Teaching Innovation Fund
Project Guidelines

ACE is eager to support your ideas and help you successfully obtain funding. Adherence to the guidelines below will increase the likelihood that your grant application will be approved.

Before You Begin Your Application

  • Review the characteristics of successful grant applications.
  • Review what the ACE Teaching Innovation Fund supports.
  • Review what the ACE Teaching Innovation Fund doesn’t support.
  • Seek approval for your idea from your principal.
  • Understand the ACE grant review process and timeline.

Characteristics of Successful Grant Applications

Successful applications include the following:

  • A clearly explained, well-developed plan of action, including a detailed budget.
  • Approval from your principal for this grant application.
  • A clearly explained, meaningful connection to the curriculum and to the district’s priorities.
  • The extent to which each proposal is innovative, enriching, collaborative, impactful, and/or sustainable, as appropriate for the specific request.

Please see the Evaluation Criteria for examples of how ACE uses these terms.

What does ACE’s Teaching Innovation Fund support?

ACE-funded programs should enhance, but not duplicate, the standard public school curriculum. We look for creative ideas that fall outside the ordinary school budget and promise to augment the curriculum or further the district goals in a meaningful way:

  • Projects that focus on traditional academic subjects, visual and performing arts, engineering and technology, social/emotional learning, and more
  • Programs for enrichment, interdisciplinary study, emerging technologies, and the promotion of multicultural and community learning experiences
  • Programs that enhance the existing curriculum through visits from outside speakers, performers, or artists
  • New program design and planning, including support for technical assistance or consulting services
  • Projects that demonstrate partnerships between and among teachers, schools, and disciplines
  • Adaptations of existing programs for another grade level
  • Replication of a successful program at a different school
  • Books or equipment as a new addition to the curriculum or an innovative enhancement to existing programming
  • Professional development for new programs or innovative teaching methods

What doesn’t ACE’s Teaching Innovation Fund support?

ACE’s Teaching Innovation Fund does not fund any costs associated with the following:

  • Basic school needs
  • Books, technology, or equipment that replaces outdated materials for existing programs
  • Expansion of the quantity of existing technology in the absence of a new innovative use or need
  • Transportation for students or staff (performer or expert travel fees, as well as travel expenses for professional development, will be considered)
  • Monetary awards distributed as part of the project
  • Food for grant participants unless integral to the grant implementation
  • Substitute teachers
  • Field trips
  • Previously approved projects at the same school
  • Ongoing funding for existing programs

Note: If you are not sure whether your project meets the ACE grant requirements, please contact us at ace.tifgrant@gmail.com before filling out an application.

Feedback

Share your feedback by contacting ace.tifgrant@gmail.com.

Funding

ACE will consider grant requests of up to
$3,500.

Deadline

The 2024 Grant Application will be available in early January.
All applications will be due by February 29th!

Next Steps

Click here to see the
Evaluation Criteria.

Inspire Our Students to Succeed

ACE is a Field of Interest Fund of the Essex County Community Foundation (MA), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (Tax ID 04-3407816.) Donations to ACE are tax-deductible.

Contact Us

info@aceandover.org

 

Andover Coalition for Education
P.O. Box 1521
Andover, MA 01810