Better schools. Brighter futures.
We are a nonprofit dedicated to helping Detroit's children get the great education they deserve.
The majority of Detroit students do not have access to a quality school. This crisis doesn’t stem from a lack of effort in the classroom, it stems from a lack of financial support.
By equipping schools with the vital resources they need to succeed, DCF is transforming schools in Detroit, creating more opportunities for students to flourish.
Our programs
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Even the most skilled school leaders and experienced teachers in Detroit face significant challenges without adequate resources. The issue isn’t with the students; Detroit's students possess immense potential. Instead, the obstacles to success stem from insufficient funding and the impacts of poverty. Daily, school leaders grapple with teacher shortages, outdated facilities, obsolete technology, and an inadequate curriculum, among other issues. Teachers are overwhelmed with classrooms filled with students, many of whom are behind grade level—eager to learn but lacking the necessary resources and individualized support they may need to accelerate their learning.
School transformation in Detroit, which has some of the most under-resourced and underperforming schools in the state, must also strategically work to address students’ daily demands for food, clothing, healthcare, free transportation to and from school, and access to free extended learning opportunities like tutoring—all vital resources that dramatically impacts any child’s ability to learn and thrive. To address these essential needs for students, DCF has initiated EPiC Schools, a comprehensive partnership aimed at collaborating with schools and their communities to tackle the challenges posed by poverty. EPiC strives to create a supportive learning environment where schools receive the funding and resources necessary for students to focus on their education and achieve their full potential.
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Supporting students as they transition from high school to college or careers is incredibly important. DCF works hand in hand with state organizations and local universities to equip students with the resources they need for their post-graduate journeys. The program not only helps students explore exciting career paths, but it also offers access to college counselors, guidance through the college application process, and dual enrollment classes at universities. By combining these efforts, we believe we can truly boost college graduation rates and set students up for success in their future endeavors.
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OpportunityNOW is a DCF initiative dedicated to seizing critical moments where immediate support can transform a student's future. This program embodies a commitment to helping students overcome barriers and achieve their dreams, providing essential resources like laptops for college-bound seniors and ensuring classrooms have inspiring educators. It also focuses on enriching educational experiences by offering access to the arts, literature, and well-stocked libraries that inspire curiosity and ambition. OpportunityNOW is more than a set of initiatives; it's a pledge to act when students need it most, making a meaningful impact on their lives one child at a time.
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District Wise is our transformative partnership with DPSCD, designed to drive meaningful change within large school systems. Recognizing the challenges of improving academic outcomes at scale, we focus on where it matters most: leadership.
Sustainable change begins at the top, setting the stage for success across individual schools. District Wise is our strategic intervention, leveraging data-driven best practices to these essential needs for students and create a ripple effect of excellence throughout the system. This investment intentionally engages all of the influential district executives who are responsible for designing, driving the leadership development, and training trajectories for learning across the district: from c-suite leaders, principal supervisors, school principals, down to individual classroom teachers.
