2025-2026 Teaching Innovator Grant Program

Our Community Foundation is currently accepting applications for the 2025 Foundation Teaching Innovator Grant program. This initiative provides grants of up to $250 to teachers in Daviess County schools for innovative in-class or in-school projects. The program is designed to support educators who bring imaginative and engaging learning experiences to their students, helping prepare Daviess County youth for the future. The Teaching Innovator Grant has two cycles per academic year, one for each semester. The current grant cycle supports projects to be completed during the first semester of the 2025-26 school year. Applications must be submitted by August 29, 2025. Projects must be innovative and aligned with enhancing classroom education; grants will not be awarded for field trips or standard classroom supplies such as textbooks. To apply, teachers must complete a fillable PDF application and obtain principal approval for the project. The signed principal approval form must be submitted along with the application, either by email to chris@localforever.org or by mailing it to Our Community Foundation, PO Box 84, Washington, IN 47501. Applications must be typed; handwritten submissions will not be accepted. Each teacher is eligible for one grant per school year. The Foundation reviews applications for creativity, alignment with educational goals, and potential impact on student learning. Previously funded projects include sensory learning bins, early literacy programs, art projects, and creative reading initiatives across multiple Daviess County schools. The Teaching Innovator Grant is funded by donations to the Foundation’s Jim and L Jane Norton Endowment, Ken and Paula Jones Family Endowment, and the Administrative Support Fund. For more information or assistance with the application, educators can contact Chris Jarrett, Executive Director, at chris@localforever.org or 812-698-5413.

Submit typed PDF application via email or post. No handwritten applications. One award per teacher per school year.