About Us
Closing The Gap is a non-profit dedicated to raising money to fund programs in the Sacramento region that help local students avoid the academic achievement gap. Our all-volunteer board oversees fundraising, business operations and awarding of grants. Committees of community volunteers provide support with organizing events and selecting grant recipients. More than 90 percent of dollars raised goes directly back into the community.
WHAT WE DO
A group of leaders in the Sacramento area founded Closing the Gap with the mission to fund non-profit organizations committed to reducing the academic achievement gap in the Sacramento region.
We seek to help youth reach their highest potential through preparation, education, and vocation.
Through the generosity of local sponsors Closing the Gap has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to local programs that have helped more than a thousand local students avoid the achievement gap. Additionally, we have identified and funded local, nascent programs that are innovative and grass roots in nature and have flourished into highly recognized examples of how the achievement gap can be diminished if not eliminated in our schools.
By supporting these local programs that provide tutoring, college counseling, career guidance, and real world experience to students from the 8th grade level up, Closing the Gap is increasing student academic performance and preparing them for college, a successful career, and a bright future.
We seek to help youth reach their highest potential through preparation, education, and vocation.
Through the generosity of local sponsors Closing the Gap has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to local programs that have helped more than a thousand local students avoid the achievement gap. Additionally, we have identified and funded local, nascent programs that are innovative and grass roots in nature and have flourished into highly recognized examples of how the achievement gap can be diminished if not eliminated in our schools.
By supporting these local programs that provide tutoring, college counseling, career guidance, and real world experience to students from the 8th grade level up, Closing the Gap is increasing student academic performance and preparing them for college, a successful career, and a bright future.
OUR LOCAL IMPACT
More than 1,000 underserved students in Sacramento region public schools benefit each year from:
PROJECTS FUNDED
Examples of past projects funded
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Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT)
Closing the Gap funded college campus tours for IYT students to Stanford, Berkeley and Sacramento State. Research has shown students once students attend a four year college, any academic achievement gap usually disappears within the student’s first year. Closing the Gap recognizes that data indicate young men of color have higher drop-out rates and lower academic achievement. IYT is a college prep program initially designed for African American and Latino males attending Valley High School. It’s Saturday classes are expanding to campuses across Sacramento County, bringing meaningful college readiness support to scores of students. The young men are role models and leaders on campus with 100% qualifying and applying for college. |
Parent Teacher Home Visit Project (PTHVP)
CTG provided funding for college readiness visits at Luther Burbank High School and John F. Kennedy High School in Sacramento. PTHPV seeks to enhance family engagement and build capacity across the school community through voluntary and relational home visits. Jointly, the family and the staff build trust, communication and plans for each student’s success. |
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Sacramento Police Foundation
Criminal Justice Magnet Academy at Grant, Johnson, McClatchy and Kennedy High Schools. Closing the Gap provided college mentoring, SAT preparation courses, as well as college/vocational school scholarships to Academy students. The majority of these youth are the first in their families to attend college. |
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OUR SPONSORS
Closing the Gap sponsors are on the forefront of recognizing the tremendous impact that closing the academic achievement gap will have on our community.
They see the hope that their dollars instill in the students, and the synergy they infuse into our economy through providing a higher skilled workforce. Some of our sponsors are large corporations, some are individuals in the community who have means, and some are every day workers who have simply placed educating our children as a very high priority. All of our sponsors are committed to seeing all of Sacramento’s children achieve, and all of our communities thrive. Closing the Gap- raising money to fund local programs, helping local students make their way out of the academic achievement gap!
They see the hope that their dollars instill in the students, and the synergy they infuse into our economy through providing a higher skilled workforce. Some of our sponsors are large corporations, some are individuals in the community who have means, and some are every day workers who have simply placed educating our children as a very high priority. All of our sponsors are committed to seeing all of Sacramento’s children achieve, and all of our communities thrive. Closing the Gap- raising money to fund local programs, helping local students make their way out of the academic achievement gap!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Dr. Vanessa Sheared
President Dr. BJ Snowden Vice President Marielle Tsukamoto Secretary Larry Brooks Treasurer Dana Howard Board Member Kais Menoufy Board Member Judith Ryan Advisory Board Member |
Closing the Gap Supporters
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