The Mel and Leta Ramos Family Foundation Arts Education Initiative
Our Arts Education Initiative is modelled after other national initiatives of its kind that foreground arts education as critical to the development of arts leadership. Research in the creative fields shows that an arts education leads to greater student success in general, and an engaged and more prosperous citizenship overall.
- We focus on arts education as a primary need of individuals and communities, especially in under-funded neighborhoods and communities where our youth often lack access to ongoing immersion in, or even exposure to, the arts
- We believe that support of arts educators and teaching artists contributes to cultural vibrancy, diversity, inclusion and belonging
- We support both in-school and after-school programs through art instruction and civic engagement as part of our commitment to access and equity in arts education
Ramos Family Foundation Grantees 2019-2025
- Bishop Elementary School-Bishop, CA – “Throwing ideas into School, Where Education meets Art”
- Agua Caliente Elementary School-Cathedral City, CA – “Incentives and Art Galore”
- Aspen Institute for Artist Endowed Foundations- Washington, DC- “BIPOC /Internships for Social Innovation: Advancing Next-Gen Leaders in the Visual Arts”
- Joyce Gordon Gallery, Oakland, CA- “Oakland Teachers and Student Art Programming”
- Wilkes Elementary School, Portland, OR- “Art Supplies for a New Art Program”
- Green Valley Elementary, Danville, CA- “Learning Through Art”
- Fairview Elementary School, Hayward, CA- “Flexible Learners Making the Most of Color- Our students are Deaf and Hard of Hearing – they are kind, sincere, and ARTSY!”
- Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) Oakland, CA
- Cal State East Bay Teaching Artist Internship
- Southern Exposure, Artists in Education (AIE)
- Youth Arts Exchange (YAX)
- Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions Apprenticeship Program
- Creative Growth Art Center (Oakland)
- Arts for Oakland Kids
- Gratitude NOW!
- Cal State Sacramento Student Emergency Fund
- Crocker Museum Annual Auction
- Community Arts Foundation-Walnut Creek
- The Crayon Initiative
- Ojai Valley Green Coalition, Relatives with Roots – Youth Art Camp
- UC Berkeley – Art Practice Department Fund
- Los Angeles County Arts Education Collective
- Centre Picasso Art Museum
- YouthUpRising – Art and Expression Program
- San Ramon Valley Education Foundation
- Petaluma Wildlife Museum – Petaluma High School Student docent operated
- Virtual Education Center – Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento
- Pickleberry Pie – Hospital Music Concert for Kids, Oakland
- Artist in Residence Program, Mel Ramos Studio, Oakland, CA
- Cal State University East Bay, Student Endowment Fund, Hayward, CA
- Danville Children’s Guild supporting College is Real, Richmond, CA
- Kaiser Early Childhood Center, Oakland, CA
- Natomas Park Elementary School, Sacramento, CA
- Latitude High School-Supporting teen mental health through Creative
- Expression, Oakland, CA
- Diablo Vista Middle School, Danville, CA
- Bella Vista Elementary School- Crafting Compassion, San Ramon, CA
- Seaborn Lee Elementary School- Art & Music Exploration, College Park, GA
- Ethel Phillips Elementary School- Sacramento, CA
- Cal State East Bay Educational Fund- Hayward, CA
- Creekside Elementary School, San Ramon, CA
- Tassajara Hills Elementary School, Danville, CA
- Compton Elementary School, Powder Springs, GA
- Silicon Valley Urban Debate League, San Jose, CA
- Bella Vista Elementary School, San Ramon, CA
- Hayward Unified School District- Art supplies for teachers, Hayward, CA
- Paul J Dunbar High School- Washington, DC
- Hazel Strauch Elementary School, Sacramento, CA
- Aspen Institute/BIPOC internship for Social Innovation – Washington DC
- DeYoung Museum Student Activity Fund, San Francisco, CA
- Coyote Creek Elementary School- Erase Student Anxiety, San Ramon, CA
- Danville Children’s Guild/Contra Costa Foster Friends, Danville, CA
- Rowayton Elementary School, Norwalk, CT
- Commonwealth Ave. Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
- J. Paul Getty Museum-wildfire recovery donation – Los Angeles, CA
For the foreseeable future and in response to local emergency needs, the Foundation’s focused giving will be centered in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties of Northern California, with the exception of special joint partnership programs.
The Foundation is currently accepting grant inquiries.