The Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds announced the establishment of Ventures in Leadership, a new fast-track grant program that is designed to support innovative ideas to improve school leadership in a wide range of communities. The goal of the awards is to provide a wide array of organizations the means to test innovative ideas about strengthening school leadership and reporting that information to others in the field. Grant recipients will have up to two years to complete their work and report the results.

Applications must be submitted electronically and are available only on the Fund's website. The Wallace Funds expects to award about 50 grants, ranging from $5,000-$50,000 to public schools, colleges, universities and other nonprofit community-based organizations from April through December 2001.

"Ventures in Leadership allows us to support exciting new ideas about school leadership from many types of organizations quickly and easily," said Mary Lee Fitzgerald, director of education programs at the Funds. "This information will help us to propel and expand local and national dialogue about how to develop effective leadership that improves student learning."

Ventures in Leadership is part of LEADERS Count, a commitment of the Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds to help foster a national movement to place quality leadership at the core of school reform. The Funds' objectives are to attract and place capable candidates in leadership positions, improve student learning and develop supportive climates for these leadership efforts.