Teacher & Staff

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?”

DEF Grants were meant to fuel THOSE ideas, both big and small. DEF understands that our teachers and staff 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.

This year DEF will hold two grant cycles for Teachers & Staff:

2026 1st Semester Grant Cycle:

Grant application cycle opens: Wednesday, August 29th

Grant application closes: Friday, September 18th

Grant winners announced: Friday, October 2nd

Presentation of Grant awards: Wednesday, October 7th

2027 2nd Semester Grant Cycle:

Grant application cycle opens: Wednesday, October 7th

Grant application closes: Friday, January 22nd

Grant winners announced: Friday, January 29th

Presentation of Grant awards: TBD

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

  • Grants requests can include:

    • Innovative Classroom Ideas

    • School Travel/Field Trip Requests (Financial Need required)

    • Professional Development

    • Grant must be submitted by a CSD Staff Member.

    • Projects must be approved by School Principal and Wilson Center Staff must have support of their Director.

    • All CSD Funding Options must be exhausted first.

    • Travel and Field Trip Requests must show a financial need for students attending. (Example 100 students attending 10 requested financial support.)

    • Winners must agree to list DEF as a sponsor of your event!

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

Application

Teacher & Staff Grant application

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.

  • 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.

On October 7, 2026, Decatur Education Foundation put $40,144.00 into our community with the first cycle of our 2026-2027 Teacher and Staff grants.

College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center:

Adding Yoto to the CH Library for Early Literacy Engagement

Clairemont Elementary School:

Fall Musical: The Lion King

Georgia School Counselor Association Conference

Glennwood Elementary School:

From Regulation to Readiness: Executive Functioning Foundations

Glennwood STEAM Night

SEL Playground Mural

Westchester Elementary School:

After School Writing Club

Empowering Learners: Screen-Free Innovation

Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary School

Fiber Arts Club

Let’s Wobble!

Operation Cuisine Gastronomique

Scholars on the Ave

STEAM Night: Igniting Young Minds Through Ecosystems, Engineering, and Sustainable Innovation

Talley Upper Elementary School:

Adaptive Field Trip to Rock Eagle

Zen Den Expansion and Upgrade

Seated for Success/Flexible Seating

Beacon Hill Middle School:

Beacon Hill Beekeeping

Chess Club

BHMS Poetry Slam

Media Literacy through Journalism

Printmaking Press

Library Morning DIY Studio

Net-Zero Eco Home Challenge

Pantry to Personal Care

NCTE Conference

Hydroponic Tower Garden

Decatur High School:

Books for Students in Need

The Welcome Cup

YLOE Dinner and Arts

Real Estate Career Launch: WBL Pilot Program

Solar Sketches

World History through Chess

The Ultimate Creative Tool - 3D Print/Laser Cut

PACKalades

Decatur Diamonds Dance Team

DHS Chess Club

Practical Life & Culinary Skills for Adaptive Learning

Rocket Launch!

Multiple Schools:

2027 Yes I Can Awards