Innovation Grants

Do you know those times when teachers or students get together and start dreaming out loud about improving their schools and someone says, “Wouldn’t it be great if…”? or “you know what our school needs?”

Innovation Grants were meant to fuel THOSE ideas, both big and small. DEF understands that our teachers and students know how best to reach ALL of our students in creative and inspiring ways, and we want to support as many of those ideas as possible.

With these grants we hope to support single-year projects and/or provide seed funds for pilot projects that can then be continued by CSD, PTAs/PTOs, or the schools.

Key Dates for the 2025 Fall grant cycle:

Grant application cycle opens: Monday, August 18th

Grant cycle closes: Friday, September 19th

Grant winners announced: Friday, October 3rd

Presentation of Grant awards: Wednesday, October 8th

We want to hear about your ideas-big and small!

  • Yes. TIGS and SIGS are not meant to provide furniture, classroom fixtures, or professional development that might otherwise be covered by a school of district budget. They are also not meant to cover incentives, rewards, or event merchandise like t-shirts. Please approach your PTAs/Os for those needs.

    TIGs and SIGs also don’t cover travel (but DEF has another program for that, so reach out to us separately)

  • The 2025 TIG and SIG grant cycle opens for applications on August 18th and closes on September 19th (last day to submit). Grants will be announced by October 3rd, and will be distributed at the DEF office on October 8th.

  • It varies based on the project submitted, but historically awards range from $200-$3000.

  • Glad you asked! There sure is.

    Here is a link to the Teacher Innovation Grant rubric.

    Here is a link to the Student Innovation Grant rubric.

Applications

Teacher Innovation Grants

Any teacher or staff member in the City Schools of Decatur is eligible to apply for funds! We can’t wait to hear your ideas.

*please gather all materials before beginning the application, as you cannot save progress once you begin. To download a preview list of questions and required documents, click here.

Student Innovation Grants

Any student in the City Schools of Decatur is eligible to apply for funds! Students are required to have the support of a Faculty Sponsor and the Principal of their school. Younger students are welcome to collaborate with their faculty sponsor to complete the details of the application.

*please gather all materials before beginning the application, as you cannot save progress once you begin. To download a preview list of questions and required documents, click here.

  • The program of Teacher Innovation Grants was the first initiative that DEF created in 2000.

    We’ve been supporting Innovation in Education for 25 years!

  • Over the history of DEF, micro-grants have been given to students to kick-start their innovative ideas. In 2023 DEF formalized this into ‘Student Innovation Grants’

    Modeled after our decades-long program of Teacher Innovation Grants.

  • CSD Schools’ PTAs and PTOs have been great partners in funding ideas that don’t quite fit the rubrics, but still need funding at the school level.

    Every year we send a list of the grants (both awarded and not) to the schools’ PTAs/Os to invite them in on bringing these ideas to life.

Past Grant Winners

Check back soon to see our portfolio of all of your past innovations!