FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2023
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS EDUCATION FUND BOARD AWARDS OVER
$6.5 MILLION TO ENHANCE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ROUTT COUNTY
Grants included Steamboat Springs School District, Hayden, South Routt, Steamboat Montessori Charter School, and supporting community groups
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – The Steamboat Springs Education Fund (SSEF) awarded over $6.5 Million ($6,505,219) toward education in Routt County for the 2023-2024 school year. Grants included $5,146,102 to Steamboat Springs School District, $321,358 to Hayden School District, $257,087 to South Routt School District, $257,087 to Steamboat Montessori, and $258,335 to supporting community groups. The Fund also made a significant investment in grant writing with a $235,250 allocation of the budget.
“The Education Fund has become an integral part of our district’s budget and it is great that our communities continue to support the education of youth in this capacity. One of the grants that we continue to fund is Grant Writers for the districts. Our $235,000 investment in Grant Writers often brings in several times that amount. In 2022 grant writing brought in over $6,000,000 for our districts,” said Adam Alspach, SSEF President.
The Fund’s Mission is to enhance academic accomplishment in Routt County through student-facing investments in staff, facilities, infrastructure, technology, and curriculum, made available through our public schools. Each school district’s application included a varying need for the majority of their funds. For SSSD alone, our funding now represents over 10% of the annual school district operating budget for Steamboat schools.
This year the Fund divided $258,335 among 16 community groups that help support the curriculum of our public schools. The majority of the community funds went to Partners in Routt County ($51,835), Rocky Mountain Youth Corps ($45,000), STARS ($29,000), Yampatika ($28,000), Northwest Colorado Health ($25,000), and Integrated Community ($20,000). Other groups awarded grants included: Yampa Valley Autism Program, Junior Achievement, Opera Steamboat, Steamboat Symphony Orchestra, Steamboat Dance Theater, Steamboat Reading, Perry Mansfield, Routt County Riders, Strings Music Festival, and Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition. This grant cycle included a record number of applications from new organizations.
“This year the board had its work cut out for it when reviewing the community grants. It was great to see the number of applications for funds, but it can make for some emotional moments when trying to decide what grants would provide the most beneficial impact for our youth. Overall I think the board had some robust discussion and I think they did a great job for our communities. In the upcoming summer session, I think we are going to spend some time discussing our mission and making sure we are communicating funding requirements not only for our community groups, but for all those involved in the review process,” added Alspach.
The Steamboat Springs Education Fund administers the funds collected from the half-cent sales tax and provides accountability for all spending toward the fund’s mission. The SSEF Board of Directors consists of up to 11 voting members, the majority of whom must live within the Steamboat Springs School District. Board members are appointed for three-year terms.
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2020:
https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/uncertainty-is-the-name-of-the-game-county-school-districts-work-to-finalize-budgets/
https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/education-fund-board-delays-awarding-of-grants-to-area-schools-until-june/
2019:
https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/education-sales-tax-funds-3-8-million-in-grants-for-routt-county-schools/
https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/education-fund-board-approves-3-8m-budget-for-new-grant-cycle/
2018:
https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/steamboat-voters-renew-education-sales-tax-by-huge-margin/
Wins, losses, and split decisions: Here’s how Colorado school district tax measures fared – CHALKBEAT – Nov. 7, 2018
Voters in more than two dozen Colorado school districts agreed to tax increases on Tuesday, with some districts seeing success after several previous attempts failed. READ MORE
Funding mental health focus of grant commission in support of safe Steamboat schools – STEAMBOAT PILOT – April 12, 2018
With the tragic Feb. 14 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland fresh in their minds, the members of the Steamboat Springs Education Grant Commission voted this week to recommend increasing funding for mental health specialists in the public schools. READ MORE
Deadline to apply for local education fund grants Monday – STEAMBOAT PILOT – January 20, 2019
The deadline to submit applications for Steamboat Springs Education Fund grants is Monday. Grants are awarded to public schools and nonprofits with school-based programs in Routt County through a competitive grant process managed by the Education Fund Board’s Grants Commission and approved by the Education Fund Board. READ MORE
2017:
Steamboat Springs Education Fund Board: Investing in future of Steamboat schools – Letter to the Editor – October 19, 2017
Steamboat Springs, we have a problem. Since 2009, Steamboat Springs School District has lost more than $20 million in state funding. Essentially, since the recession, the state has pulled education dollars from districts across Colorado to balance the state budget. READ MORE
Greg Johnson: Support for 3C/3D – Letter to the Editor – October 26, 2017
Recently, two former members of the Education Fund Board have expressed concern over spending of the one-half cent sales tax in regard to the school district’s current financial needs. I think it is always important to question how taxpayer dollars are spent, but I want to defend the Education Fund Board, it’s student-facing spending, and why it is important to support our school district in the upcoming election. READ MORE
CC4E: Citizens committee endorses 3C, 3D – October 26, 2017
CC4E endorses the Steamboat Springs School District’s bond and mill levy. We recognize that they do not solve our capacity issues; it is too soon to put a comprehensive plan on the ballot because we have not yet reached a consensus as a community on a single plan. READ MORE
Our view: Schools are among our most critical assets – October 15, 2017
The success the Steamboat Springs School District has had in attracting and retaining top-notch teachers and staff is the primary reason our schools are ranked among the top 10 in Colorado. They are the human assets that help to rank our schools among our very top community assets. READ MORE
Virtual reality could make its way to schools in Steamboat, Hayden – February 16, 2017
Virtual reality could make its way into classrooms in Steamboat Springs and Hayden next year, if proposed grants are funded using Steamboat’s half-cent sales tax for education. READ MORE
Grant applications due Monday for Steamboat’s half-cent sales tax money – January 12, 2017
Routt County school employees have just a few days to put the finishing touches on Education Fund grant applications for innovative ideas to improve the educational experience. READ MORE
Montessori school seeking grant funding from Steamboat’s half-cent sales tax – January 9, 2017
Mountain Village Montessori founder Kristen Rockford will make her case to the Education Fund Board Wednesday for why the public charter school should be eligible for funds from the city’s half-cent sales tax. READ MORE
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