Classroom Grants

The Classroom Grants program aims to provide teachers with funding for supplies, classroom items and enrichment activities, projects or programs not included in the school’s budget. According to the National Education Association, more than 90% of teachers spend an average of $500 of their own money each year to purchase school supplies and other items their students need to succeed in the classroom. The unstated expectation that educators will spend their own money on supplies and equipment are factors in teacher attrition, especially for new teachers who may struggle to provide these additional expenses.

Classroom Grants are available to all Florida Department of Education approved schools in Collier County, including traditional public, charter, and private schools. Grant requests may not exceed $2,000. Classroom Grant applications open to teachers annually in July, and requests must be approved by the teacher’s principal to ensure alignment with school goals and priorities. In mid-September, a volunteer selection committee scores each grant application received to date against a rubric to allocate funds from Champions For Learning’s Classroom Grant Fund. All awarded requests are announced on Surprise Delivery Day in early October. Any unfunded grants and additional requests submitted by teachers will remain open on the online Classroom Grant portal until March. All funded projects must be completed in the school year of the award, and all recipients must complete an outcome report by May.

Donors are able to support our overall execution of the program by making a gift to Champions For Learning’s Classroom Grant Fund, or they can utilize the online Classroom Grant portal to hand select specific requests to fund.