Our Priorities are
• Ensuring students are successful in elementary school.
• Ensuring that all youth are ready for adult life.

The key themes that we support are
• literacy
• leadership (civic engagement, volunteer/debate clubs, etc.)
• life skills (i.e. careers, life skill development, transitions)

and....
• transitions and diversity programs
• programs supporting ESL and Aboriginal students
• challenged students (economically, socially, culturally, behaviorally, physically)

Funding Information: Our program grant dollars are dispersed through our Public Education Enhancement Fully Discretionary Fund, and other Special Interest and Donor-directed Funds where applicable and relevant. The range of our grants is typically $5,000-$25,000. We will fund an entire program or a key element of a program.

We will support pilot programs, ongoing programming or a one-time initiative. We prefer to fund a program or initiative that can be sustainable and adapted to the broadest possible student population. We will fund certain training, fees, and equipment/supply costs, but do not support general operating costs.  Our support is given to programs/projects that directly impact the Calgary student, have deep impact (even to a small group of students) and are meaningful.

Our grant dollars can be expended by the successful grant recipient over a 2-year period. We would consider a second round of funding for the same program but emphasize that we encourage program managers to develop a plan for support beyond our initial grant. Not every applicant is guaranteed funding. Awards are distributed based on our available grant dollars and the program/project's fit with our mandate and mission.

Who is eligible for a grant? While we give priority to Calgary Board of Education enhancement programs/initiatives (delivered by CBE departments/management or schools), we will consider an application from any group or organization with charitable status that provides or manages a program(s) or initiative(s) that support Calgary's public education students.

Reporting Responsibilities. Successful grantees are requested to provide EducationMatters with a final report outlining the usage of the monies granted out. A final report helps EducationMatters learn from the grantee's experience, provides accountability, is critical for our donors, and allows the trust to understand the impact the grant had on the grantee's program, organization, the students and the community. These responsibilities are laid out in EducationMatters' Final Report Guidelines.

EducationMatters respectfully asks that any contact with donor(s) be initiated and managed by our Trust.

Want some tips on writing grants, what funders want, and the granter-grantee relationship?

How to apply.

More questions about our program grants? Contact Pamela Cook at 403-294-8249.