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Metro United Way wins $82,000 Ford grant to expand Bullitt County McKinney‑Vento supports
Summary
Metro United Way secured an $82,000 Ford Philanthropy Foundation grant to fund McKinney‑Vento services in Bullitt County Public Schools, supporting roughly 450 students over two school years with transportation and part‑time staff.
Metro United Way secured an $82,000 Ford Philanthropy Foundation grant to support Bullitt County Public Schools’ McKinney‑Vento program, the board heard during its May regular meeting. The district’s McKinney‑Vento liaison said the funding will support transportation and part‑time staff to help about 450 students experiencing homelessness over the next two school years.
The grant matters because McKinney‑Vento services provide protections and targeted supports for students experiencing homelessness; local staff said the funds will fund gas cards, part‑time van drivers and educators to improve attendance, credit recovery and individualized supports. “This $82,000 will go specifically towards the McKinney‑Vento program to provide gas cards, to provide offset costs for staff to get students where they need to go,” said Josh Williams, Strong House director at Metro United Way.
The district’s McKinney‑Vento liaison, Tiffany Reynolds, told the board the program lost federal funding last May and that staff levels dropped from eight people to one. Reynolds said community fundraising and partner grants together have nearly met the district’s request: “We were asking for $136,000 when I wrote the grant,” Reynolds said, and by the school year’s end the program had raised about $134,000 from the district’s foundation and other partners. Reynolds credited Metro United Way and local donors for helping to restore services.
Jeremy Jarvey, chief development officer at Metro United Way, described a longer partnership-building process that led to the Ford invitation and grant application. He told the board Metro United Way’s model shifted from broadly passing funds to targeted investments aligned with three pillars, and that the organization provides grant-writing and implementation support beyond cash awards.
Board members did not record a formal vote on this presentation; the item was presented as a partnership update and recognition. District staff said they will use the Ford grant alongside local fundraising and Metro United Way’s supports to hire part‑time staff and cover transportation needs, and they will continue to report outcomes to the district and partners.
Background: Metro United Way convenes nonprofits across several counties and pursued the Ford grant on behalf of the district after local staff made contact. The Ford Philanthropy Foundation provides invitation‑only grants; Metro United Way and district staff coordinated the application and implementation plan.
Looking ahead: District staff said they will integrate the Ford funds into McKinney‑Vento operations for the 2025–26 school years and continue local fundraising to meet broader program needs.
