smolover, Executive Director of America Forward. “We are so grateful to the LEGO Foundation for their generous funding and dedicated partnership in support of the Advancing Whole Learner Education initiative, which aims to spur the widespread adoption of evidence-based whole-learner approaches that lead to improved outcomes for all students.