$500 Parent Engagement Funding
This is a guaranteed funding source for every School Council. Each School Council receives $500 to assist with parent communication and other parent engagement efforts. Schools with both an intermediate (Grades 7-8) and secondary (Grades 9-12) stream may receive $500 for each, for a total of $1,000.
The Ministry provides this money to the school board, which in turn gives it to the school principal to give to the School Council. Guidelines state that this money is to "support the parent engagement activities of its school councils." School Councils are expected to "seek out the advice and ideas of other parents and partners" about how best to spend the money. The School Council must approve all the expenditures for activities funded with this money.
Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grant
The Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants program provides funding to enable school boards to work with parents to support projects and initiatives that remove local barriers that prevent parents from participating and engaging fully in their children's learning and educational progress.
School projects will demonstrate a commitment to respecting the role of parents and families in students' educational experiences by working with parents and families or seeking parent input on how schools can create identity-affirming schools and communities in at least one of the following areas:
- Addressing social inclusion and racism, specifically anti-Asian, anti-Black, and anti-Indigenous racism, and other prejudices toward racialized and marginalized groups.
- Supporting identity-affirming, culturally responsive, and healing-centred mental health strategies.
- Engaging parent and community voices, particularly those of historically marginalized groups.
- Knowledge building for parents on student opportunities in a de-streamed classroom and/or a comprehensive literacy program.
Learn about the 2024-2025 School Council Parents Reaching Out Grant.
Other Grants
In addition to these, there are many other grants that School Councils have access to. We have listed some examples below; be sure to check the websites regularly for information about eligibility, deadlines, and application processes.
The 2024-2025 PRO Grant period is now closed.
We have curated a list of organizations, speakers, and resources that School Councils can connect with to support their Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grant events. These experts specialize in key thematic areas, including anti-racism, equity, food sovereignty, mental health and well-being, early literacy and numeracy, and more. These themes align with the Ministry of Education’s priorities and the OCDSB’s objectives.
The resource list includes websites, videos, and audio clips to provide insights into these topics, as well as contact information for organizations and speakers available for bookings. School Councils are encouraged to explore these options or find their own speakers and resources to enhance their PRO Grant initiatives and foster meaningful community engagement.
If your School Council is looking for inspiration for a PRO Grant initiative, here are some examples of successful projects funded through the PRO Grant during the 2023-2024 school year:
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Fit2Learn Math Night
- School: A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School
- Principal: Tricia Eddy
- Funds Allocated: $750
- Goals:
To bring the school community together and encourage a fun, interactive approach to learning math. The event aims to increase parent confidence in supporting their children’s numeracy skills through games and hands-on activities. - Impact:
Parents reported an improved understanding of math strategies, and students were excited to see math applied in engaging real-world contexts.
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Cyber Safety Awareness with MediaSmarts
- School: Emily Carr Middle School
- Principal: Marc Slesar
- Funds Allocated: $750
- Goals:
Give parents/caregivers a better insight/awareness of media/online tools their children may be accessing. - Impact:
Demonstrate a clear and measurable impact on improving mental health outcomes. Establish safe and inclusive environments that prevent and address bullying and violence.
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Parent/caregiver Book Lending Library
- School: Bayview Public School
- Principal: Natalie Makara
- Funds Allocated: $750
- Goals:
Expand the school’s parent book lending library with titles that support anti-Black racism education, mental health awareness and inclusion. - Impact:
The initiative encouraged parents to explore resources on diversity and inclusion, fostering a stronger, informed school community.
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Literacy Event
- School: Bayshore Public School
- Principal: May Tannous
- Funds Allocated: $750
- Goals:
Engage families in early literacy through storytelling, reading games and tips for home learning. - Impact:
Parents gained strategies to support their children’s literacy development, creating a stronger home-school partnership.