Helping to fill financial gaps for educators across the district, Hays CISD’s Education Foundation continues its quest to support learning in as many ways possible.
In 2017, Hays CISD’s Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization, distributed more than $50,000 in grants to teachers and educators.
Bert Bronaugh, the vice president of programs for the Hays Education Foundation, said the nonprofit has existed since 1998 in order to offer grants to teachers for specific educational tools to aid students in learning.
“We’re doing what we can to fill in the gaps,” Bronaugh said.
Bronaugh said the application is extensive for interested teachers who have to meet three specific criteria to be considered for an Education Foundation grant.
Teachers have to document the number of students who could be impacted by the proposed project, the level of community involvement associated with a proposed project and the project’s longevity.
Bronaugh said the applications are submitted until Nov. 3, then the grants are awarded toward the end of November.
Bronaugh said the foundation board members participate in fundraising events, which includes the annual Denim and Diamonds Gala, as well as an annual golf tournament in the spring.
Angie Mendez, Hays CISD director of community partnerships, said the Education Foundation raises approximately $120,000 to $130,000 at the Denim and Diamonds event each year.
Bronaugh said the foundation awards two different types of grants to teachers, the mini-grant for $500 and the innovative grant for $5,000.
Mendez said Hays CISD’s Education Foundation awarded $59,312 in innovative and mini-grants combined. Remaining funds that are not used go toward other small grants during the course of the year, along with awards given to teachers at the end of the year.
Mendez said in the spring, the Education Foundation plans to award $15,000 in professional development grants.
After vetting and narrowing down the applications, the Education Foundation forwards them to the committee members in charge of grants, where they blindly review them and award the grant money.
Bronaugh said the committee reviewing the grant applications does so without knowing a teacher’s school or any specific identifying information to reduce bias in the award process.
Bronaugh said the competition for the grant funds is steep. The vetting process and application requirements also help to establish a teacher’s willingness to accomplish a specific educational goal for his or her students, Bronaugh said.
The idea of “blended learning,” where students are encouraged to utilize technology more in their approach to learning is something the foundation supports and uses many grant funds to help pay for technology devices for classrooms, Bronaugh said.
“It’s about taking the education to them (kids),” Bronaugh said.
