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INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP GRANTS

Foundations in Education, through its Innovation and Leadership Grants Program, promotes excellence in the Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Schools by providing educators with grant opportunities that fund innovation in classroom teaching and provide support for professional development and leadership formation.

The Innovation Grants Program promotes innovation in Catholic school education by supporting a teacher’s creative project or initiative for the classroom or school. Grants through this program are intended for innovative projects or initiatives that benefit multiple grade levels, and have a long-term impact on student learning.

The Leadership Grants Program promotes continuing professional education and leadership formation for current faculty in the form of grants for leadership development.

Grant Application Cycle: September 15 – October 31, 2019

Grant Implementation Cycle: July 2020 – June 2021

Click here for more information.

THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED. 

2020 INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP GRANT AWARDS
  • All Saints School, Norwalk: Entrusting Teachers with the Tools to Create Learning Centers by Lauren Hurd $1,000
  • Assumption Catholic School, Fairfield: Acoustic Relief by Debra Shea $3,500 and Fine Motor Strengthening Activities by Megan O’Rourke Agee $750
  • Cardinal Kung Academy: A Seat at the Table by Alexandra Kimball $11,500
  • Catholic Academy of Bridgeport-St. Augustine Academy: Shaping Future STEM Leaders by Peaches Bernard, Sara Gardner, and Sister Lisa Florio $14,610
  • Greenwich Catholic School: Get On Your Feet, Pre-K Moves to the Beat! by Nicole Welge and Maria Fata $1,850
  • Holy Trinity Catholic Academy, Shelton: Sensory Path Project by Sheila Krawitz $2,000 and Video Production in the Classroom by Laura Loso $3,085
  • Immaculate High School, Danbury: 3D Printer by Jeanine Antonios $3,000 and Innovative Pop Up Art Program by Leslie Quinn $5,700
  • Kolbe Cathedral High School, Bridgeport: Empowering Learners: Creating and Interpreting Media Messages in an Era of Fake News by Shelley Stedman $13,335
  • Notre Dame High School, Fairfield: Notre Dame Art Production and Community Beautification Art Club by Jennifer Strausser $5,000
  • Office of the Superintendent of Schools: Next Generation Catholic Science Education for High Schools $10,500
  • Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy, Wilton: Sewing for Good by Rose Highland $700
  • St. Gregory the Great School, Danbury: Putting on a Podcast by Suzanne Curra $1,500
  • St. James School, Stratford: Learning Center Support Lab by Megan Flood Merwin $5,000 and Success with Smart Televisions by Mary Merly $2,800
  • St. Joseph High School, Trumbull: Aviation and Flight Science by Mattias Mirabile $7,000, ImmerseMe Language Project by Jaqueline Carvalho-Sullivan $4,000, Math in Motion by Robin Berry $3,540, and Put the A into STEAM Education by Kathleen Cardillo, Cindy Richter, and Matthew Kavulich $10,000
  • St. Joseph School, Danbury: Engaging Through Code by David Bongiorno $2,000
  • St. Mark School, Stratford: Educating the Whole Child by Melissa Warner $9,632
  • St. Mary School, Ridgefield: Lego/STEAM by Joanne Seavy $7,500 and Sit or Stand: Flexible Seating Affects Student Achievement and Engagement by Jennifer Kasinskas $5,500
  • St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, Fairfield: School-Based Video Program by Paul Piorek and Celeste Davis $2,500

Click here for photos from 2020 Grant Reception at Discovery Museum in Bridgeport.

Grant Reports from our 1st Cohort of Awards are in!

A sample of the 2018-2019 grant projects are listed below:

 

Our Impact 2018-2019

45

Grant Applications Submitted

26

Grants Awarded

$125,000

Awarded in Grant Funding

16

Schools Impacted

Featured Impact Stories

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Grant FAQ

How does it work?

Donors to Foundations in Education provide the resources for annual competitive grant programs that fund INNOVATION in classroom teaching and provide support for LEADERSHIP formation within Diocese of Bridgeport Catholic Schools.

Innovation Grants support educators’ creative projects or initiatives that may benefit multiple grade levels and have a long-term impact on student learning. Collaboration is encouraged, whether across grades or even among schools.

Leadership Grants promote professional development and leadership formation.

Who is eligible to apply?

Teachers and administrators in Diocesan-sponsored Catholic elementary, middle and high schools in Fairfield County are eligible to apply.

Previous grant recipients must wait one year before being eligible to submit another grant proposal.

How to apply?

Beginning September 15, applicants must complete and submit the online grant application. Proposals must be reviewed and approved by school principals prior to submission. The deadline to submit a grant application is October 31.

Applicants must:

  1. Provide the metrics and measures that will be used to evaluate a “successful” grant,
  2. Provide applicable supporting documents (i.e. budget/cost estimates for innovation grants and tuition or conference costs for leadership grants),
  3. Identify other available funding sources for the project,
  4. Agree to release personal images and information for advertising and marketing purposes, and
  5. Agree to present on the outcomes of the grant in Diocesan-wide faculty development forums or other suitable venues.

How are awards determined?

The Grants Committee reviews and evaluates each grant proposal and submits recommendations to the Foundations in Education Board of Trustees for approval.

Grant determinations are subject to the available funding each year. Priority will be given to unique and innovative approaches to teaching that will maximize the impact on learning for our students. All applicants will be notified of their grant application determination by Foundations in Education in January.

What is the size of the grant?

To date, grants have ranged in size up to $15,000 and may be made in one year or over several years if the project so requires.

The Grants Committee reserves the right to determine the grant amount and not all projects will be fully funded. Parameters for grant size may include:

  1. Maximum impact in Innovation and Leadership,
  2. Assistance in meeting diocesan priorities,
  3. Consideration for multi-year program development, or
  4. Specific priorities set forth by the Office of the Superintendent and/or by the Grants Committee (i.e. – focus on curriculum improvement, Mathematics, STEM, Arts, Robotics, Coding etc).
  5. Capacity to secure additional funding

Grant amounts will be recommended by the Grants Committee and approved by the Foundations in Education Board of Trustees.