Boost Resiliency Grants
Get the boost you need during COVID-19
💻 Apply for Chromebooks, school supplies, and more
🍎 For students with free or reduced school lunch
📅 Apply by April 30, 2021
Close the Gap’s 2019 Scholarship Recipient shares why Boosts play an important role for low-income students like him.
Together, we can close the digital divide
Close the Gap’s Boosts Resiliency Fund helps close the digital divide for low-income high school students with a one-time Boost.
Chromebooks
Noise-cancellation headphones
School supplies like printers and notebooks
Extracurricular activity supplies
2020 Boosts Resiliency Recipients
Mercedes Swiantek
11th Grade • Chesapeake, VA
💻 Chromebook Recipient
Brianna Reed
11th Grade • Pascagoula, MI
💻 Chromebook Recipient
Wilson Szeto
1st Year • San Francisco, CA
🎧 Noise-cancellation Headphones
Ricky Neil Hannah
12th Grade • Newport, TN
⚡️ Pocket Wifi
Wingyau Yuen
12th Grade • San Francisco, CA
🎨 Acrylic Paint Set
Alan Solari
10th Grade • Concord, CA
💻 Chromebook Recipient
Axel Rojas
1st Year • San Jose, CA
🎧 Noise-cancellation Headphones
Adiba Khaydari
12th Grade • Charlottesville, VA
🎧 Noise-cancellation Headphones
Viridiana Garcia
9th Grade • San Leandro, CA
🧁 Baking Supplies
Hyrum Frederick Fechser
12th Grade • Apple Valley, CA
🦺 Long Jump Equipment
Madison Jefferson
11th Grade • Fayette, MI
💻 Chromebook Recipient
Sara Linda Mena
12th Grade • Pascagoula, MI
🎧 Noise-cancellation Headphones
Uyen Bui
12th Grade • Richmond, CA
🖨 Printer
Renata Eleanor Sharf
11th Grade • Sacramento, CA
📚 A Castle in the Clouds Book
Samira Samadi
1st Year • Charlottesville, Virginia
✒️ Pens, Pencils, Notebooks
The stats at a glance
Low-income students in the U.S.
41%
Students are low-income. This translates to 29.5 million students. For Black and Hispanic students? The figure is a 60%.
Students without internet access
3.1 million
Households with school-aged children have no wired broadband connection at home for distance learning
Unable to do homework
1 in 4
Low-income students regularly cannot do their homework due to lack of reliable access to a computer or the internet
What People Are Saying
“From lacking computers to physical space, low-income students are at a disadvantage in online learning.”
— Anna North, VOX
“Simply put, too many American children live without essential internet services.”
— Lara Fishbane & Adie Tomer, The Brookings Institute
Make a difference
If you believe that every student is deserving of equitable opportunities, consider giving back. No donation is too small. All donations are tax deductible.
Ways students can use Boosts
Activity Gap
Extracurricular Activities
Use Boosts to purchase things related to extracurricular activities like music instruments and art supplies that you can practice at home during SIP.
Homework gap
Distance Learning Tools
Whether it’s a Chromebook or noise-cancellation headphones, use Boosts to help you focus and do your best.
Achievement Gap
Tutoring and Test Prep Books
Stay ahead and continue learning by using Boosts for online test prep or tutoring. Need help with the SAT/ACT or on a class? We’ve got you covered.
Request a Boost
Boosts are designed to create equitable opportunities for low-income students in high school. Close the Gap will grant one-time Boosts (up to $300 each). To qualify for Boosts, students must meet all the requirements below:
🎓 You will be a HS freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in the 2020-2021 School Year
🍎You qualify for free or reduced school lunch; refer to NSLA, 42 U.S.C.1761(b)(3)
⏰ You will complete the Boosts grant request by June 30, 2020 at 11:00 pm PST
Applying is simple and takes less than a few minutes. No GPA or essays required. Because you deserve it. Enter your email and we’ll send you the Boosts grant request.
Boosts 2020 Apps Are Now Closed
Applications for 2020 are now closed. Are you a current high school student for the 2020-2021 School Year and interested in applying for Close the Gap Foundation’s Resiliency Fund 2021? Leave your contact info below and we’ll reach out to you later this fall when our Early Application is open.
Close the Gap Foundation’s Resiliency Fund 2021 will offer another $2,100 worth of micro-grants for Chromebooks, Noise-cancellation Headphones, Printers, and Supply Kits!
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I submit a Boost request?
Boosts can be used immediately toward costs like: music equipments, sport uniforms, art supplies, SAT prep, graphing calculator, iClicker, online courses, conferences, and more. If you’re unsure if your request is eligible, email us at hello@closethegapfoundation.com.
Who is funding Boosts?
Boosts are made possible by Close the Gap Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, along with our donors network and corporate sponsors. If you’re interested in donating a Boost, please reach out to at hello@sparcinitiative.com!
How are Boosts granted?
If your Boost is something that Close the Gap Foundation can purchase and deliver on your behalf, we will ask for a shipping address. If the Boost is something that Close the Gap Foundation can’t purchase directly, we’ll ask you to make the purchase yourself then send us an itemized receipt to receive your Boost reimbursements.
When are Boosts granted?
We will distribute Boosts on a rolling basis. The recipient will receive an email notifying that their Boost has been granted and next steps.
How many Boosts are granted?
Due to limited resources, we are only able grant six Boosts (up to $300). Although the value of a Boost is $300 maximum, we ask that you only request what you need so that other low-income students can benefit from the program. The number of Boosts granted may increase depending on our fundraising efforts on Giving Tuesday Now (May 5).
What is the “Refer a Friend” field on the Boost form?
We encourage you to recommend friends who you think can benefit from the Boosts program to submit their own Boost as well. If their Boost is granted, your Boost is also granted as well! If there are multiple Refer a Friend entries, we will choose one by random draw.
Be the spark that starts it all
If you believe that every student is deserving of equitable opportunities, consider giving back. No donation is too small.