Initiatives
The Connelly Foundation offers initiatives within the Catholic Education portfolio, all of which serve to increase access to high-quality Catholic schools in the Philadelphia region.
SUMMER TECH ACADEMY
The Summer Tech Academy, managed by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, supports K-12 educators in driving meaningful student engagement and deeper learning outcomes through the integration of technology. Developed by the Connelly Foundation in 2009, the Summer Tech Academy continues to be a milestone professional development opportunity for teachers, both in scope and impact.
- Two-day intensive event
- Interactive workshops
- Keynote presentations
- New skills and ideas for differentiated learning and technology-driven classroom engagement
Details on annual Summer Tech Academy offerings and how to register can be found on the AOP Tech website.
MATh matters
The Connelly Foundation partnered with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to launch the Math Matters program in 2010. Math Matters increases access to advanced math instruction for students in grades 5-8 at participating Philadelphia Catholic schools. Through its instruction-sharing model, teachers conduct live lessons in person with students in their own classrooms and virtually to students at participating schools through a simulcast. Today, the program includes 8 participating schools and 120 students. Nearly 900 students have participated in the program since its inception.
Connelly access program (CAP)
Designed to complement schools' core curricula, the Connelly Access Program (CAP) connects cultural organizations with an enthusiastic audience of Catholic elementary school students. Each year the Connelly Foundation awards funding to Catholic schools in the City of Philadelphia, which they can use to book enriching field trips, assemblies, and workshops for students in grades 4-8. These experiences include live performances at concert halls and theaters and visits to museums, historical sites, and science venues.
- Over 20 cultural organizations partner in the program.
- 48 Catholic elementary schools and 14 Independence Mission Schools.
- 24 schools participate in the residency program, with extended cultural programs in the school.
SCHOOL
LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT
Recognizing the importance of strong school leadership, the Connelly Foundation has focused much of its talent-related investments on programs designed to develop and build leadership capacity at the local level. These efforts promote excellence in Philadelphia-area Catholic schools. Through grants to the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame and the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders, the Connelly Foundation provides funding for Philadelphia-area Catholic school staff to participate in programming offered by both organizations. The Connelly Foundation further equips leaders through its Leadership Impact Grant initiative, which offers grants to leaders who have completed Foundation-sponsored development programs to help them complete school-based projects.
Further information on the programs is available at the Alliance for Catholic Education and Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders websites.
BRIDGES
FOR
SCHOOLS PROGRAM
In 2023, the Connelly Foundation partnered with the Crimsonbridge Foundation to offer a grant opportunity supporting Archdiocese of Philadelphia schools that participated in the University of Notre Dame’s Latino Enrollment Institute (LEI). The LEI provides schools with marketing strategies and school culture interventions to better attract and serve Hispanic/Latino families. These grants address the need for capacity-building resources to help schools implement best practices learned through the LEI.
To date, 13 participating schools have received support in areas including cultural competency, parent engagement, and bilingual communications.
Further information on the program is available at the Bridges for Schools website.
