Our Programs
Program Guidelines
What are Teacher Grant Program Guidelines?
The Teacher PiE Grant Program was created to encourage teachers, staff, and parents, students and community members collaborating with teachers and staff to use innovative teaching methods or other programs or materials to promote learning. Innovation and collaboration are the cornerstones of successful applications.
The PiE Teacher Grants are not intended to replace existing district funding, but they are an opportunity to seed innovation in teaching and school programs, providing funding for projects that may be beyond the scope of district or site funding. Grants (including grants for new technology equipment) must demonstrate:
- a strong curricular justification
- evidence of innovation, creativity, and excellence
- links to specific student outcomes
- a reasonable budget
Grants demonstrating collaboration across grades, schools or disciplines are especially welcomed. PiE hopes that successful grants will be replicated, shared or adopted more broadly across the district.
Who May Apply for a Grant?
Applicants may be members of any of the following Palo Alto Unified School District groups:
- Teachers
- Principals
- Classified employees
- Parent groups (e.g. PTA, Site Council)*
- Student groups (under teacher supervision)*
- Community groups*
* If a grant is being submitted by a parent, student or community group, the grant application must be submitted by a PAUSD staff sponsor with a ...@pausd.org address.
What does PiE not fund?
The Grant Program does not typically fund:
- Consumables
- School Assemblies
- Tuition
- Furniture and Furnishings
- Salaries and Awards for Teachers, Classroom Aides and/or Outside Instructors
- Sports Equipment with only a short useful life
The following areas may be funded in support of a grant but will need pre-approval prior a grant application being submitted. PiE will only usually consider professional development that is undertaken during the school day. Please contact us by emailing piegrants@papie.org before writing or submitting any grants with these components:
- Staff Development and Training
- Curriculum Development
- Release Time
How to apply for a grant?
Fill out the online application
Only applications submitted using our online application will be accepted.
Please answer each question in the proposal, and indicate "N/A" if a particular question is not relevant to your proposal.
Proposals should be clear and concise, yet descriptive of the project:
- State the specific objectives of the grant
- Address specific curricular or site plan goals
- What is innovative about the project
- Strategies for carrying out these objectives
- Who and how many students and/or staff members will be affected
- Impact on student learning/specific ties to student outcomes
- Method for evaluating success of the project and is linked to student outcomes
- Is the project sustainable or replicable in the future?
- What is your plan for continuing the program if it is successful but additional funding will be needed?
What is the project budget?
Individual Grants: Minimum $500; Maximum: $3,000
Collaboration Grants: up to $15,000 (please note that you need to contact our committee for special approval before writing / submitting grant applications for more than $3000)
Please note that all budgets should include CA tax (9.25%). Even if purchased in a state with no tax, the district will be charged tax in that amount.
What is the application deadline?
- Online application must be complete by October 15.
- Grant recipients will know the committee decision by the middle of November.
Who do I contact for questions?
Grants Committee Chair Micaela Presti (piegrants@papie.org)
How do I get reimbursement?
There are two options for purchasing your grant materials and supplies:
- You may get a PO from your school secretary: secondary school teachers should contact their budget secretary; elementary teachers should contact their principal's secretary.
OR
- You may purchase the supplies yourself and get reimbursed.
If you select option #2 you will need the original receipts plus an invoice voucher form signed by your principal. If you purchase online, be sure to print the verification of your purchase. Please do not forget to get your principal's signature on the invoice voucher otherwise your check can not be printed. Make a copy of your original receipts for your personal records.
Your school secretary should have a voucher form and the account structure numbers. If not, download the form below and contact Raquel Faustino at the District Office. Vouchers and receipts need to be sent to Raquel Faustino in the PAUSD business office. It takes up to seven work days to return you a check.
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