Proudly announcing the first round of grants in our Catholic Schools Strategic Initiative

 

From left to right: The Ed Lally Foundation’s “mental health rock band” plays a school assembly, students participate in Friendzy’s Character Development Program, and a young teacher in the classroom at Calvert Hall. All photos used with permission.

 

Our founders cared deeply about education and believed that hard work combined with access to quality education is the foundation from which all people can succeed in life. In particular, they believed in the value of a Catholic school education, and gave generously to support Catholic education institutions throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore, from elementary schools through Catholic universities. Catholic schools comprise the largest and most affordable private school system in Maryland, have proven economic and societal impact, and help spread the Gospel to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Following in the tradition of our founders, our strategic Catholic Schools initiative seeks to create stronger Catholic schools through investments in two focus areas – leadership development and student support services.

Leadership is critical to improving instruction and raising student achievement in schools. Modern leadership expectations go beyond financial management and the educational environment. Leadership development is essential for strengthening skills, creating peer connections, and building a pipeline of future leaders.

Students need both academic and emotional support to succeed in school and life. Resources like counseling, tutoring, or summer programming are frequently overlooked amidst the vast array of competing priorities in a school’s budget. Schools with the highest needs are often the most under-resourced in this area.

Catholic Schools Awards:

Calvert Hall College High School: $120,000 grant over three years ($40,000/year) to support the creation and implementation of a Leadership Cohort at this Catholic college preparatory high school for boys, located in Towson, Maryland. This program will develop future leaders from among the faculty and staff, ensuring a strong succession pipeline for key school leadership roles. The program aims to strengthen leadership capacity within the school, support succession planning, and foster professional and personal growth among mid-career educators and administrators.

Ed Lally Foundation: $225,000 grant over three years ($75,000/year) to support the expansion of their “Power of Expression” program to Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. This program addresses the escalating youth mental health crisis, particularly anxiety, depression, and suicide, by providing proactive, faith-aligned programming that fosters resilience, reduces stigma, and supports student emotional well-being.

Friendzy: $187,282 grant over three years ($54,893 year one, $64,580 year two, $67,809 year three) to support the implementation of their Character Development Program across the 34 Archdiocesan Catholic elementary and middle schools, specifically targeting grades K-2 and 6-8. This program addresses the critical need for consistent, faith-aligned character education to support student well-being, foster emotional resilience, reduce bullying, and create a culture of belonging.

For a complete description of the program, please visit our Strategic Initiatives webpage.  And to read more about the Foundation’s journey to develop these initiatives, click here.