Rapid Response Equity and Inclusion Classroom Grants to be awarded Dec. 1

2021 funding focus is on awarding grants to Macon County educators

Calling all Macon County Educators: You’re invited to apply for $500 grants to support your efforts to advance the principles of inclusion and equity in the classroom. Five local educators will each receive a $500 grant from The Community Foundation of Macon County to be used for a classroom project or program addressing these topics. Deadline to apply is Nov. 15, and grant checks will be presented to recipients Dec. 1. Any Macon County educator is eligible to apply for a grant, including PreK-12 teachers, homeschool teachers, and college/university instructors and professors. This new funding opportunity is made available through the Equity and Inclusion Endowment Fund, established in 2020 at The Community Foundation of Macon County (CFMC).

“Macon County educators are encouraged to apply for funding to support their efforts in advancing equity and inclusion in their classrooms and in our community,” says CFMC President Natalie Beck. “We deliberately set up a shorter application process and a faster turnaround to make it easier for busy educators to apply. Education is an important part of the solution toward creating better understanding and acceptance of our differences.”

To apply for this year’s grant funding, email Beck at nbeck@maconcountygives.org, and include the following information:

  • The name and contact info of the educator applying for the grant, and
  • The name and a description of the program or project and its goal.
  • Educators affiliated with a school or other organization are asked to list its name.

The Equity and Inclusion Endowment Fund recently surpassed $50,000 in donations and reached permanent endowment status. Starting with the November grants, the fund will award 5 percent of its total growing assets each year in grants within Macon County. This year’s grant focus is on educational projects and programs, but the review committee may select a new focus each year.

For more information about the grant process or to give to the Equity and Inclusion Endowment Fund, call Beck at 217.429.3000 or email her at nbeck@maconcountygives.org.