Grants.

The mission of the East Lyme Education Foundation is to foster a love of student learning through programs focused on excellence, innovation, and creativity. The Foundation will invest its fundraising dollars in grants for visionary educators whose projects enhance student learning opportunities.

We recommend the proposal include the following:

● Student learning objectives and/or improved teaching practices 

● Alignment with the curriculum

● Processes for evaluating student growth and demonstrating project success

● Ability to be sustained beyond the grant period 

● Potential to be replicated by other teachers

● A clear, itemized budget 

In spring 2025, the Foundation completed its inaugural mini-grant cycle, funding nine innovative projects in East Lyme classrooms. Demand from teachers was strong, and early feedback has been very positive. Applications were submitted digitally through the Grants section of our website, with criteria and a detailed evaluation rubric provided to support applicants.

Mini-Grants awarded in spring 2025 ranged from 500 to 1,500 and focused on individual classroom projects. Recipients were notified in May and projects began implementation this fall. Projects are expected to be completed by the end of the 2025–2026 school year, with teachers sharing results and outcomes with the Grant Committee.

Looking ahead to spring 2026, we anticipate even greater demand from educators. We will again open our grant application in the spring for projects to be implemented in fall 2026. As the Foundation grows, we aim to add a fall submission window and expand to larger, collaborative grants for grade-level teams, middle school kivas, and subject-area departments to deepen impact for East Lyme students.