Grant funds are available and will be awarded for P-12 Professional Development Projects that address issues related to the education of or support of under-resourced children and/or their families. Successful Center of Excellence Professional Development Project grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to P-12 public school educators in Center Partner Districts. Projects will be funded at amounts up to $2,000 per cycle (Fall and Spring) for an academic year.
For more information or questions, please contact P-12 Outreach Project Coordinator, Janey Brandis (jbrandis@fmarion.edu).
Learn about recent Center-funded projects below, and access the Grant Writing Training presentation above that is designed to introduce the grant-writing process and to support future submissions.
Overall Guidelines
- Awards will be made to Center Partner District Educators for projects that focus on the development or expansion of best practices or specific strategies for teaching/supporting under-resourced learners and/or their families.
- Projects will be funded for up to $2,000 per Outreach Project.
Proposal Guidelines and Restrictions
- Center P-12 Professional Development Outreach Projects are open to Public School Educators (P-12) in Center Partner Districts ONLY. Proposals may be submitted by an individual or group within the partner district.
- Preference will be given to projects that potentially benefit the most under-resourced learners and/or their families.
- Outreach Project recipients must present project findings at the Center’s Summer Institute. Depending on the format of the institute, projects may be shared through a video/virtual or panel/face-to-face format.
Previously Funded Projects: Fall 2023
Interactive Life Science (Fall 2023)
This project allowed Riverview Elementary’s 2nd graders to gain vital educational and social lessons both inside and outside of the classroom. This interactive experience encompassed both Life Science lessons in the school setting, as well as out-of-school hands-on experiences at the Riverbanks Zoo. This growth-focused trip provided the 2nd graders with specialized knowledge in a manner largely unreachable to them without such significant financial support.
Panther Archery Team: On Target for Life (Fall 2023)
This grant provided opportunity for students on the middle and high school Panther Archery Team to participate in the activity without worrying about cost. Funds were provided to purchase resources to cover the operating needs of the team.
Learning Through Gardening (Fall 2023)
The project created classroom gardens and promoted their use as instructional aides. Individual classroom garden beds were created and maintained by 4th grade teachers, Killian Elementary students, and local mentors. Students spent time learning about gardening and how to care for plants as a part of normal classroom instruction. Individual classes researched types of garden plants to grow in the region, and then each class created a small garden of selected plants, tracked the garden progress, engaged in related interdisciplinary studies, and provided service to their local community.