Classroom Grants

The Classroom Grants Program

Classroom Grants is an opportunity for teachers in Collier County to apply for and receive funding for their classroom or school projects that fall outside of the regular school budget.

Any teacher who serves in a Florida Department of Education recognized K-12 school in Collier County is eligible to participate, including traditional public schools, charter schools, and private/independent schools. Applicants can be classroom teachers, Related Arts teachers, school counselors, academic coaches, teachers on special assignments, or Curriculum Coordinators.

Teachers may request up to $2,000 per project. Eligible projects can include classroom supplies or equipment that is not covered under the school budget, local field trip costs, enrichment activities, school-wide projects, etc. All classroom grant requests must be approved by the teacher’s principal. Applicants are encouraged to talk with their principal prior to submitting a request to ensure it meets the goals and priorities of the school and that funding is not otherwise available.

Types of projects NOT typically covered include professional conference costs, out of county field trips, or items considered to be “capital” costs.

To create a new profile, or update an existing one in the Find It/Fund It portal. Teachers must use their school email address when creating a profile. Once submitted, the request needs to be approved by the school principal, then by Champions For Learning for posting to the website.

Classroom Grants Virtual Workshop

Join us to learn about Champions For Learning’s Classroom Grants Program. This one-hour workshop will provide an overview of the Classroom Grants Program and how to apply for funding to support classroom and school projects through the Find It/Fund It portal. Any teacher who serves in a Florida Department of Education recognized K-12 school in Collier County is eligible to participate in the Classroom Grants Program, including traditional public schools, charter schools, and private/independent schools.

For more information, please reach out to Dani Henderson at dhenderson@championsforlearning.org or (239) 687.1371.

Classroom Grants Timeline

The Classroom Grant Online Portal through Find It/Fund It is open for new grants requests each school year from July 1 – March 8. All approved grant requests are posted for public viewing on the Champions For Learning website.

For the 2023-24 School Year:

Grant requests submitted between July 1 and September 8, 2023 will be posted online and considered by the community-based committee for support from the Classroom Grant Fund.

Grant requests submitted between July 1 and March 8 will be posted online for consideration by the general public.

This is a competitive process and there is no guarantee of funding, even if a project had been funded previously.

Grant Awarding

Funded grants are generally delivered on Surprise Grant Delivery Day in early October. Grants funded after this date are delivered on an individual basis.

Champions For Learning will transfer the grant amount to each teacher’s Class Wallet account for easy use and transparency. If the teacher does not have a Class Wallet account, a check will be presented to the teacher.

If a grant request is not funded during the fall timeline, it will stay on the Find It/Fund It portal for consideration by the general public until Spring Break. Afterwards, all unfunded projects will be archived and removed from public viewing.

All funded projects must be completed in the current school year.

Grant Reporting and Accountability

For awarded projects, teachers must complete three reporting requirements:

  1. Writing a Thank You note to the specific supporter(s) of each grant project.
  2. Completing the online Impact Report through the Find It/Fund It portal for each grant project.
  3. Submitting the receipts for each grant project (via Class Wallet or via email).

Tips for Writing a Successful Grant Request

1. Goal

Make sure your goal/purpose is thoroughly developed and addresses one or more of the following:

  • Promotes student engagement
  • Connects to grade level competencies or standards
  • Connects to a school-wide goal or priority

2. Activities

Applications must provide a detailed description of the proposed activities, a connection to the school’s current curriculum, a special emphasis on creativity, and/or the potential for permanent integration.

3. Benefit

Make sure your expected outcomes and benefits are clearly stated and well-developed and include a description of learning goals and/or potential assessment/evaluation of student engagement or learning.

4. Items/Budget Narrative

Make sure the use of funds is maximized and matches expected benefits. Provide any extra information that connects the items to the expected benefits in the narrative section.

Reach out to Champions For Learning at any time in the process with questions or concerns.

Examples of well-written (and funded!) grant requests:

Frequently Asked Questions

How many grant requests may one teacher submit?

Individual teachers may submit as many grant requests as needed. However, only the first four (4) will be reviewed by the Classroom Grants Committee for consideration from the Classroom Grants Fund. Any additional requests will only be eligible for public consideration.

What happens to my non-consumable supplies/equipment if I change schools?

Technically speaking, all non-consumables become the property of the individual school. However, it’s up to the discretion of the principal if a teacher can take any supplies/equipment if they change schools.

If circumstances change after my grant has been awarded, can I just use the money however I choose?

Reach out to Champions For Learning immediately if circumstances change after a grant has been awarded (ex. items no longer available, school or teaching schedule change, illness or maternity leave, etc). It is up to the specific donor if the funds can be used for something other than what was proposed in the original grant request.

What if my grant request is not funded?

If the request is not funded during the fall, it will remain on the public-facing webpage until March 8th. If it is not funded by then, it will be archived, and teachers may reapply in a future school year.

If the request is partially funded, Champions For Learning will reach out to see if you can use the partial funding. If yes, the funds will be released to you, and you will need to comply with the reporting requirements as outlined.