The Georgia Foundation for Public Education today awarded its third round of Rural Education Fund grants, awarding 27 grants to Georgia schools and districts. 

Totaling $127,152, this year's Rural Education Fund grants will fund mobile technology and hotspots for virtual learning, digital reading resources for students, the renovation of a 2001 Blue Bird bus to create a mobile library, college visits and applications, an arts course in a school that currently does not offer one, podcasting equipment for English Language Arts classes, food safety equipment to help schools meet CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more.

“We know that rural schools and districts face unique resource gaps, which have only intensified in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic," GFPE Executive Director Paige Pushkin said. “We are thrilled to be able to provide targeted support to these schools and districts as they work hard to provide opportunities to their students. This year's grants showcase the great creativity and ingenuity of our rural school districts and I can't wait to see these projects come to life." 

The Rural Education Fund was created to help rural schools and districts meet their students' needs. Any public school or district located in a Georgia county with a population of 35,000 or less was eligible to apply for the 2020 grant cycle; all applicants were required to propose a project that would serve a current challenge within the school or district and would lead to positive student outcomes. 

Click here to view outcomes from previous Rural Education Fund grants.

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The foundation of the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia Foundation for Public Education exists for the single purpose of supporting educational excellence for students in Georgia. All proceeds from the sale of Georgia “Educator" or “Support Education" license tags benefit the programs of the GFPE, which provides simple ways for donors to impactfully serve students in Georgia's K-12 system – by investing in a current GFPE project or working with GFPE to fund their vision. Learn more at GFPE.org.