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Request for Proposals: 2020 Excellence in Education Initiative Grants

request for proposals for Excellence in Education Initiative grants
August 26, 2020 Community Foundation News Kelly Sprecher

The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation today announced a request for proposals for its 2020 Excellence in Education Initiative grants.

Now in its 29th year, the initiative offers grants to teachers who have 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.

"We've always known that teachers are amazing, and that's never been more apparent than during this unprecedented moment in time," 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.”

2020 Excellence in Education Initiative grant proposals must be received by midnight on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

2019 Excellence in Education Grants in Action

See photos from a few of our 2019 Excellence in Education grant recipients.

2019 Excellence in Education grant
A 2019 Excellence in Education grant from the Community Foundation helped support Holy Spirit Elementary teacher Alex Waldner’s idea for “Save the Penguins,” a project designed to teach fourth grade students about the different forms of heat transfer through various demonstrations.
2019 Excellence in Education grant
A 2019 Excellence in Education grant from the Community Foundation helped support teacher Peggy Maxwell’s proposal for a “Creative Thinkers and Curious Minds Ignited,” a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM)-focused initiative designed to help preschool and junior-kindergarten students at Dell Rapids St. Mary’s learn to think inventively and imaginatively to become creative innovators and problem solvers.
2019 Excellence in Education Grant
Last year’s Excellence in Education grant to O’Gorman High School teacher Natasha Berg supported a premium subscription to Pear Deck, an online platform that allows teachers to create interactive Google slides, enabling teachers to better evaluate and assess student learning success by pinpointing areas where students may need extra support in a given topic.
2019 Excellence in Education grant
Thanks to a 2019 Excellence in Education Initiative Grant from the Community Foundation, Dell Rapids St. Mary's third graders in teacher Cami Bacon's classroom advanced their STEM-related learning by integrating robotics, circuits and coding activities.

Excellence in Education Initiative Grants

Proposals due by midnight on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Submit your proposal today