$3.5 Million Gift from Washington Foundation for EdReady Program

The University of Montana announced recently that the Washington Foundation’s continuing support of the EdReady program brought another $3.5 million gift to keep the highly successful program operating around the state.

Robert Currie, Executive Director of the Montana Digital Academy told KGVO News about the importance of the EdReady program.

“They have supported what is called EdReady Montana, which is a tool that can be used by students literally of almost any age to help them overcome a challenge that they're finding in their life with mathematics or with English,” said Currie. “We have students as young as fourth and fifth graders using it, and then all the way through our two and four year colleges and adult learning centers in the state and then middle school and high schools as well.”

Currie said the Washington Foundation showed great interest in funding the Montana Digital Academy and the EdReady program.

“It was so important making connections with the Washington Foundation leadership,” he said. “I sat down with them and explained what we were trying to do. They were very interested and gave us our first three year grant to field test and explore the possibilities that EdReady might be able to promote throughout the state of Montana.”

Currie outlined the financial support for the program from the Washington Foundation.
“This gift is $3.5 million, so it’s roughly $700,000 a year for five years,” he said. “This will take the program into 2027, and it will provide the ongoing support for the program, but it's also aimed at expanding the program with all of the various groups and organizations that utilize the program.”

Currie also said the Washington Foundation emphasized the focus on underserved communities and people groups.

“There’s a special emphasis on underserved populations in our state, so we will be working much closer and harder to involve our students who attend schools on or near reservations, as well as Native American students throughout the state.”

The Foundation is funded by contributions from the Washington Companies and the Washington Family.