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Austin Ed Fund announces new rounds of Special Grant Program

Published  March 16, 2021 1:45pm CDT
Austin
FOX 7 Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin ISD's nonprofit public education foundation Austin Ed Fund has announced news rounds of its Special Grant Program. Austin Ed Fund is looking for innovative approaches from teachers and staff across AISD that attempt to solve inequities in the community which has worsened due to the ongoing pandemic and racial injustice. 

Applications are now open for the first cycle and will close on April 2. A second cycle will be due on June 25. The opportunity is open exclusively for AISD educators and campus leaders.

All AISD educators are eligible to apply, but priority will be given to campuses with a higher percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced meals or to projects that address marginalized student groups. The grant program will award up to $10,000 for projects that are collaborative and have a team or campus-wide impact, while requests up to $2,500 will be awarded for projects that impact individual classrooms.

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The grant opportunity encourages teacher-led, collaborative projects that impact marginalized communities by focusing on one of the following three focus areas:

  • Social and emotional wellbeing of staff, students, and their families
  • Cultural proficiency & inclusiveness
  • Strategies to engage students who have been less engaged or disconnected from school during the pandemic

To submit an application, learn more about the grant program. or make a contribution to the Austin Ed Fund to support ongoing needs, visit www.austinedfund.org.

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During the summer of 2020, Austin Ed Fund awarded $381,849 to 73 projects across Austin ISD. The impact of the program was evident through the projects that were selected which included: 

  • Garza Independence High School — Awarded $10,000 towards contracting an expert on anti-racism to facilitate high-quality training for staff with the goal to transform school culture by creating anti-racist classrooms via newly created curriculum, enhancing student and staff interactions, and integrating anti-racist practices to school-wide No Place for Hate initiatives
  • Walnut Creek Elementary School — Awarded $10,000 to create "Peace Areas To-Go," which will consist of tubs/baskets containing a variety of proven sensory input and self-regulation tools to help students handle stress and anxiety
  • Akins High School — Awarded $10,000 to foster a partnership between the Social Work (Human Services) Internship and the Student Support Services Office to provide peer mentoring and small self-care, health & wellness kits to students suffering from mental/emotional stress