How MCF has supported learning over the years
August 26, 2025
By Lex Page
With Labor Day around the corner, Madison families and educators are preparing for back-to-school season – rounding up school supplies and new clothes, decorating classrooms, preparing curriculum, and figuring out just how much math was lost to the summer slide.
At MCF, learning is one of our five grantmaking focus areas. We proudly support education in and around Madison, whether that entails helping get students in the door, ensuring students have access to essential supplies, or investing in out-of-school time programs. Here are just a few of the projects we’ve made possible together.
Reducing Barriers to Education
Madison College
Making up more than 40% of Madison College’s student body, parents are among the most talented and motivated students. Yet, due to a lack of access to childcare, student-parents are twice as likely to drop out as their non-parent peers.
To help address this community need, Madison College is building an Early Learning Campus, supported by a $150,000 grant from MCF. This facility will provide reliable, high-quality, affordable childcare to students, removing a significant barrier to those parents finishing their degrees.
Located at the Goodman South Campus, the Early Learning Campus will provide regular childcare services for the children of 45-55 Madison College students per year, in addition to drop-in care for unexpected childcare needs. Construction began on this project in January 2025, and the Early Learning Campus is set to open in January 2026.
Messiah Lutheran Church
In 2022, MCF granted $15,000 to Messiah Lutheran Church to support their Adopt-A-School partnership with Kennedy Elementary School. Through this partnership, Messiah Lutheran Church provided transportation to and from school for Kennedy students living in a nearby family shelter.
According to Attendance Works, research shows that missing 10% of the school year, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. During the 2022-23 school year, they served 20 students, increasing the average school attendance rate of students living at the shelter from 78.8% the previous year to 91.37%, meaning students attended an additional 23 days of school.
Omega School of Literacy Network
Omega School provides personalized instruction and support to help students obtain GED or HSED credentials, opening new educational and career pathways for about 125 people per year. In 2020, MCF granted Omega School $25,000 to pilot the Black Male Mentorship Initiative.
Through this initiative, despite facing increased challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Omega School engaged 21 Black male students who were not projected to graduate high school. Omega matched each student with a local community leader of color who acted as his mentor, In 2021, 11 of the participants attained an HSED/GED credential. All 21 students participated in a needs assessment, improved their living conditions through Omega-facilitated connections to resources, and participated in a career-mapping session.
Supplying School Essentials
WayForward Resources
For up to 50% of Madison’s students, the cost of purchasing quality school supplies can be a significant obstacle. To help students start the school year right, MCF awarded $3,500 to WayForward Resources in 2023 to support its Back-to-School Program.
Through this grant, WayForward was able to purchase 100 large backpacks for students in 6th through 12th grade. With additional support from other donors and volunteers, WayForward provided backpacks and school supplies to 629 students. This program has continued to serve West side students.
Horizon High School
Horizon High School is Wisconsin’s only recovery high school, providing a safe and supportive community for students to recover from substance use disorders while earning their diplomas.
In 2018, Horizon High School received $2,500 to purchase laptops for their students, an important step in delivering up-to-date curriculum and preparing students for modern workplaces, where technological literacy is essential. With students having access to laptops, Horizon High School was able to introduce a computer based math program called “ALEKS”. This program meets students where they are in their math skills and helps them build upon their algebra, geometry and trigonometry knowledge. Aleks also offers General and AP Chemistry as well as Statistics and Essential Math Skills for Business. Many students previously gave up on math and are now able to understand the concepts for the first time.
Preparing Future Leaders
CEOs of Tomorrow
In 2024, MCF awarded CEOs of Tomorrow $65,000 to help them relocate to The Black Business Hub, which will provide a more vibrant, racially diverse environment and allow more students to participate. CEOs of Tomorrow teaches social entrepreneurship and has facilitated several programs equipping students with financial literacy, leadership and business development skills.
High school students gain real-world experience creating and launching businesses focused on social good through the “These Teens Mean Busine$$ Incubator” program. Through the Teen Ambassadors program, high school students also get paid employment experience mentoring their peers in financial wellness. Students in fourth through eighth grade also create and launch mini businesses through a two-week summer camp.
Simpson Street Free Press
Simpson Street Free Press delivers academic instruction during after-school and summer hours by training students (grades 2-12) in close reading, writing, revision and other practical skills through writing and publishing newspapers.
In 2022, Simpson Street Free Press celebrated its 30th anniversary with a $30,000 grant from MCF. This grant supported the hiring of six additional teen editors, providing these students with meaningful part-time jobs assisting successful STEAM learning projects, such as “Women in Science and Math” and “Science of Wisconsin’s Environment.” With increased staff capacity, Simpson Street Free Press was able to expand its student body and continue providing high-impact out-of-school-time academic support for more than 260 students.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
American Players Theatre
In Fall 2024, American Players Theatre welcomed 4,700 students from across Wisconsin to watch matinee performances of iconic plays such as Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, and Nat Turner in Jerusalem. For many students, this was their first live theatre experience. Additionally, teaching artists from American Players Theatre traveled to schools to teach workshops to more than 1,300 students, providing opportunities for dialogue and interactive theatre games to help students better understand the poetry and artistic value of the plays they’d seen.
One of American Players Theatre’s goals for 2024 was to increase participation in the student matinee series and live workshops for Dane County schools. With a $10,000 grant from MCF, they accomplished these goals. American Players Theatre provided 281 student scholarship tickets and conducted eight workshops for six Dane County schools and provided bus transportation for two schools whose students would not have been able to attend without the support.
CXC Skiing
In 2019, MCF awarded CXC Skiing $15,000 to support the Nordic Rocks program pilot in Madison schools. Nordic Rocks provides students with the experience of cross-country skiing alongside their teachers and classmates. The program also integrates instruction on winter ecology, snow science and animal adaptations with physical activity.
With support from MCF, CXC Skiing brought free Nordic Rocks programming and skiing equipment to 11 Madison schools, serving 2,291 elementary and middle school students.
The Bodgery
In 2024, MCF provided a $10,000 grant to The Bodgery – the Greater Madison area’s largest makerspace – to support their youth education efforts. With these funds, The Bodgery formed partnerships with four area schools, provided hundreds of hours in education to middle and high school students, and helped students safely learn new skills while making beautiful and useful items.
In addition to purchasing tools for the sewing, ceramics and stained glass areas, enabling The Bodgery to host a middle school maker camp in Summer 2024, the grant provided scholarships for camp attendance, Bodgery memberships, and helped cover the material costs for students from Shabazz City High School and Abundant Life Christian School. The Bodgery plans offer two summer camps and will partner with Shabazz and Innovative High, continuing to provide financial support to students who would not otherwise be able to access the space.
You can support MCF’s grantmaking and projects like these by contributing to our Community Impact fund or to MCF’s Fund for Learning field of interest fund. If you’re interested in supporting education-focused projects with your giving, we would be happy to help you explore your options.
