Classroom Grant Program
Applications for the 2023-24 School Year Available
August 1 - October 1, 2023!
At the PPS Foundation and Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI), we wholeheartedly support PPS teachers and staff in their efforts to involve and engage students in the classroom. With that in mind, we have three types of grants available to help fund your project ideas to enrich the classroom experience for your students.

While other classroom grant programs award initiatives to just teachers, our selection committee considers requests from other school personnel (such as counselors, home school facilitators, etc) in addition to teachers. Read on to find out more about the PPS Foundation and CFCI's combined Classroom Grant program and which grant opportunity best fits your project idea.
What types of grant opportunities does our program offer?
Traditional Classroom Grant
This grant is available to any Pre-K through 12th grade teacher or staff member interested in a project to enrich the classroom experience for their students. Award amounts will be up to $1,000.

Peoria Public Schools STEM Grant
This grant is only available for 5th-12th grade teachers or staff for the purpose of STEM projects (science, technology, engineering, or math) to enhance the learning experiences of students. Grants will be awarded up to $1,500.

Field Experience Grant
This is a grant to obtain supplemental funding for field trips that enrich the classroom experience for the students and support their classroom curriculum. All trips must be approved by the school principal. Award funds can be used for bus transportation and/or trip expenses.  Grants will be awarded up to $500.

For more detailed eligibility requirements, please see the online application page for each grant and also check out this GUIDELINE.
A Brief History of the Classroom Grant Program...
The PPS Foundation and CFCI joined together in 2013 to offer classroom grants to Peoria Public Schools teachers and staff through one application process.

The funding for our Traditional Classroom Grants is provided by the Yeomans Fund that is held at CFCI and from funds raised by the PPS Foundation. The Yeomans Fund was created in 1998 by Murray and Rena Yeomans. This is an endowed fund with an emphasis on assisting the Peoria Public Schools system. Each year, a portion of the Yeomans Fund's distributions are used to fund Peoria Public Schools Classroom grants along with additional funds from the PPS Foundation.

Also held at CFCI is the Peoria NEXT Foster Fund. This fund, through the Glen A. Barton Science and Technology Education Grants, provides the funding for the Peoria Public Schools STEM grants. In 2016, the Peoria NEXT Foster Fund was created with the purpose of awarding grants to STEM teachers who serve students in the city of Peoria to help enhance the learning experiences of these students.

The Field Experience Grants are funded by donations raised by the PPS Foundation. These grants were first introduced in the 2016-17 school year. We are excited to again offer this grant opportunity!

Since 1998, the PPS Foundation has provided over $356,000 to classrooms and teachers throughout Peoria Public Schools. This classroom grant program is designed to benefit students by supporting teachers and allowing professional educators to implement their most innovative ideas.
Need some inspiration for before you apply?
CLICK HERE to see a description of the projects from last year's grant recipients, and check out pictures of those grant projects below.
Looking for tips before you get started on your application?
We would love to award grants to all submitted applications. However, we only have a certain amount of funding and it is possible not every submission will be bestowed a grant. If your project is not awarded a grant this year, please don't feel discouraged. You are more than welcome to reapply next year.
"Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about." - Winston Churchill
READY TO APPLY?