Rob and Rose Bronstein, the Chicago parents who founded Buckets Over Bullying after the suicide of their 15-year-old son Nate, have pledged a staggering $15 million to ramp up the group’s anti-bullying work. The family says the commitment will expand in-school social media safety lessons and launch a new grants program targeted at smaller, community-based nonprofits that work with children and teens. They added that the money builds on donations they have already made and will be distributed through the end of 2028.
According to a release from the Bronstein Family Foundation, the $15 million commitment includes $7.8 million already donated, with the remaining funds to be fulfilled by the end of 2028, as reported by PR Newswire. The foundation plans to offer grants of up to $250,000 per year per organization for one-to-three-year periods, prioritizing newer groups with annual budgets under $5 million, according to Crain's Chicago Business.
How the Grants Will Be Put to Work
Buckets Over Bullying, the sports-centric initiative the Bronsteins launched in Nate’s memory, says the new funding will support school assemblies, classroom and online curricula, pro bono legal assistance for families and collaborations with organizations focused on social media safety and youth mental health. The group reports it has already presented programs to more than 50,000 students in person and reached millions more online. Its website lists partners such as the Organization for Social Media Safety and NAMI Chicago and details past programming; more information is available at Buckets Over Bullying.
Loss, Litigation and a Public Campaign
The pledge is part of a broader campaign the Bronsteins launched after Nate died on Jan. 13, 2022. The family says he was subjected to relentless cyberbullying by classmates at the Latin School of Chicago. They filed a wrongful-death lawsuit and later pushed the school to release records related to his case. That legal fight, along with the family’s public advocacy, has shaped much of their work, as documented by the Chicago Tribune.
What’s Next for Local Nonprofits
The foundation says detailed instructions for grant applications will be posted on BucketsOverBullying.org, and qualifying organizations are encouraged to reach out directly in the meantime, according to the release. Supporters and partner groups say the influx of funding has the potential to significantly expand training in schools and youth sports programs, at a scale the Bronsteins and fellow advocates argue is urgently needed.
