Innovation Grants
GEF is proud to support educators who are pioneers in the field of education. By submitting an innovative idea, teachers have an opportunity to receive support for their impact on students’ learning. In alignment with our mission and values, GEF awards Innovation Grants up to $2500 to GUSD educators. Grants cover a wide range of areas, including but not limited to: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM), social-emotional development, and character education.
Innovation Grants should have a direct student impact. Grants support teachers pursuing an innovative idea or developing an area of interest. The process of innovation often starts with a question or problem and a creative (and risk-taking!) approach to discovering an answer or solution.
Support Goleta educators – fund an Innovation Grant today!
Innovation Grant Application
We are now accepting Innovation Grant applications on a rolling basis. Applications received before the first of each month will be reviewed by the committee and GEF will notify applicants within two weeks. If you are a GUSD educator interested in applying for an Innovation Grant and want more information, email us at Programs@GoletaEd.org or call us at (805) 253-2165.
Below is another example of a previous Innovation Grant project – GEF funded upgraded accounts to WeVideo and Soundtrap for students to use during the school day and as part of an afterschool program. The upgraded accounts allowed users access to all features on each site/platform and administrative access for the teacher.
Students took a “blank slate” and created the base for a song while learning how to use Soundtrap, the platform on which the songs were created. Outside collaborators (including a woodwind player, a keyboardist, trumpet player, and vocalist) from California and Oregon took their cues from what the students started and fleshed out the song. According to the grant recipient, “Students are thrilled to have their music come to life with our outside collaborators!”