Repeating a Grade: Your Community Foundation Inc. Brings Back ‘Mini-Grants’ for Teachers for 2024-25 School Year

If you want to know what those mini-grant grants for teachers did for classrooms across north-central West Virginia last year, sit back and listen to a few quick summaries.

One of the classrooms had a lesson plan on Vietnam, which led to a class trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. that same semester.

How about the phonics teaching materials that helped another class achieve a reading level of 89% and above?

Or maybe a class whose teacher bought additional dissection equipment to show the amazing adaptability of the animal world?

“There are so many innovative educators throughout the region,” said Patty Showers Ryan. “We’re just happy we could help.”

Ryan is the Executive Director of Your Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, a nonprofit charitable organization serving Monongalia, Preston, Marion, Harrison, and Taylor counties.

The organization is once again offering teachers “mini-grants” of up to $750 — which can be used for enrichment activities at the discretion of those in the classroom.

This is the second year of such spending, Ryan said.

“We had great success last year,” said the executive director.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better response. So we’re bringing it back. It’s just another part of our outreach.”

She added that outreach activities are especially important in classrooms, where teachers work hard every day to keep students engaged.

And it’s not just traditional teachers: counselors, librarians, and school nurses can also apply for the scholarship.

Ryan said the money cannot be used for projects already completed or purchased.

The same goes for extracurricular activities, speaker honorariums, gift cards and food items such as snacks, the executive director said.

The goal, Ryan said, is to stimulate learning by leveraging the funds for a lesson plan, approved project or resource not covered by the applicant’s respective school district.

“Maybe the teacher wants to purchase additional software,” she said.

Applications will be accepted until September 23, Ryan said, with the deadline for submission being 11:59 p.m. that day.

To apply, email Laurie Abildoso at [email protected] and include your name, your school name, county (and school district), and your county taxpayer identification number.

Winners will be notified in November and the prize will be awarded in the form of a check made payable to their school.

Meanwhile, YCF manages more than $20 million in assets and administers more than 150 trusts throughout the region. Its primary purpose, Ryan said, is to encourage, create, market and manage trusts—created by individuals, families, businesses and organizations throughout the region.

Her organization is eager to extend that mission to classrooms, she said.

“We value our educators and our schools,” Ryan said of the return offer. “This is one more thing we can do.”

Other grant opportunities with application deadlines as above:

• STEM for Girls: Open to traditional public elementary schools looking to expand science, technology, engineering, and math options — with priority given to Title I schools and nonprofits. Must be located in Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, or Taylor counties. Offers awards up to $4,000.

• Stephen D. Tanner Children’s Enrichment Fund: Open to traditional public elementary schools in Monongalia County, with priority given to Title I schools. Monongalia County nonprofits offering enrichment programs for underserved children will also be considered. Offering awards up to $2,500.

• Women’s Giving Circle of North Central West Virginia: Open to nonprofits in Harrison, Taylor, Marion, Preston, and Monongalia counties that address the needs of girls and women. Offering awards up to $5,000.

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