In a commitment to fostering innovation and enriched learning experiences, the Park City Education Foundation is accepting applications for its annual classroom grants program. The foundation’s CEO Ingrid Whitley says this is the organization’s longest running program.
“Which actually launched us into existence in 1986, with a single STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) grant for $2,000,” Whitley said. “And since that first grant, our donors have funded 880 grants, and 250 express grants to educators. These dollars are funneled directly into classrooms in the district. They support impactful programs like Latinos in Action, mindfulness and wellness, after school STEM before school, and lots of others.”
Last year, the foundation funded 42 grants, totaling more than $250,000. The grants cover various disciplines, from science and technology to the arts, and are designed to directly benefit students in the classroom.
A selection committee will review all the applications and make decisions before the end of the school year.
“Teachers find out before they leave for the summer, if they've been funded,” she said. “And we'd love to fund as many as we possibly can, obviously, and so we're excited to review those applications this year.”
Money is allocated to programs that focus on creativity and innovation, the whole child and academic success. Classroom grant requests are awarded in the spring for the following school year and have a maximum of $45,000 per grant.
Longtime grant recipients include the Latinos in Action group, as well as the before school program and debate team, which just won the state championships. With the help of a donor who pays for traveling costs for students to attend national competitions, the team will go on to compete next month at the national championships at the University of Kentucky.
