Foundation for Portland Public Schools (FPPS) has completed its seventh annual Teacher Grant Program cycle. Funds disbursed in 2015 represent a 29% increase over last year.

The FPPS Teacher Grant Program is designed to support a wide range of innovative school and classroom-based efforts to enhance learning experiences, and to recognize and reward the hard work of Portland’s talented and dedicated teachers, who work tirelessly to engage and inspire students. “FPPS Teacher Grants prove that relatively small dollars can make a very big impact in a classroom,” states Portland Public Schools Superintendent Jeanne Crocker.

Funds in support of the 2015 FPPS Teacher Grant Program came from a Lennox Foundation grant, the Ellen S. Edwards Memorial Fund, and FPPS Board Member contributions. The FPPS is developing plans to increase funds to support the Teacher Grants Program in 2016. “We believe that the FPPS Teacher Grants Program makes a real difference for students and teachers in Portland’s public schools, and we look forward to working with the community over the coming months to increase the number of dollars we have to support the great work and innovation that is happening in classrooms and schools across the District,” says Mike Bove, Chair of the PEF Teacher Grants Committee.

Grant applications were received from teachers in every school, representing all grade levels, K-12. 47 grant proposals were awarded totaling $33,000.

Foundation for Portland Public Schools, a private not-for-profit corporation, is committed to raising philanthropic support to enhance educational opportunities for present and future students in Portland’s public schools. The FPPS Teacher Grants Program is a key to PEF’s goals to affect educational enrichment, classroom innovation and community engagement.

If you’d like more information about this topic, or you’d like to schedule an interview with a FPPS Board Member, please call FPPS Executive Director Kate Snyder at 207-838-0789, or email at kate.snyder@foundationforpps.org.