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In the 2023-24 School Year, Educators ReceivedNearly 800 Grants & Awards
Thank you for your interest in the SAISD Foundation's Educator Grant Program.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 that level of support for our talented teachers
Grants Available to SAISD TeachersAvailable grants to 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 tools they need to enhance student experiences that excite students about learning and increase student success.
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
- Application opens in January and reviewed on a monthly basis. No applications will be accepted after April 15.
Applications Open in January!
Grant application consists of two parts:
1. Complete the online application Form (PDF Version) and include a project budget. (Budget Template)
2. Upload a short video (up to two minutes in length) explaining the project and the need.
Ideally, the video should be filmed where the project will take place.
Applicants who fail to complete both requirements will not be reviewed for possible grant
awards.
What to 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 areas:
- Improve reading and writing outcomes
- Improve math outcomes
- Improve college readiness
- Improve social-emotional readiness
- Overall project budget can be over $5,000, however, your grant requests cannot exceed $5,000.
- Preference given to grants whose budget includes primarily innovative and sustainable projects.
- Educators are required to have a second lead.
- Educators must have principal approval.
Mini-Grants
$500
- Open to all SAISD employees and teachers
- Award: Up to $500
- Items must be to enhance a classroom or school-wide/department initiative
- Projects for food and necessities, general supplies, clothing or gift cards are not eligible
Next Grant Cycle
Many of our Mini-Grants are awarded through DonorsChoose. If you or your project are not eligible to apply via DonorsChoose, educators can submit their Mini-Grants request through our Non-Teacher Application. Mini-Grants are open to all SAISD educators and employees. Projects funded through DonorsChoose will be shipped directly to your campus by DonorsChoose upon funding.
- Our team reviews projects bi-monthly
- Grants are up to $500. If your DonorsChoose is more than that, we will only fund the project once it is $500 or below to ensure your projects is fully funded and you are able to receive your items.
- Educators and employees are eligible for a Mini-Grant each school year
- You can post/apply for multiple projects, however, we will only fund one per school year.
- Food, clothing, hygiene items, and gift cards are items we cannot fund as part of a Mini-Grant award.
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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
About
New Teacher Shopping Day traditionally takes place on the Friday of SAISD’s New Teacher Orientation. New-to-SAISD teachers can shop and purchase items, up to $100, to help set up their classroom at one of our partnering stores. In 2024, new teachers could shop at H-E-B Lakeshore Learning, Learning Zone or Target.
Since the fall of 2007, the SAISD Foundation has awarded more than 1,400 new teacher grants to educators in SAISD. 2025 New Teacher Shopping will take place on Friday, August 1.
Teacher of the Year
$100
- Exclusive for Teacher of the Year honorees
- Award: $100 shopping credit offered during New Teacher Shopping Day
Recognizing Top Talent
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. We are proud to have initiated this presentation with SAISD over 15 years ago.
The SAISD 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.
Distinguished Teacher of the Year
$500
- Exclusive to the Distiguished Teacher of the Year honorees
- Award: $500 Grant
The Best of the Best
Distinguished Teachers of the Year honorees are selected by a committee of district leaders and awarded by school level.
The Distinguished 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.
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.