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In the 2023-24 School Year, Educators ReceivedNearly 800 Grants & Awards
Thank you for your interest in a grant from the SAISD Foundation.Moved by the power and talent of our educators and the impact of their ideas on student outcomes, we are proud to share that in 23-24 we reached a new milestone – awarding nearly 800 educator grants and awards! We are excited to continue the momentum in the 24-25 school year.
Grants Available to SAISD TeachersGrants for San Antonio ISD educators include: New Teacher Grants, Mini-Grants, Bright Idea Grants Teacher of the Year and Distinguished Teacher of the Year grants.
We work to ensure educators and school leaders in SAISD have the ability to expand student experiences and increase student success through unique learning opportunities. Learn more about each grant cycle below.
New Teacher Grants
$100
- Open to new-to-SAISD teachers
- Award: $100
- Opportunity only available for new teachers attending New Teacher Orientation
- Grants are awarded through a New Teacher Shopping Day during the first week of August
Next Grant Cycle
New Teacher Shopping Day took place at four locations, HEB, Target, Learning Zone and Lakeshore Learning Store during San Antonio ISD’s New Teacher Orientation. The first week. Participating teachers will have the opportunity to visit one of these three locations to claim their $100 grant before the new school year.
Since the fall of 2007, the SAISD Foundation has awarded more than 1,400 new teacher grants to educators in SAISD.
Mini-Grants
$500
- Open to all SAISD employees and educators
- Award: Up to $500
- Items must be to enhance a classroom or school wide initative
- Projects for food and necessities, general supplies or clothing are not eligible
Next Grant Cycle
The Mini-Grant cycle for the 2024-2025 cycle begins August 13, 2024!
Bi-monthly, we review the list of current SAISD teacher projects in DonorsChoose and select as many projects to invest up to $500 each! Please see the restrictions below.
All items will be shipped directly to the school by DonorsChoose upon funding. A few things to remember regarding our funding:
- We plan to award one mini-grant for a teacher only once in the school year. (Of course, you can post as many projects for general support as you like.)
- We will work to reach as many of our campuses as possible
- Food, clothing, hygiene items and gift cards will not be funded as a part of our mini-grant support
If you have received a grant from us in the past, evaluations should be submitted 30 days after implementing the grant. To submit your evaluation click here.
Bright Idea Grants
$5,000
- Open to all SAISD employees and educators
- Award: Up to $5,000 for individual and team projects and up to $10,000 for whole school projects through principal grants requests.
- Application opens in Spring 2025
Applications Open Jan 8!
Review the Innovation Grant timeline below.
- January 8th – 1st Round Video Application Opens. Submit your application on Flip!
- February 23rd – Deadline for 1st Round Video Application
- March 4th – Teachers Notified of advancing to 2nd round application via Google Forms
- March 25th – Deadline for 2nd Round Google Form Application
- April – May – Teachers notified of the grant award
- May-August – The Foundation will work with winners to purchase materials
What your Grant should include!
Grant Criteria:
- The project should be innovative and new for your campus/grade level/department.
- The project should aim but is not required, to help SAISD reach one of the SAISD board goals:
- Improve reading and writing outcomes for all students
- Improve math outcomes for Black students
- Improve college readiness for students with disabilities
- Improve social-emotional readiness for all students
- Grant budget requests cannot exceed $5,000. The overall project budget can be over $5,000.
- Educators are welcome to partner with other teachers and staff for the project.
- The budget should include one-time expense(s) and projects should be sustainable.
- The project will be implemented during the 2024-2025 school year.
- Awarded a grant? Submit your grant evaluation here!
Teacher of the Year
$100
- Exclusive for Teacher of the Year honorees
- Award: $100 shopping credit offered during New Teacher Shopping Day
Recognizing the Best
At the SAISD Foundation, we are proud to recognize these educators and give them the opportunity to have a $100 shopping credit at the stores we partner with during New Teacher Shopping Day.
The Teacher of the Year award honors teachers who have been in the profession for at least three years and who excel in academic success, school leadership, and service to the school community. Each school’s Teacher of the Year was selected by a vote of his or her peers. In addition to the shopping credit, honorees received a certificate, a personalized trophy, and a yard sign.
Distinguished Teacher of the Year
$500
- Exclusive to the Distiguished Teacher of the Year honorees
- Award: $500
The best of the best
Distinguished Teachers of the Year honorees are selected by a committee of district leaders.
The Teacher of the Year award honors teachers who have been in the profession for at least three years and who excel in academic success, school leadership, and service to the school community. Each school’s Teacher of the Year was selected by a vote of his or her peers.
Funds to investment in our schools are raised annually throughEvents sponsors and individual donors
See how the great ideas of educators are making a difference for students.