It is an annual tradition for the Austin Public Education Foundation to provide grants to instructional staff within Austin Public School District support and enhance learning. Since 1992, the Huntting and Packer Endowments have made these grants possible, growing from a single $500 grant that first year to 55 grants totaling $45,588.20 in 2021!
Austin Public Education Foundation Grant Process Information
Eligibility
The APE Foundation is pleased to consider applications that benefit the students of the Austin Public Schools. Please review the attached district goals when submitting your grant.
The foundation does not provide grants for the following:
- Salary or fringe benefits for school district employees
- Continuing education
- Student fees and/or rentals normally paid by parents or guardians
- Curriculum
- Clothing
- Field trips
- Smartboards
- iPads
- Batteries
- Food or snacks
If you are requesting an item that will require the district’s support, please talk to your principal to see if it can be supported.
Two Grants, One Submission Process
As of the 2021 grants are available to both instructional staff and building administrators. Instructional Staff grants will continue to be funded through the Huntting and Packer Endowments. Building Administrator grants will be funded through APEF grants from the Hirsh Foundation.
Application Guidelines
- Your grant should not be more than 1-2 word processed pages. Refer to the sample grants below for guidance.
- Submit FOUR PAPER COPIES of your grant to Jennifer Boysen, Executive Director, at the APEF Office located in the High School. Emailed grants will not be considered.
Your grant needs to contain the following information:
- Date, project title, school, applicant name(s), signature(s) and contact phone and e-mail information.
- A brief description of the objectives or purpose of the grant request, including the number and description of the people who will be served by the grant.
- A detailed description of item(s requested with estimated costs.
- List each item separately; it is beneficial to prioritize your items and attach pictures.
Reward Instructions
- If a grant is awarded, approval is given only for item(s) and dollar amount described.
- The foundation board must approve any changes prior to purchase.
- For Instructional Staff grants, email your administrator detailing your grant request. This will keep principals informed of the number and objectives of grant requests generated by their staff.
Timelines
Applications are due March 4th, 2022 for projects to be funded for the 2022-2023 school year.
The grant committee will notify you if your grant was selected, by March 31st, 2022. If your grant is accepted, give your purchase order to your principal stating it is for the APE Foundation, prior to the last day of school. For building administrators, submit purchase orders as normal with a notation that funding is provided by the APEF grant. Your order will be made after July 1st, 2022 and you should have your items in time for the 2022-2023 school year.
Access a Word document version of Instructional Staff Grants here.
Access a Word document version of Building Administrator Grants here.
Instructional Staff Grant Sample:
2/2/22 3rd Grade Listening Center Materials
Dear Austin Public Education Foundation,
I am writing to request a grant for the 3rd grade at Wood Creek Elementary School. We currently have 125 children in the 3rd grade at Wood Creek. This number does fluctuate each year.
Our district started a new reading series this year called Happy Readers. With Happy Readers, everything that the children do during reading time is leveled. One of the activities, that Happy Readers suggests, is a listening center. Because of this, we would like to have listening materials at a variety of reading levels. We have very little resources for listening center materials in our building. There are 10 books with CD’s available to check out in the library. All of the 3rd grade teachers have CD players in their classrooms. We are lacking books and CD’s to play on our players.
We would appreciate it if you were able to fund listening center materials from Lakeshore Learning. Although there are 4 classrooms, we feel we would be able to share the materials. We would like to have 2 of each set that is available.
2- Read along Grades 2-4 $179.00 ($358.00 for 2 sets)
2- Read along Grades 4-6 $179.00 ($358.00 for 2 sets)
Total purchase $716.00
Thank you for taking the time to read my request,
Suzie Smith
3rd Grade Teacher
Wood Creek Elementary School
# 555-5555 / s.smith@wces.mn.us
Signed: Suzie Smith_________
Thank you, Hirsch Foundation – Building Level Grants
We are excited to still offer grants for building administrators funded through the Hirsch Foundation. The last few years, we have taken advantage of our new funding from the Hirsch Foundation to dream big and provide grants that impacted students at a broader level – benefitting all students within a building vs. a classroom or grade level. We will be able to continue on this year, with building administrators submitting their grant requests that enhance learning at their building.
In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, it is rewarding to be able to give back to the teachers and administrators of Austin Public Schools. They have worked tirelessly this year to continue providing high quality education to our students. We can’t wait to see your grant requests for this year.
Good luck!
Jennifer Boysen, Executive Director
Carolyn Dube, APEF President
APE Foundation - AHS Alumni 