The Village of Riverwoods Board of Trustees voted to approve an $11,000 donation to the District 113 Education Foundation during its regular meeting.

Foundation co‑presidents Maribel Larzak and Amita Reed presented the group’s work and said the foundation awarded more than $22,000 in grants and sponsorships in 2024, funding classroom innovations, social‑emotional programs and a driving simulator to teach distracted‑driving prevention. "If teachers are really wanting to try something new, but there's not money in the budget, we pay for it the first year and help them to generate evidence," Maribel Larzak said.

The foundation asked the board for village support to sustain and expand its grants program. Trustee Jamerson questioned why municipal taxpayers should subsidize programs the school district might cover, asking, “Why are you coming to us now?” Maribel Larzak and Amita Reed responded that the foundation screens grants to avoid funding items the district should already provide and that many awards are one‑time seed grants intended to establish evidence before districts assume ongoing costs. "A big part of our mission is to pay that first year and give that teacher that chance," a foundation co‑president said.

Trustee Clayton said he supported the donation but asked that, if the foundation requests funding again next year, the board be shown what neighboring municipalities and the school district had contributed. The board moved to approve the $11,000 donation; trustees recorded ayes and the motion carried. Trustees Smith and Trevino were noted as absent earlier in the meeting.

The foundation thanked the board; presenters said Riverwoods would be listed prominently among supporters on the foundation website and offered brochures for residents to learn more.