Foundations in Education Announces Innovation and Leadership Grants
February 15, 2018 | Foundations in Education | Media Mentions
In its historic first year of offering grants, Foundations in Education is pleased to announce 19 grant awards totaling $105,000 to benefit Catholic schools in the Diocese of Bridgeport. This competitive grant cycle is the first of its kind for Foundations in Education and Diocesan-wide Catholic schools alike.
Grant proposals from teachers and school administrators were received from September 15 – October 31, 2017. Schools were presented with the unique opportunity to request funding for projects promoting innovation in the classroom or training and leadership development.
“This is a historic moment for Foundations in Education,” explained Executive Director Holly Doherty-Lemoine. “We encouraged our schools to dare to dream and we were inspired by the many creative responses this first year.”
Foundations received thirty-five grant proposals from nineteen of the twenty-six Catholic schools in Fairfield County. The grant requests totaled $235,859, more than twice the available funding.
A grants committee carefully reviewed each proposal and submitted recommendations to Foundation’s Board of Trustees for approval. The committee is led by Dr. Julie McNamara, former President of Albertus Magnus College.
“I am honored to have witnessed the incredible enthusiasm from our Catholic school educators,” commented Dr. McNamara. “Their remarkable projects will ensure Catholic education remains on the cutting edge and will transform our students into our next generation of thinkers, leaders and entrepreneurs.”
An awards ceremony took place on Thursday, February 1st at the home of the Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, fifth Bishop of Bridgeport and Acting Chairperson of Foundations in Education. At this event, grant honorees shared the vision of their projects with Foundation’s board members, grant committee members and donors.
“I am delighted that we have reached this milestone of offering grants to our schools,” remarked Bishop Caggiano. “The funded projects hold great promise of being replicated among all our Catholic schools. The opportunities are incalculable and priceless.”
Thanks to the generosity of its donors, Foundations in Education continues its ongoing commitment to strengthening and transforming Catholic education.
“We have faculty with big ideas but there’s very little funding available out there for nonprofits to take the risk of piloting new innovative programs,” said Board Member Tom McInerney, who has supported the Foundation. “It’s important to support these initiatives – to nurture their ideas into fruition.”
The funding for this first round of grants was made possible through an event hosted by Lynn and Frank Mara of Greenwich, who joined Foundations in Education for the grant reception.
“We were really impressed by the inspiration of the teachers and the programs,” commented Lynn Mara. “It’s very rewarding to see the money raised used this way!”
2018-2019 Innovation and Leadership Grant Awards
- All Saints Catholic School, Norwalk: Makerspace in School Library $7,500
- Greenwich Catholic School: Mobile Innovation Maker Cart $7,500
- Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Shelton: Generation Beyond STEM $10,000
- Immaculate High School, Danbury: Leading Edge in Graphic Design $6,500
- Immaculate High School, Danbury: Distance Classroom: Bridging Middle School with High School $2,000
- Notre Dame High School, Fairfield: Notre Dame High School, Fairfield: Community Building with 3D Technology $12,000
- Notre Dame High School, Fairfield: Performing Arts in Catholic Education $4,800
- St. Catherine of Siena School, Trumbull: Google Expeditions for the Classroom – Virtual Field Trips $7,000
- St. Gregory the Great School, Danbury: Level Up Village $10,000
- St. Joseph School, Danbury: Citizen Science: Monitoring Local Waterways $2,500
- St. Mark School, Stratford: Makerspace – Innovation Lab $5,000
- St. Mary School, Bethel: Creative Connections Rainforest Artlink Art Exchange $1,025
- St. Mary School, Ridgefield: From Egg to Chick – The Life Cycle Project $800
- St. Mary School, Ridgefield: Sprouting Seeds and Spreading Kindness $700
- St. Rose of Lima School, Newtown: Good News Television Studio/News Program $5,000
- St. Thomas Aquinas School, Fairfield: Little Bits STEM Makerspace $6,000
- The Catholic Academy of Stamford: Outdoor Instruction Space $900
- Trinity Catholic High School, Stamford: The Learning Academy at Trinity Catholic High School $10,500
- All Schools in Diocese of Bridgeport: Advancement Professional Development $5,275