Every year, SRP provides more than $120,000 in direct classroom funding for teachers through our grant programs. Funds can be used to support innovative teaching strategies that improve students’ performance in Arizona.
How do SRP classroom grants work?
SRP classroom grants are designed to fund the projects, activities and resources needed for teachers to provide learning opportunities in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).
Typically, 25-30 teachers receive grants each year between July and August. Educators can apply every year and must apply before the deadline of February 28.
We are looking for educators who make a compelling case for a need that exists in their school environment and explain how SRP’s grant dollars would fulfill the needs identified in their project proposal.
Need ideas for your proposal? See how previous years’ winners are using their grants to inspire the next generation of leaders.
Ideas for grant-funded projects
Teachers often ask us what kind of projects are typically awarded grants. We’ve highlighted a few grant-funded projects of some past winners to help provide direction and inspiration.
Robotics systems
Chandler Traditional Academy (CTA) – Independence Campus used funds awarded from an SRP Learning Grant to purchase robotic systems that allow students to use multiple energy systems to design structures, learn coding and actively engage in the engineering design process in a 21st century environment.
Students have been engaged in solving real-world situations that connect STEAM learning to future career paths, science experimentation, innovation and invention.
Food gardens
The Weinberg Gifted Academy used funds from an SRP Learning Grant to purchase two new aeroponic tower garden units with dedicated solar power systems to demonstrate how to sustainably run self-contained food gardens off-grid.
Students are able to learn about solar as a source of alternative power and investigate the pros and cons of growing herbs and vegetables in different environments, using a faster-paced growing system and water-efficient method of organic food production.
Adding the solar-powered garden systems directly impacted 100 third grade students annually, allowing each of the four classrooms autonomy to operate and maintain their own unit. These gardens are a practical working example of the integration of sustainable technologies.
Classroom microscopes
Legacy Traditional School – Surprise also benefited from an SRP Learning Grant.
Challenged by the inability to see plant parts outside of illustrations and graphs in textbooks, the school purchased microscopes for their fourth-grade classrooms to explore the world around them.
With the microscopes, the students are now able to see capillaries and other minute parts of plants as well as insects they are studying.
Need more inspiration for your grant?
For more ideas on how to use SRP classroom grant money, view our list of past recipients.