Reinvention By Community

The Opportunity Trust is relaunching our Reinvention by Community (RBC) Grant program to support individuals and teams with innovative ideas to address the full range of student needs outside of the classroom. 

Historically, those most directly impacted by racial and education inequality have little to no voice. The RBC Fund was established to give grant-making power to members of our community. An Advisory Committee made up of community members most impacted by our school’s conditions and quality will serve as the decision-making body for grant recipients.

The Advisory Committee is particularly interested in ideas that are:

  • Equitable
  • Achievable
  • Scalable

Previous grants have supported projects to bring culturally relevant books to students and families, deliver Social-Emotional Professional Development courses to teachers, establish a Charter sports league, and even take students on an international field trip to experience diverse cultures.

What to Expect

2023 Reinvention by Community Grantees
  • Simple application process
  • Equitable award determination by impacted community members
  • Seamless grant delivery
  • Implementation support and access to our network of thought-partners and strategists

St. Louis City League used the RBC grant for capacity building to create new and unique opportunities for kids. Students in the program have seen a 90% increase in academic motivation, 88% increase in peer-to-peer interactions, 88% in perceived self confidence. We’ve been able to launch new initiatives such as ‘Player of the Week’, highlighting academic and athletic performance of student players and ‘Student Ambassadors’, who are leaders and representatives of their own individual student communities.

Allison Cousins, St. Louis City League Commissioner, RBC Grantee

2024 RBC Application – Key Dates

April 8, 2024
RBC 2024: Grant offers extended
Selection committee will extend grant offers to selected applicants
April 15, 2024
RBC 2024: Grantees announced
2024 RBC Recipients publicly announced
Apply for a Grant
We believe change is only effective and sustained when led by those who are impacted.
Apply for a Grant