VAE Grants

The Valley Alliance for Education Creative Classroom Grants program has been established to promote educational excellence and creative instruction in the region by funding special student-centered projects. These projects encourage innovation in the classroom and increase cooperation between the public-school systems and the private sector in the community.

All teachers and staff who have direct instructional responsibility for students (including librarians and guidance counselors) in grades           Pre-K  through 12th in the public schools, in the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro and the County of Augusta are eligible to apply. Teachers’ aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and administrators are NOT eligible to be applicants. Projects must be designed, written, and implemented by the designated classroom teacher or other professional instructional individual.

Do you have a creative idea for a classroom project? Just need a way to fund it?? Start considering and researching your ideas now! 

The next grant cycle will open up October 19th, 2023, and remain open until February 15, 2024. Please note - this is a change. 

Eligible teacher’s Pre-K through 12th grade are encouraged to apply for a Creative Classroom Grant.  

All applications will be reviewed in a blind process, the reader will have no information pertaining to the writer, district, or school. Applications will be graded solely on content, creativity, and merit. 

PLEASE READ THE ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY – IMPORTANT CHANGES WERE MADE FOR THE 2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR. 

Are you a 1st time applicant? Click below on the previous Grant Workshops links to hear grant writing tips and suggestions from previous CCG winners and grant evaluators.

Grants of up to $1,500 are available for special teaching/enrichment projects designed for:

· Implementation in an individual classroom or with a special student group.

· Implementation in multiple classrooms as a departmental, interdepartmental, or school-wide project.

· Individual, departmental, or school-wide projects with a particular emphasis on the understanding and use of computer hardware, software, or other technology resources.

· Important: Due to the number of excellent grant requests submitted in the previous year, each individual will only be allowed to submit 2 grants for funding consideration each year.

Click Here For 2015 Grant Workshop.

Click Here For 2017 Grant Workshop.

Click Here For 2021 Grant Workshop

Click Here For GRANT APPLICATION. 

Click Here For VAE CCG 2021-2022 Rubric.

Click Here For CCG Information And Instructions.

All 2023-24 CCG winners will need to submit their year end project evaluation and financial report by April 15, 2023. 

Reports may be submitted electronically to VAE at vae@lumos.net or sent to VAE, P.O. Box 515, Fishersville, VA 22939. All grant recipients are responsible for submitting a written evaluation of the project and final budget account, including receipts for expenses by May 10, 2023, or upon conclusion of the project if earlier. Please see the evaluation form below. Any allocated grant funds more than $25 which have not been spent and documented by May 10, 2023, must be returned to VAE with the final evaluation and budget report.

Click here for CCG FINAL PROJECT EVALUATION and FINANCIAL REPORT.

Grant recipients are expected to give recognition to VAE in any publication, in any materials related to the project, and in any publicity or media coverage of the project. Recipients are expected to share the results of their projects with others in educational settings and/or in VAE sponsored events. 

Photos and thank you notes from students are appreciated throughout the year. They are used in our acknowledgement and thank you letters sent to donors who make the CCG program possible. (The preferred format for photos is via email.) Please have students sign first name only with no dates. Thank you, notes/cards can be sent to VAE – P.O. Box 515, Fishersville, VA 22939.

Congratulations to the 2023-24 Creative Classroom Grant Winners! Thank you, to everyone who submitted a completed application.

A complete list of 2022 - 2023 classroom grant winners are here!