Stories of Impact

Friends of Breakthrough Schools

Our commitment to education is evidenced by the foundation’s signature contributions in Cleveland to Friends of Breakthrough Schools. Over the last ten years, Cleveland-Cliffs and the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation have committed over $3.4 million dollars to increase high-quality educational opportunities for underserved children in Cleveland through contributions to the non-profit, public charter school network.

In 2010, the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation made its first major gift to Breakthrough Schools when it pledged $1 million to the E Prep & Village Prep Cliffs Campus to expand and add increasing grade levels. The contribution marked the largest gift Breakthrough Schools had received to-date. Just one year later, the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation made a single contribution of $800,000.

Since 2019, The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation has committed $2.5 million to Breakthrough to support their mission in education. Funding was designated to support the addition of a new playground at the Cliffs campus, provide campus renovations and increase teacher salaries, making them more competitive with local school districts.