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CHARLOTTE -- A community initiative to help some of Charlotte-Mecklenburg's most challenged schools is announcing a major partnership. Project LIFT is giving $950,000 to communities in schools. The funds will go toward efforts to address issues in eight west Charlotte schools.

Project LIFT was created in January. The goal is to develop a state-of-the-art model for closing the achievement gap and increasing graduation rates. It involves using private funding to help put effective teachers in classrooms and increase students' access to technology.

Executive Director Denise Watts says working with communities in schools makes sense because the group is already working in west Charlotte schools. It is the largest grant the group has ever received.