2025-26 SY Classroom Grant Application

PCEF CLASSROOM GRANT GUIDELINES

Thank you for your interest in applying for a Park City Education Foundation (PCEF) grant. Please review the following information before completing a grant application to ensure you understand the eligibility requirements, expectations, and restrictions. Do not hesitate to contact PCEF staff with questions.

Application Deadline: April 1, 2025.

• Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.

Maximum Award Amount is $25,000. 

• Award amounts may be for the full amount or partial amount requested.

Classroom Grant Background & Purpose:

The #1 Indicator of Student Success is the Classroom Teacher. PCEF Classroom Grants fund grassroots, educator ideas. If an educator has an idea on how to better help their students learn, PCEF grant funding can make the idea a reality. Each year, PCSD educators and administrators request funding for creative, unique, life-changing classroom, grade level, or school programs.

PCEF is committed to including diverse voices in our programs and organization. We want to ensure that our Grant Committee mirrors our school community and includes members of diverse racial, socio-economic, gender, and other backgrounds. In addition, utilize a participatory granting process that includes those directly impacted by our grant funding decisions - educators and students. The Committee plays a vital role in deciding how and where to invest PCEF resources. 

Applicant Eligibility Requirements and Expectations: 

Applicants must complete their due diligence prior to submitting a grant application.

Programs must meet PCEF's mission and vision: 

• Mission:  fund and support educator-powered initiatives that inspire all Park City students to reach their academic and lifelong potential.                    
• Vision: help launch well-prepared, curiosity-driven, creative problem solvers who are ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges. 

Programs cannot be in conflict with programs previously or currently funded by PCEF. 

Programs must align and comply with the Park City School District’s mission and vision,  strategic plan, and policies, including but not limited to Idea Process, procurement, staffing/contracts, and technology.    

• Park City School District Idea Process - must complete a PCSD Idea Plan prior to submitting an application.
• Procurement - do NOT reference a specific product or vendor in your application.
• Technology - consult your school ETS to determine if items included in your application can be supported by PCSD. You will also need to complete the Idea Plan if the technology is not on the approved list.

Proposals must be written and requested by a PCSD employee - faculty, administrators, or staff.    

•  The program idea must be the PCSD employee’s idea and not another organization’s program. PCEF cannot solely fund another organization’s program. 
• The PCSD applicant must demonstrate a true need for the program. 
• No duplication of services within a building, school, or site.       

Applications must have approval by the applicant’s supervisor (administrator, director, etc.) 

•  Applicants must provide documentation that they have approval from their supervisor.
• Why is PCEF requiring this? We want to ensure that school budgets are utilized when possible. Your principal knows if there is school funding to support your request. PCEF should be asked if school or other budgets are not available. Our funding is not unlimited and we want to support what cannot be funded through public funding. 

All grant applications and supporting documentation must be submitted through PCEF’s grant management portal (Submittable). Applicants will create an account in order to submit an application. Applications will only be accepted via the grant management system.

All grant application communications (including award and decline notifications) will be conducted by email through the Submittable system.

Please make sure you check your email in late May regarding award or decline communication.

If you have not heard from PCEF prior to the last day of school, contact Program Staff (information is listed at bottom of guidelines).

Budget and Funding Term:

All applications are required to include a budget. 

The budget should be reasonable and take into account unanticipated cost increases.

• For salary or Special Assignment Contracts (SAC) requests, don’t forget to include Taxes: 8.25% and URS/Retirement: 23.69%
• If you are awarded funds, your program costs must stay within the budget submitted, unless you have additional funding sources.

Funds will be available at the start of the new fiscal year (July / August 2025).

The funding term for the grant is the 2025-26 school year. The funds will expire on June 30. The intent is to fund programs that benefit students during the school year for which the grant was funded. 

Any unused funds will be forfeited unless arrangements have been made with PCEF Program Staff prior to the end of the school year.                                                                                                                              

Keep in mind that the grant award is the amount that PCEF will contribute to your program/project. Please keep track of your expenses and don’t go over budget!

If Awarded Funding, Grantees Agree to the Following:

Programs must have at least one Program Manager.  

• A Program Manager is a PCSD employee who is responsible for the grant budget, program implementation, and ultimately the success of the program. 
• If the applicant is not the Program Manager, then the Program Manager must be listed in the application. 

Submit program documentation: photos, quotes, and/or videos for their respective programs. 

Complete a report, assessment, or survey based on the amount awarded and as requested. 

• Previous grant recipients re-applying for grant funding must have completed the previous year's assessment or report to be considered for renewed funding.

Acknowledge PCEF support of the program. Responsibility of the Program Manger. 

• Include the PCEF Logo on all marketing and promotional materials for their program. 
• Share that PCEF funded the program in any written or verbal communications, including emails to parents. This also includes any media appearances or articles about your program.  
• PCEF Recognition Gallery (Ideas on how you can recognize PCEF support.) 

Grant award funds must go through the District financial system (MUNIS). Any funding requests must be aligned with District policies and procedures.

Items purchased with PCEF funds will remain at the school for which the funding was awarded if the teacher leaves that school. Items are the property of the school, not the teacher.

Funding Restrictions. PCEF Grants Do Not Fund:

Stipends for teachers for work inside their own classroom during regular school  or contract hours.

Reimbursement for materials/programs already purchased.

Work visas or the visa renewal process.

Speaker gifts.

Capital and furniture items generally funded by the district, unless the budget item has been formally requested and turned down by the district.

School PTO/A programs, including school book fair vouchers.

*NEW* Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) incentives / rewards / prizes for individual classrooms, educators, teaching teams, or departments. Each school will automatically be granted funding for the 2025-26 school year. PCEF will work with school principals to award the funding. 

• Elementary schools will receive $1,000 per school for the  school year. 
• Secondary schools will receive $2,500 per school for the school year. PCLC will receive $2,000.
• Express Grant applications for additional PBIS funding will not be accepted.       

Possible Additional Funding

To increase the amount available to distribute through PCEF Granting programs, PCEF may approach donors to invite them to co-fund a limited number of grants. Applicants should be aware that their application may be shared by PCEF with these donors. Any applicant not wishing to have their information shared should contact Kara Cody at kcody@pcschools.us.

Helpful Resources

PCEF Grant Timeline and Process (click link and review!)

PCEF GRANT APPLICATION CHECKLIST & BEST PRACTICES (click link and review!)

SMART Metrics for Outcomes(click link and review!)

Need assistance with your grant application? 

Kara Cody, PCEF Programs Director, kcody@pcschools.us 

Cynthia Mellin, PCEF Operations & Office Manager, cmellin@pcschools.us