Your Contribution Empowers Rural Colorado Schools, Students and Teachers
Empowering Rural Colorado’s Schools and Students
It takes a village to raise a child!
We believe everyone should have access to equitable education. Rural communities epitomize the “villages” that raise our children; however, due to the size of the population and/or the remoteness of the town, rural schools and districts are often overlooked when it comes to providing opportunities and resources for students.
It’s our mission at the Nathan Yip Foundation to provide financial support to rural schools and teachers to help provide equitable and innovative opportunities for students in rural Colorado.
The Challenge
According to the Colorado Department of Education, 80% (147 of Colorado’s 178) school districts are in rural areas. Rural school districts are often understaffed and cut off from resources and access to the same learning opportunities and experiences as their urban peers.
Our Approach
Nathan Yip Foundation is committed to reaching students in some of Colorado’s most underserved communities and work directly with stakeholders so that we know our work is thoughtful, sustainable, and fits with the school’s needs.
By building partnerships with the communities we serve, we open communication channels that allow us to get to the root of each school’s unique needs and work together to craft innovative solutions.
Make a Donation
Colorado’s rural communities are home to approximately 130,500 students that are often forgotten when it comes to access to the educational resources and learning opportunities that are necessary to build skills and succeed in the changing economic landscape.
Make a donation to help provide resources to our teachers, schools and districts in rural Colorado!
Click on the tabs below to see what we could fund with $30,000.
Graphing Calculators for 20 High School Students: $2,000
Build a greenhouse to develop the agriculture/ fire science programs to certify students as entry level firefighters: $3,000
25 Student Guitars, Ukuleles, and Recorders a Music Classroom: $4,000
Our Impact
Since 2002, the Nathan Yip Foundation has funded more than 125 projects serving more than 75,000 students worldwide.
In Colorado, since 2016, we have donated $786,000 more than 195 rural Colorado teachers, schools and districts.
2022 Year at a Glance:
$106,000 distributed through Rural School Partnership Grants
$104,00 distributed through our first annual Rural Teacher Grant Programs
Thousands of students impacted
Our Grants
Ortega Middle School | Alamosa,CO (San Luis Valley)
Funding for ICAP Fridays monthly at the middle school to build school community and begin exploration of careers and job paths.
Kwiyagat Community Academy| Towaoc CO (Southwest)
Playground equipment for Colorado’s first public Native American reservation charter school.
School-Wide Grants
With grants ranging from $5,000- $30,000 we help rural schools and districts design and implement education programs that directly meet the needs of their community.
Here are two examples:
- Akron High School | Akron, CO (Eastern Plains): Construction Science vocational training program
- Center Consolidated School | Center, CO (San Luis Valley): Home Visit Program—Teachers conduct in-home visits with the goal of increasing parental engagement and support to better understand the whole child.
2022 Rural Teacher Grants
Funded 49 teacher-initiated projects, including:
- Purchasing a new Bass Clarinet for the Ridgway Secondary School band
- Purchasing a new kiln for an amazing art teacher at Liberty School in Joes, Colorado
- Transportation and supplies for community service projects at Clear Creek Middle/High School
- A sensory room for students at Upper Blue Elementary
- Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as blenders, so students at Gypsum Elementary can make their own healthy snacks
- A microscale Chemistry lab at Cotopaxi High School (thank you message image)
- Graphing calculators for Dolores high school students
- A student curated Graphic Novel Library at Alamosa Alternative School
- Bucket drumming at Sleeping Giant Elementary in Routt County
Word of Thanks Fundraiser
