Press release from Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation

UVALDE, TX (October 3, 2025) The Uvalde CISD Moving Foundation excitedly announces
that it will host the ribbon cutting ceremony for Legacy Elementary School on Friday, October
10, 2025 at 10:00 am. Wrapping up a nearly 20-month construction timeline, the new school will
educate third, fourth, and fifth graders in Uvalde CISD this fall.
“This three-year effort to design the school, raise the funds, and construct the school has been a
highly collaborative effort between the Foundation, the school district, the Uvalde community,
and our architectural and construction partners,” said Tim Miller, executive director of the
Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation. “We appreciate the generosity of the hundreds of
individuals, businesses, foundations, and other organizations that contributed the monetary and
in-kind donations that have made Legacy Elementary School a reality.”
Legacy Elementary, located near Leona and Fourth streets adjacent to Dalton Elementary School,
is a two-story campus totaling 116,000 square feet. The campus includes 36 classrooms and can
serve up to 800 students.
The colors and designs included in the school are inspired by the cultural heritage and natural
beauty of the Uvalde community. The interior of the campus includes tributes to the lives lost at
Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022 including a representation of a large oak tree with two large
branches, representing the two teachers who lost their lives, and 19 smaller branches
representing the children who were victims.
The design of the school came as the result of meticulous planning efforts by Huckabee
Architects and the Foundation to work alongside the Uvalde community through the Uvalde
CISD Community Advisory Committee and several community meetings seeking input on every
aspect of the design. Parents, teachers, and community members comprised the Community
Advisory Committee.
The work with the Uvalde CISD Community Advisory Committee began in the fall of 2022. The
plans developed through that process were approved by the Uvalde CISD Board of Trustees in
April 2023. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in October 2023 and construction on the
campus began in February 2024 by the Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Company.
The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation was created in the wake of the tragedy at Robb
Elementary School through lead gifts from the H-E-B Grocery Company and the Butt family
totaling $10 million. Huckabee donated their architectural services, Joeris Construction donated
their pre-construction services, and Satterfield & Pontikes discounted their services for the
construction work. The State of Texas also contributed $15 million to the project.
Other major donors to the work of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation include:
● H-E-B Tournament of Champions
● The Kate Marmion Charitable Trust
● The Meadows Foundation
● Methodist Healthcare Ministries
● The Moody Foundation
● John Nau & Silver Eagle Beverages
● Rainwater Charitable Foundation
The project was also financially supported by two rounds of community investment through New
Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs), a federal program designed to encourage private investment in
underserved areas. An initial round of investment through NMTCs to the Legacy Elementary
School project was made in December 2024 totaling a combined investment of $24.5 million
made by JP Morgan Chase, Prestamos CDFI, a division of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), and
Raza Development Fund. The second round of investment totaled $21 million from JP Morgan
Chase, Empowerment Reinvestment Fund, National Community Investment Fund, and Nonprofit
Finance Fund. The combined investments produced a net benefit of $7.8 million to the new
school.
In total, the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation raised more than $60 million. Following
the completion of all construction costs and costs related to furnishing the campus as well as
moving all teachers and staff into the building, any excess funds will be utilized toward assisting
Uvalde CISD.
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Note: The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation is a separate entity from the Uvalde
Consolidated Independent School District.

About the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation
The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation serving the
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District community. The nonprofit was created in the
wake of the tragedy at Robb Elementary School, which took 21 innocent lives on May 24, 2022.
Funding collected through the foundation will support the construction of a new elementary
school campus in the Uvalde CISD, ensuring students and staff will not have to return to the site
of the tragedy, and ultimately supporting the District’s ongoing needs as it moves forward. For
more information about the foundation visit www.uvaldecisdmovingforward.org.

Photos by Michael Robinson

Press Release from Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation

UVALDE, TX (April 8, 2025) With the construction of the new Legacy Elementary School in Uvalde CISD moving closer and closer to completion, the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announces that the costs of the physical building and its construction are fully funded.
This announcement is a result of a combined investment of $21 million from Chase,
Empowerment Reinvestment Fund, National Community Investment Fund, and Nonprofit
Finance Fund. The investments were made through New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs), a
federal program designed to encourage private investment in underserved areas.

“At Chase, supporting impactful projects such as Legacy Elementary School through New
Markets Tax Credit equity is at the heart of our mission and we are grateful for the opportunity to
collaborate with the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation,” said Melissa Pillars, Executive
Director of the New Markets Tax Credit team. “Making the New Markets Tax Credit permanent
is crucial for sustaining support for transformative projects like this, ensuring that communities
continue to thrive and grow. We eagerly anticipate the day when the building becomes a
nurturing space that fosters learning and community spirit for its students.”

The net benefit from the investment is $3.6 million toward the building of the elementary school.
All of the funds invested through NMTCs are being utilized for the physical construction of the
new school and a portion of the furniture, fixtures, and equipment.
“We are proud to be part of this community-driven effort to support Uvalde families with a new
school,” said Onika Lewis, Vice President of New Markets Tax Credits at Nonprofit Finance
Fund. “It is a powerful example of diverse capital sources coming together to quickly and
thoughtfully construct this critical landmark.”

Other investors agree with the significance of the project and the investment:
“Empowerment Reinvestment Fund is proud to be a partner and investor in this incredible
project which will provide the children in Uvalde with a safe place to learn and grow,” said
Monica Edwards, SVP – National Director of NMTC for Empowerment Reinvestment Fund.

“This project goes beyond providing funding for a new building; it’s about making a tremendous
impact in the lives of the children and families in the Uvalde Community.”

“This project reflects the power of community-driven investment in places that need it most.
We’re proud to support Uvalde CISD and the Moving Forward Foundation in bringing this
school to life—one designed not only for learning, but for healing, equity, and long-term
opportunity,” said Kyle Harvey, Senior Vice President of Lending and New Markets Tax Credit at
the National Community Investment Fund.

An initial round of investment through NMTCs to the Legacy Elementary School project was
made in December. That round totaled a combined investment of $24.5 million made by Chase,
Prestamos CDFI, a division of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), and Raza Development Fund.
“The collaboration and capital investment in this new school has been more than just rebuilding.
It’s about resilience and community-grounded private-public partnerships to ensure that every
child has a safe place to learn and grow. At Prestamos CDFI, a mission-driven lender, we believe
that access to high-quality education is fundamental to every community” said Teresa Miranda,
Senior Vice President, Prestamos CDFI, a division of CPLC. “Our staff at the nearby early
childhood education center were impacted by the tragedy. This investment represents our continued
commitment to helping our Uvalde community continue to move forward with strength, provide
students, educators, and families with the resources they need to heal and succeed.”

This round netted $4.2 million to the construction of Legacy Elementary School.
“It is an honor to support the Uvalde community in bringing this vital project to life,” said Annie
Donovan, President & CEO of RDF. “This effort goes far beyond constructing a new
school—it’s about investing in healing, resilience, and the long-term prosperity of Uvalde and
communities like it. We are proud to walk alongside the people of Uvalde, helping to create a
space where a new generation of children can feel safe, learn, grow, and thrive.”