Classroom mini-grants

 Since 2017, the North Wasco County Education Foundation has run a competitive small grants program to provide supplemental funding to teachers and staff, enhancing what they can achieve in their classrooms and programs. While teachers receive a modest amount of funding from the district annually for essential classroom supplies, these funds rarely cover creative, innovative, or timely materials and curriculum tools that enrich the learning environment and keep students inspired to learn. Nearly 100 grants have been awarded since 2017, supporting projects that foster engagement and educational enrichment.

From 2017 to 2019, the North Wasco County Education Foundation released one round of requests for applications (RFA) each fall, typically awarding funding for 6-10 projects, with grants of up to $500 each. Starting in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation expanded its grant offerings to include both fall and spring cycles to address the unique and pressing needs of our students and the learning losses experienced during that time. The current Fall 2024 RFA is now closed and provided small and large tier grants, up to $300 and $300-$1,500, respectively. The grant cycle will reopen in Spring 2025, providing further opportunities for educators to secure funding for their projects. To date, the program has awarded nearly $35,000, supporting projects, spanning science, literacy, and cultural understanding, highlight the dedication of our local educators.  

• Installing new playground equipment to promote outdoor learning and play.
• Providing privacy screens to create focused learning spaces in classrooms.
• Supplying tools to support special education and inclusive learning strategies.
• Purchasing mobile literacy resources to support flexible, small-group instruction.
• Funding overnight science adventures to inspire interest in STEM fields.
• Adding books by Native American authors to school libraries to promote cultural understanding.
• Creating interactive science stations for hands-on exploration and parent engagement.
• Supporting music programs with opportunities for performances and educational trips.
• Developing environmental education programs with field trips to local discovery centers.

There are now more applications than we have funding for. Our current budget is around $15,000/year for biannual grants in the Spring and Fall.  Help us meet the requests of our teachers and deploy more resources into the classrooms. The funds may be modest but the impacts are huge.