GRANTS FOR YOUR CLASSROOM

The Madison Education Foundation (MEF) is dedicated to supporting, maintaining, and enhancing exceptional educational programs and activities for every student within Madison School District #321. Our core mission is to bridge the gap between essential educational needs and available resources, ensuring that all students have access to enriching experiences that foster their growth and potential. We believe that investing in education today builds a stronger, more vibrant community for tomorrow.

Achieving this vital mission relies on the generous philanthropic and volunteer assistance of individuals, businesses, and community partners. These invaluable contributions allow the Foundation to go beyond standard funding, providing crucial support for innovative initiatives, classroom resources, and opportunities that directly benefit students and educators. Together, we empower the Madison School District to reach its highest educational aspirations, creating a lasting positive impact on our local community.

One key way we achieve our mission is by awarding grants of up to $1,000 for classroom projects proposed by teachers. These grants are funded directly by the annual growth of our perpetual fund investments. As this fund continues to grow, more resources become available to support these innovative classroom initiatives.

The Madison Education Foundation Classroom Grant Cycle kicks off each year on the Tuesday after Labor Day in September. This is your teacher's chance to apply for funding for special classroom or library projects that fall outside the school district's regular annual budget. We've kept the application requirements simple, so it's easy to adhere to them.

• To be considered, the grant application must be fully completed once the cycle opens. This means providing all applicant details, attaching any required supporting documents, and, critically, securing your principal's signature. Please note that applications missing this signature cannot be processed and will be denied.
• Please submit your completed grant application to the Foundation secretary by the end of the workday on October 31st. We cannot consider late applications. You'll receive email notification of our decision by November 14th. Approved funds will be sent to and managed by your school. Any unused funds must be returned to the Foundation.
• Grant applications must be submitted using the Official MEF Request Form to be considered.

Should your grant application be approved by the Board, several follow-up actions will be necessary.

1. Awarded funds must be utilized within twelve months from the date they are granted. It's important to note that these funds are designated solely for the approved project; any deviation from this purpose, or any unspent funds, must be returned to the Madison Education Foundation.
2. After your project is complete, please submit photos and a description highlighting its success to the Foundation. We may use these materials for promotional purposes to showcase the positive impact of our grants. When taking pictures that include students, please be sensitive to parental preferences and privacy requests.

All materials and equipment purchased with MEF Grant funds become the property of the Madison School District.

THE 2025 GRANT CYCLE HAS CLOSED

The 2025 Grant Awardees will be posted on Facebook and here on the website after they are notified.