Rex Foundation Announces 2019 Grants

For the 4th consecutive year, Pro Bono Publico Foundation has awarded $1 million in grants supporting Greater New Orleans schools and education initiatives.

In an event attended by educators and their families at the Rex den, leaders of the PBPF awarded $ 1million dollars in grants to 68 recipients for the 2018-19 grant cycle.

The awards ceremony marked the fourth consecutive year PBPF grants will total $1 million and brings the cumulative grant total to more than $7.5 million through 12 grant cycles.

The 68 grants benefit schools serving a total of more than 35,000 students and include nine charter management organizations responsible for 44 schools, 18 individual charter schools and nine other schools, including several serving children with special needs. The Foundation also supports 23 organizations which provide supporting services to students and schools as well as six policy and advocacy organizations.

The Pro Bono Publico Foundation (probonopublicofoundation.org) was formed by members of the Rex Organization (rexorganization.com) as New Orleans recovered from Hurricane Katrina. Thanks to the generosity of its donors the Foundation has been able to make a sustained and meaningful investment in support of our community’s public schools and its students, as the 2019 grant total marks the eighth consecutive year the PBPF grants exceed half a million dollars.

Additionally, the Pro Bono Publico Foundation has established a Strategic Innovation Fund which will award larger grants and carry the potential to more broadly impact its education mission. “Our donors recognize the importance of this investment in our children and our future. The Foundation’s commitment as a key local funder of school transformation helps attract critical national support,” Foundation Chairman Storey Charbonnet said. “We have made tremendous progress, but we recognize that there is much work still to do to assure excellence in all of our schools. Our investment of $1 million dollars four years in a row, and $7.5 million in total, is evidence of our commitment to support that work.”

The grants support the commitment of Rex members and the PBPF to assure all of New Orleans’ children can attend excellent schools. Nearly all of New Orleans students now attend public charter schools. These schools, and organizations supporting their important work, have been the focus of PBPF’s investment, as well as the commitment of dozens of Rex members serving on their boards.

Quick Facts:

• 2018-19 grants total $1 million and giving since 2007 exceeds $7.5 million
• This is the fourth consecutive year the Pro Bono Publico Foundation has awarded $1 million in grants, and the eighth consecutive year grants have exceeded $500,000.
• 2018-19 grants awarded to 68 grantees
• Through a grant to the NORD Foundation, the PBPF continues to sponsor activities at Taylor Playground, adjacent to the Rex Den
• Grants from the Pro Bono Publico Foundation support organizations which serve our community’s children from the “cradle to college”