Innovator Grants provide funds to teachers to develop and implement new, instructional projects that motivate and challenge students to learn. Submitted proposals should be for innovative, unique projects that enliven and enrich the curriculum. Many past grants have included interdisciplinary, active-learning, hands-on lessons. Others have reinforced learning through simulations or applied school work to real-life situations.
Do you have an idea you want to try in your classroom? Apply for an Innovator Grant to fund your innovative ideas!
- Quick and easy reporting requirements
- Grant payments sent directly to teachers
- Recipients recognized in an Awards Publication and at an Awards Reception
- Open only to current M-DCPS K-12 educators
- Application Deadline: April 30, 2023
IMPORTANT: While we welcome projects for funding in any category, preference is given to projects addressing specific areas of study. Our current areas are STEM/STEAM, Robotics, Financial Literacy, Classroom Management, College & Career Prep, Technology and Holocaust Education.
Please view the detailed PowerPoint presentation to guide you through this application step-by-step. It includes the scoring rubric and winning examples for each section. We want you to win!
Please also read through these procedures and considerations before starting your application:
- Approval is required from your school principal to ensure that appropriate administrative personnel are aware of your submission of the grant application.
- Project funds must be spent during the current school year.
- A final expense report will be required and periodic site visits may be conducted.
- The Education Fund reserves the right to publicize all grant programs.
- The applicant's name or school name should not appear in the text of the grant. Include name only in the general information section.
- Funds cannot be allocated toward personal honorariums for the applicant.
- Proposals will not be funded for expansion and/or maintenance of previous grants.
- The Education Fund reserves the right to fund programs that it considers appropriate for one school, but not for another.
TIPS FOR WRITING A SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION
From The Education Fund Grant Committee
- Write your grant separately then copy and paste into the application.
- Have a colleague or friend review before submitting!
- Write in complete sentences (except budget). Avoid education jargon. Do not include standards.
- Budget: Enter the items you need to purchase and the cost per item. The application will total for you.
- If items you are requesting need other equipment, mention it is already available. If items can be used in future, say so.
- Summary: Describe the specific problems the students in this project have. Briefly, describe your project and items you need to purchase. Then show how this project will help these students solve these learning problems, achieve specific goals, and be creative. NOTE: If this is not an in-class project, explain where and how these students will be present and able to participate and how the project is relevant to class work.
- Innovations: Describe how project is totally new, is a variation on similar ideas, or is adjusted to a new age group. Describe how project requires hands on learning and creativity by students.
- Project details: Describe overall project. Focus on one major example and go in to detail. Make it sound so interesting the judges will want to do it, too!
- Student activities: Use lots of “students will do …..” sentences. Show them solving problems and being creative.
- Timeline: Show how project fits into regular studies, but concentrate on this project.
- Evaluation: Base evaluation on this project, not the whole year. It can be a test, but can also be a demonstration, performance, composition, experiment, competition, or other creative evaluation.
Contact Information:
Audrey Onyeike
Program Director
Ideas with IMPACT
The Education Fund
audrey@educationfund.org
