Barberton Community Foundation Awards $100,000 in Grants, Prioritizing Early Learning Support

by Barberton Community Foundation | May 16, 2025 | Announcements, Scholarships

BARBERTON, OH -– On May 15, 2025, the Barberton Community Foundation Board of Directors approved $100,000 in grant funding through its Education, Workforce, and Economic Development Grant Cycle, with more than half of the awarded funds—$55,000—dedicated to supporting Barberton’s youngest learners, ages birth to 5.

This funding aligns with the Foundation’s emerging strategic priority around early childhood education, one of three focus areas currently being explored through its strategic planning process.

The data is compelling: in 2023, just over 22% of Barberton students were identified as “demonstrating readiness” for kindergarten according to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s required Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Students who start behind in their proficiency often remain behind throughout their academic careers, scoring lower in 3rd grade reading, 5th grade science, and other important education milestones. The Foundation’s funding strategy aims to interrupt that cycle by supporting high-impact programs for children before they even enter kindergarten.

Executive Director Josh Gordon shared additional context for this early learning investment: “If we want to help our students succeed, we must provide more support as early as possible,” Gordon said. “Imagine what’s possible if our youngest learners began school already equipped with the skills they need?” “We celebrate our school district’s ability to close substantial learning gaps for our students. We also know that if our students arrive on day one of kindergarten with the skills they need to excel, they will start ahead of the curve – and be able to stay ahead!”

Grants supporting ages birth to 5:

• $25,000 to Early Childhood Resource Center – SPARK Program
  SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) is a no-cost, in-home kindergarten readiness program that assigns a trained “parent partner” to each participating family. These child development professionals conduct monthly learning sessions with parents and children, focused on literacy, math, social-emotional development, and school readiness. Each visit includes a take-home SPARK kit with books and activities to extend learning.
  SPARK has served more than 20,000 Ohio children and is backed by 19 years of data showing statistically significant gains on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. Barberton’s grant will fully fund 10 children and their families through August 2026.
• $20,000 to Child Guidance & Family Solutions – TAPS Program
  TAPS (Toddlers and Preschoolers Succeeding) offers in-classroom support for early childhood educators to help reduce suspensions and expulsions from preschool settings. Through on-site modeling, coaching, and professional development, TAPS helps teachers manage challenging behaviors while promoting emotional resilience, stability for the
  student, and overall classroom success. The program engages the entire family, further strengthening school readiness outcomes for young children.
• $10,000 to Summit Education Initiative – Barberton Preschool Collaborative
  This new collaborative will bring together Barberton’s preschool providers—many of whom currently operate in isolation—to align instruction, pool data, and offer joint professional development while discussing other potential support. The goal is to create a unified system that better prepares preschoolers for kindergarten by increasing consistency and quality across programs. The initiative aims to support the nearly 1,000 preschool-aged children in Barberton, many of whom currently enter school without meeting basic readiness benchmarks.

Additional Youth Development Grants:

• $10,000 to National Inventors Hall of Fame – Camp Invention 2025
  Now in its 15th year in Barberton, Camp Invention brings hands-on STEM learning to students in grades K–6 through fun, high-energy summer programming led by local teachers. The Foundation’s grant will fund full or partial scholarships for up to 55 students, ensuring continued access despite the loss of state-level funding that previously supported the program. Barberton’s Camp is also slated to serve as a Vanguard site, piloting the 2026 curriculum ahead of national rollout.
• $20,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio – Afterschool Program
  This funding supports free, high-quality out of school time (OST) programming for 80 under-resourced K–5 Barberton students through the end of 2025. Focused on three pillars—academic success, health & wellness, and character & leadership—the program offers reading tutoring, math tutoring, STEM activities, literacy support, healthy meals, fitness, mental wellness, and community service opportunities, helping students stay safe, supported, and engaged after school.
• $15,000 to Limitless Ambition – Purposely Chosen Teen Program
  Serving up to 50 girls ages 11–18 in Barberton City School District during the 2025–26 school year, this program empowers young women through mentorship and social- emotional learning (also known as emotional literacy). Facilitated by women who have overcome adversity themselves, the program equips participants with leadership skills, resilience, and confidence. Executive Director Alicia Robinson describes the program in this way:
  “Few other populations face so many hurdles while holding so much promise within them. And no other organization brings Social-Emotional Learning Theory to life in such an interactive and meaningful way.”

This round of grants reflects Barberton Community Foundation’s deepening commitment to youth development and kindergarten readiness, and lays the groundwork for long-term, transformational change in the lives of Barberton’s children and families.

About Barberton Community Foundation

Established in 1996, Barberton Community Foundation has awarded more than 8,500 grants and scholarships totaling more than $109 million since its inception. The Foundation strives to improve, now and forever, the quality of life for Barberton residents by providing leadership on vital issues, fostering collaboration, and creating a legacy of giving to do good. The Foundation strengthens the community for current and future generations by proactively directing its grant dollars to the community’s greatest needs.

To read more about Barberton Community Foundation visit www.barbertoncf.org or follow us on
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