Excellence in Education Initiative

The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation (SFACF) offers the Excellence in Education Initiative as a competitive grant opportunity for classroom educators. Established to support and advance innovative educational practices in local classrooms, this initiative reflects the foundation’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the quality of education within its service region. The foundation encourages creativity and community participation in its funding decisions, exemplified by its use of local teachers and volunteers to serve on the selection panel. This grant is open to classroom teachers from all grade levels located in Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha, and Turner counties. Eligible applicants include childcare providers from nonprofit centers as well as educators employed by parochial, private, and public schools. A defining criterion is that the educators must be employed by 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or government entities. The program's aim is to elevate classroom learning by supporting creative and impactful educational projects. Funding requests of up to $1,500 may be submitted. Proposals will be evaluated based on several key criteria, including the originality and innovativeness of the project, whether the project involves new or enhanced curriculum, and whether it will be implemented within a single classroom or across the school. Importantly, funded projects must be completed by the end of the school year, ensuring that outcomes are timely and relevant to students’ current learning experiences. In addition to implementing the funded project, award recipients are required to share their experiences and insights in a professional educational setting. This may include presenting the project and its outcomes at an in-service session or a staff meeting. The program emphasizes the importance of shared learning and collective growth within the educational community. The application window opens on August 25, 2025, and closes on October 6, 2025, at 11:59 PM CDT. There is no indication that the program is recurring, nor does the foundation specify any pre-application process or rolling deadline option. Proposals are submitted through a competitive review process led by a community-based panel. For more information, interested applicants may contact the foundation. While the grant notice lists Jacqueline Palfy as the news contact, no direct email or phone number is provided. Applicants are encouraged to visit the foundation’s official website or reach out via its standard contact channels to obtain further assistance.

Be creative in describing how requested materials such as books or technology will be used in the classroom.