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Request for Proposals: Education Grants for Teachers

August 22, 2023 Community Foundation News Kelly Sprecher

Calling all area teachers, including childcare providers — the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation wants to help bring your innovative ideas for classroom projects to life through our Excellence in Education grantmaking initiative.

Classroom teachers from all grade levels in Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha, and Turner counties are eligible to apply for classroom grants, including childcare providers from nonprofit centers and teachers at parochial, private, and public schools.

About the Excellence in Education Initiative

Now in its 32nd year, the Excellence in Education initiative offers grants to teachers who have creative and innovative ideas for classroom projects. Since the program began, hundreds of programs and activities designed by teachers throughout the Sioux Falls area have received grant funding, enriching educational experiences for students.

APPLY TODAY

Proposals must be received by midnight on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

"We've always known that teachers are amazing, and that's never been more apparent than during these last few years," said Patrick Gale, vice president for community investment. "Teachers give of themselves in countless ways to inspire, guide, care for and nurture our kids. This is our chance to give back in support of their ideas and dreams.”

Excellence in Education Grants in Action

Learn about our 2022 Excellence in Education grant recipients.

An Excellence in Education grant to Jodi Neugebauer, a teacher at Garretson Elementary School, supported a project called “Farmyard Fun” through which second graders built background knowledge about farming through reading, writing, and researching.
An Excellence in Education grant to Laura Lunder, a teacher at Holy Spirit School, supported a project called “Coding for Preschool,” featuring STEM and coding activities for use in the classroom. Each activity featured opportunities for students to work together in groups to help develop social and critical thinking skills.
An Excellence in Education grant to Lindsey Rohde, a teacher at Terry Redlin Elementary School, supported an effort called “Curious Collaborators” which gave students a chance to read about engineering, robots, science, technology and extraordinary explorers through a series of high-interest books written for elementary school readers.
The 2021 Barb Preloger Excellence in Education Grant supported a project at George McGovern Middle School led by teacher Sherri Wolles to help advance the school’s Teaching Garden and its Garden Club.
An Excellence in Education grant to Melissa Hittner, at teacher at Jefferson High School, supported an effort to create outdoor education spaces.
A grant to teacher Justin Cook at Laura B. Anderson Elementary supported the Bilingual Library Books project, an effort to build a collection of bilingual books within the school’s library that includes home languages of all its ELL students.

Excellence in Education Initiative Grants

Proposals due by midnight on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023.

Submit your proposal today