The Educare Foundation provides support through the Ed Waltman Mini Grants Program during the school year. The Foundation distributes up to $24,000 annually in mini grants, with a maximum of $1,000 awarded per mini grant. Educators may apply for mini grants throughout the school year.
Mini grant requests must be made by the last Thursday of the month in order to be considered for funding the following month. The Grants Committee meets the first Tuesday of the month, therefore late requests cannot be considered.
Mini Grant Application:
Grant requests should be summarized in one page or less outlining the selection criteria. Please upload your one-page application using the “File Upload” option on the application. Please upload any supporting documentation, such as, pictures, sources, costs, shopping cart printouts, website printouts, etc. The grant request is NOT complete without your principal’s approval or signature on the one-page application (please include proof of approval).
Recent Ed Waltman Mini Grant Awards 2016-2017:
April 2017:
- Washington Elementary, Educator: Allison Carlson, Amount Funded: $552.77
- Description: MathRacks to develop computation skills, solve contextual problems and support all learners with visual models.
- Washington Elementary, Educator: Connie Long, Amount Funded: $960.00
- Description: “Best Books for Boys” library collection.
March 2017:
- Kennedy Elementary, Educator: Sherry Davies, Amount Funded: $360.00
- Description: Secret stories to enhance phonics instruction in all kindergarten classrooms.
- Monroe Elementary, Educator: Angie Eccles, Amount Funded: $584.61
- Description: Leveled math games and learning materials to practice standards-based skills.
- Rosa Parks Elementary, Educator: Jennifer Kluntz, Amount Funded: $496.44
- Description: Math and literacy activities to be used during small group instruction.
February 2017:
- Prairie Winds Middle School, Educator: Michael Shores (GTT & VEX Advisor), Amount Funded: $439.96
- Description: VEX Robotics equipment.
- Monroe Elementary, Educator: Sandy Hatlestad, Amount Funded: $500.00
- Description: Book sets to focus on arts, literature, sports, inventions, engineering, math and science.
- Rosa Parks Elementary, Educator: Jennifer Malwitz (ASD Teacher), Amount Funded: $241.00
- Description: Integrate more technology into classroom with GOAnimate4Schools and various Osmo games to provide hands-on learning experience.
- East High School, Educator: Sheri Robinson, Amount Funded: $300.00
- Description: Microphones to be used in final project for American Cinema class.
- Kennedy Elementary, Educator: Sandy Wiste, Amount Funded: $519.57
- Description: MathRacks to develop computation skills, solve contextual problems and support all learners with visual models.
January 2017:
- Central High School, Educator: Crystal Kay (English), Amount Funded: $250.00
- Description: Interactive notebook supplies.
- Dakota Meadows, Educator: Jerusha Zimmerman (Music), Amount Funded: $500.00
- Description: Purchase ukuleles for 7th grade to teach aural and visual chord progressions, harmony, melody, etc.
- Washington Elementary, Educator: Rachel Moeller (Reading Intervention), Amount Funded: $497.00
- Description: Visual phonics instruction kits.
- Prairie Winds, Educator: Casey Rose (Science), Amount Funded: $600.00
- Description: 7th grade science unit to view prepared slides under a microscope to view normal and unhealthy cells to determine cause of death.
- Monroe Elementary, Educators: Anderson, Smook, Nadeau, Evans (1st Grade), Amount Funded: $200.00
- Description: Emergent/early reader books to impact 40 students.
December 2016:
- Franklin Elementary, Educator: Amanda Wenninger (Kindergarten), Amount Funded: $735.00
- Description: Leveled reading books (six copies of 24 titles).
- Central High School, Educator: Crystal Kay (English), Amount Funded: $499.99
- Description: One digital camera to be used in Yearbook class to create a yearbook for the school.
- Prairie Winds Middle School, Educator: Michael Shores (GTT and Vex Advisor), Amount Funded: $599.99
- Description: After separating from East High School, another Vex Robotics field is necessary to continue robotics education.
November 2016:
- Bridges, Educators: Nelly Hagedorn & Peggy Morris (Kindergarten), Amount Funded: $1,000.00
- Description: Leveled sets of books organized by standard through benchmark literacy.
- Roosevelt Elementary, Educators: Vogelsang, Rux & Swatsky, Amount Funded: $350.00
- Description: Guided reading materials to support struggling readers for grades K-5.
- Central High School, Educator: Crystal Kay (English), Amount Funded: $614.17
- Description: Books and materials for at-risk students.
- Eagle Lake Elementary, Educator: Mary Johnson (RIT), Amount Funded: $555.00
- Description: Secret Stories to enhance phonics instruction in grades K-2.
- West High School, Educators: Kevin Dick & Dave Lutz, Amount Funded: $500.00
- Description: Transportation to three top automotive colleges in Minn. for students wanting to enroll in automotive technology. Inspire students to pursue their interests after high school.
October 2016:
- Prairie Winds, Educators: Shelby Herrera & Lynell Senden (8th Grade Earth Science), Amount Funded: $435.05
- Description: Science World magazine subscriptions.
- Central High School, Educator: Caleb Watson (Tech Ed), Amount Funded: $1,000.00
- Description: Dewalt drill and miter saw for Construction & Woodworking courses.
September 2016:
- Rosa Parks Elementary, Educator: Kristin Zimmerman, Amount Funded: $700
- Description: Leveled chapter books to help students with higher and lower reading levels stay challenged with learning.
- Rosa Parks Elementary, Educator: Sara Dauer, Amount Funded: $929.86
- Description: Reading instructional material to allow students to receive accurate leveled reading instruction as well as have books available for daily independent reading.
- Dakota Meadows, Educator: Emily Hudspith (AVID site coordinator), Amount Funded: $500
- Description: Field trip to MSU’s ropes course to help build a sense of community, confidence in ability to lead and foster skills of collaboration among 47 AVID students.
August 2016:
- Dakota Meadows Middle School, Educator: Kari Healy (Media Specialist), Amount Funded: $499.44
- Description: Breakout EDU games to teach critical thinking, teamwork, complex problem solving, and can be used in all content areas.
- Franklin Elementary, Educator: Ashley Fries, Amount Funded: $735.00
- Description: Leveled readers including 24 titles with six copies of each to be used in kindergarten.
- Eagle Lake Elementary, Educator: Shelly Weckworth (Media Specialist), Amount Funded: $1,000.00
- Description: Polar 3D printer to be used in MakerSpace to provide hands-on learning.
- Jefferson Elementary, Educator: Amber Leonhardi, Amount Funded: $531.48
- Description: Math manipulatives (games) will be used amongst kindergartners to promote the learning of math objectives.