The Opportunity Fund is a flexible support fund dedicated to increasing extra-curricular and co-curricular program access for students and families in the Hood River County School District. To date, HRCEF has provided $425,000 to ensure all students have the opportunity to participate in programs that expand and enrich their education.
HRCEF works with the school district and community partners to identify and and address current and emerging needs, funding a wide range of programs at all HRCSD schools with a focus on our elementary and middle schools.
Historically, the Opportunity Fund has supported an intramural middle school futsal league, a district-wide literacy program, and Red Cross CPR certifications for high school students.
Today, the fund supports diverse opportunities for students, including swim lessons, Arts in Education, SECRETS, music and athletic fee waivers, and scholarships for after-school care. In 2025, with support from the Farmer’s Conservation Alliance, HRCEF created Little Steps, Big Dreams, a program to help families of kindergartners start a 529 College Savings plan.
Use the menu links to explore current Opportunity Fund programs. All Opportunity Fund initiatives are funded by HRCEF and managed by the school district. If you have questions about how these programs can benefit your student, please contact your school staff.
Swim Lessons For Water Safety
Growing up in Hood River County means living and playing next to lakes, streams, and the Columbia River. Being safe and confident in the water is an important skill for children to learn, which is why HRCEF and Hood River Parks & Rec have partnered to fund swim lessons for all Kindergarten, second and fourth grade students in our district.
Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler Field Trip
The Field Trip Grant provided us with the opportunity to extend our learning from the classroom to the Columbia River. Taking a ride on the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler was an ideal educational adventure for our 8th grade learners and staff. This experience allowed our students the opportunity to connect their learning targets directly to the native history of our region.
Family Literacy Night
Literacy Night is a new program that helps students build reading skills by working with parents to support reading at home. The pilot implementation of this program via Impact Teaching Grant in 2024 resulted in all participating students reading at or above grade level. In 2025, the Opportunity Fund provided funding to enable the district to launch Literacy Night at all elementary schools.