Mini Grants | "Pay It Forward" Grants |
Evelyn Jay Excellence in Education Award

Mini Grants

Mini-Grant Application Form
Available in MS Word | Available in Adobe PDF

Guidelines
Available in MS Word | Available in Adobe PDF

Applications for the 2009-10 school year due by 4 p.m., January 15, 2009.

Mail or hand-deliver applications to:

Educational Enrichment Foundation
3809 E. Third St.
Tucson, AZ 85716

No faxed or emailed applications will be accepted.

Questions? Call EEF at (520) 325-8688.

The mission of the Educational Enrichment Foundation (EEF) is providing resources to expand and enrich student learning in the Tucson Unified School District. The purpose of EEF's Mini Grant Program is to provide funding for special classroom or library projects. Mini Grant projects enhance classroom experiences, stimulate interest in learning, and explore concepts, ideas, and principles beyond the core curriculum.

Proposal Categories

Research Corporation Science Mini Grants - Multiple Grants up to $1,000 for innovative projects emphasizing the use of science.

Jacob Eisner Memorial K-6 Creativity Grants - One or two Grants up to $500 for projects that develop children's creativity

The Stocker Foundation Mini Grants - Multiple Grants up to $500 for projects focusing on literacy or fine arts.

Ray Davies Humanitarian Mini Grant - One Grant up to $500 for a project stressing humanitarian or human rights issues.

J. B. Diamond Trust Field Trip Support Grants - Multiple Grants up to $1,000 to support curriculum based field trips, including transportation, admission fees and other related expenses. Grade level collaboration is encouraged. This grant is available for elementary and middle school teachers (K-8).

Ward II - Multiple Grants up to $300 to be used in Ward II schools: Elementary: Bloom, Booth-Fickett, Davidson, Gale, Henry, Hudlow, Schumaker, Soleng Tom, Steele, Van Horne, Whitmore, Wrightstown; Middle: Gridley, Magee; High: Sahuaro. There are no restrictions as to subject matter or emphasis.

Lynn Urquides (Adams Memorial) – One Grant up to $600 to be awarded to a teacher at Lynn/Urquides Elementary.

Library Power Collaboration - One or two Grants up to $2,500 for projects that incorporate collaborative planning and teaching by librarians and teachers utilizing library resources.  Projects should include resource-based learning in support of the Core Curriculum, meet the needs of students' personal interests in research, and access information technology.

Library Power Author Visit - Multiple Grants up to $500 to sponsor a presentation or presentations (including books or other materials) by an author, illustrator, or storyteller at a school.

TFCU Diversity Mini Grants - Multiple Grants up to $500 for projects that explore the role of ethnic and cultural diversity in creating a healthy, vibrant community.

Judith Schwarz Library Empowerment Grant - One Grant up to $2,500 to support a mentor and "mentee" (learning) relationship between two schools with full-time teacher-librarians. The goal within the learning school is to promote collaborative planning and integrate the library into the curriculum. Funds of up to $1,500 to the learning school to provide substitutes to facilitate exchanges of teaching personnel between the schools for modeling and mentoring and for other required expenses; and, $1,000 for the mentor school to improve student learning through the library. The schools will engage in quarterly written documentation of progress. Applicants for the grant should be the principal and teacher-librarian of both schools.

EEF General Mini Grants – Grants up to $1,000 that do not fall within any of the above categories.

Ora S. & Jane Davies Kindergarten Mini-Grant - One Grant up to $500 to support educational or cultural programs to
Kindergarten teachers

Proposal Guidelines and Pointers

Jean Schimke is your contact person at EEF for Mini Grants; contact her with any questions or for technical assistance -- 325-8688; eeffin@theriver.com.

• EEF's Allocation Committee reviews and evaluates all proposals.  They will consider all projects with educational content.
• Not all members of the Allocations Committee are educators, so avoid educational (or any) jargon.
• Be sure your budget is clear and understandable.  Funds must be spent as stipulated in the proposal budget.  All expenditures must be backed-up with receipts.  Any undocumented expenditures will be treated as compensation to the teacher/librarian and may be reported to the IRS by EEF per audit requirements.
• Funds must supplement, not replace, state or local funds; funds cannot be used to compensate teachers or other TUSD staff. 
• New and continuing projects will be considered.
• Priority will be given to projects with potential impact beyond the initial grant period and with opportunities for inter-classroom sharing.
• Parent and community linkages strengthen a proposal.
• Proposals must be signed by the educator and by the school principal.
• If a teacher's position or school changes, the award may become invalid.  The educator MUST contact EEF if there are any changes.
• Hard copies of the grant application will be distributed to all schools.  Application forms are also available online at www.tusd1.org follow link for EEF.
• Proposals must be typed and received, through the US mail or hand delivered, by 4:00 PM, Thursday, January 15, 2009.  Faxes or e-mails not accepted.

EEF's Mini Grant Program is sponsored by:

• Donald Pitt Family Foundation
• EEF General Funds
• Jacob Eisner Memorial Endowment
• Joan Brown Diamond Charitable Lead Annuity Trust
• Kay and Lee Scott Memorial Endowment
• Library Power Endowment
• Lynn Urquides/Adams Memorial
• Marjorie I. Wandrey Memorial Endowment
• Research Corporation
• Schwarz Library Fund
• The Stocker Foundation Endowment
• Tucson Federal Credit Union
• Ora S. & Jane Davies Endowment
• Ray Davies Lifetime Humanitarian Achievement Award Luncheon
• Ward 2 – Councilman Rodney Glassman’s Office
  

Former Mini-Grant Recipients