Developer Grants

Grants of $600 to Florida PreK-8 teachers and grants of $1,000 to schools in Polk and Hardee Counties for programs in the areas of STEM education, literacy, and low-performing students. The grants will cover classroom materials and a stipend for additional hours spent on development and publishing.

Teacher to Teacher/School to School Connection seeks out teachers that have developed and successfully used innovative teaching practices in their classrooms. As part of a layered network designed to improve student achievement, these teachers called “Developers” work with the Foundation over the course of a school year to first help produce the Idea Catalog of Excellence in which their program is highlighted. Then, in the fall new Developers join with Developer alumni to present their innovative programs at the Idea Expo.

All PreK-8 teachers from Polk and Hardee Counties are invited to attend the Teacher to Teacher Connection Idea Expo to network with both present and past Developers, learning more about their innovative instructional practices.

School to School Connection grants allow teachers to develop a grant that focuses on a school-wide initiative.

Criterion for Teacher to Teacher Developer Grant:
- The program must have been fully implemented for at least one year prior to applying.
- The program must align with district-wide curriculum (Florida Standards/Sunshine State Standards depending on content area), District Technology Plan, and/or Code of Conduct.
- Information in the application should indicate how the program increased academic achievement related to one or more of the following focus areas: Literacy, STEM education, or low performing students.
- The program goals must be well defined.
- The materials list should total as close to $400 as possible.
- The program should be easily adaptable for other schools during the second semester.
- The program should detail the traits that make it both innovative and successful.
- The program should not duplicate a previously funded Developer Grant.

School to School Connection:
- The program must have been fully implemented for at least one year prior to applying.
- The program must align with district-wide curriculum (Florida Standards/Sunshine State Standards depending on content area), District Technology Plan, and/or Code of Conduct.
- Information in the application should indicate how the program increased academic achievement related to one or more of the following focus areas: Literacy, STEM education or low performing students.
- The program goals must be well defined and target an entire grade level(s) or student body.
- The materials list should total as close to $800 as possible.
- The program should be easily adaptable for other schools during the second semester.
- The program should detail the traits that make it both innovative and successful.
- The program should not duplicate a previously funded Developer Grant.