GUIDELINES

Austin Ed Fund seeks projects that are creative, utilize critical thinking, and/or are a new way of looking at an old problem. Projects should have a clearly stated goal, related activities to support goal achievement, and a budget outlining how requested materials align with project outcomes.

Who can apply?

Individuals or teams of individuals employed by Austin ISD who are involved in the instruction of students or related support services benefiting students are eligible to apply. Student input into project proposals are also encouraged, but the project must be led and submitted by an AISD staff member.

Eligibility for past Austin Ed Fund Grant Awardees

  • Applicants are not eligible for Innovation Grant awards in consecutive school years.
  • Schools are eligible for Innovation Grant awards in consecutive years.
  • Past Innovation Grant Awardees are only eligible to apply for an Innovation Grant the school year following their completed project implementation year.
  • Past Student Opportunity Fund awardee is eligible for an Innovation Grant if they have completed their final report ahead of the Innovation Grant application window.

What types of projects will be selected?

Austin Ed Fund has identified three priority content areas:

  • Whole Child Every Child (Fine arts & creative learning, cultural proficiency, health & wellness, and Social and Emotional Learning)
  • STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math)
  • Literacy

Award Categories

Idea Grants
Grants up to $2,000 will be awarded to individual classrooms.

Incubator Grants
Grants up to $10,000 will be awarded to campus, multi-classroom and/or department projects that have the potential to replicate and/or become sustainable.

Grants are to be used to fund projects that cannot be provided in the school or district budgets. This can include instructional and classroom materials, or an activity/material which supports higher levels of student academic achievement. Expenses that will not be considered for funding include salaries and facility maintenance or construction costs.

Multi-Year Grant Applications

Although most Incubator level grants are intended for one-year time periods, Austin Ed Fund understands that sometimes  innovation can take time. Because of this, beginning in 2020, Austin Ed Fund will consider multi-year requests. The number of projects awarded a multi-year grant, and the amount awarded (up to $10,000 over 2 years) is at the discretion of Austin Ed Fund. To be eligible for multi-year funding, applicants must have completed any reports due, and are in good standing with the Austin Ed Fund.

Selection Criteria

  • Enriching: Enhances student academic performance.
  • Innovative: Is a creative approach or proven best practice toward addressing a classroom objective that is new to your campus.
  • Demonstrated need: Supports district and/or campus goals and is specifically designed to address an area of need supported by data.
  • Alignment: Within priority content areas of Whole Child Every Child, STEAM, or Literacy.
  • Evaluation: Has measurable outcome(s) that will be reported to Austin Ed Fund upon project completion.
  • Logical: Proposal is well-written, clear, and transparent, including:
    • Specificity of goals and objectives.
    • Clarity of description of instructional procedures/methods.
    • Clarity of how funds awarded will be used, in a realistic, accurate, and appropriate manner.
    • Alignment between goals and how you will evaluate success.

Additionally, projects applying for Incubator-level funding will be more competitive if they include some or all of the following criteria:

  • Sustainable: Measurable outcomes have potential for medium- or long-term impact
  • Systemic: Project has potential to be replicated at/in other schools or classrooms
  • Relevant: Demonstrates real-world applications
  • Collaborative: Demonstrates partnerships across department/grade level, other disciplines, schools, and/or community organizations

Responsibilities of Grant Recipients

  • Use the awards for the purposes intended.
  • Projects must be fully implemented and funds must be spent by the end of the spring semester immediately following award notification, unless a multi-year grant was awarded.
  • A phone interview and a final report, including usage of funds, must be submitted to Austin Ed Fund by the end of the school year.
  • Recipients agree to share lessons learned with colleagues in staff development sessions.
  • Keep Austin Ed Fund updated if the lead applicant changes, to determine the future of grant.
  • All unused grant money is subject to being returned to Austin Ed Fund.

In response to COVID-19, Austin Ed Fund has postponed the 2020 Innovation Grants application indefinitely. No more submissions will be accepted at this time. We encourage you to consider applying for Austin Ed Fund’s Student Opportunity Fund and Innovation Grants programs in the future.”