Community Foundation partners award $9,520 in Teacher Mini Grants

The Oceana Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) awarded over $9,500 to local teachers in partnership with other donor-advised funds at the Oceana Community Foundation. Together they provided 39 different grants to educators across the county. Grants awards can be up to $250 for specific projects or programs supporting curriculum enhancements, expanding an already existing unit, student awards, special events, professional development, artists in residence and parent involvement programs. This special grant opportunity opens in August each year to help teachers plan for the upcoming school year.  

The Community Foundation’s Teacher Mini Grant program is an extension of its youth committee outreach, which utilizes philanthropy & leadership to address local youth needs. Each year, YAC facilities the Mini Grant program and awards around $2,000 out of the Oceana Foundation’s Youth Fund. The Youth Fund was established in 1989 with the help of the Kellogg Foundation challenge grant program to encourage student civic involvement and empowerment.   

“Each year, we are thrilled to facilitate Oceana County’s Teacher Mini Grant program. For our YAC members, it is an opportunity for them to shape and support their schools and uplift their fellow students through new, exciting programs,” YAC Advisor Maggie Payne shares. “For our staff and fund partners, it is a chance to say we see you and support you to our area’s educators.”   

The full list of the 39 classroom grants can be viewed on the Foundation’s website at oceanafoundation.org/grants/teacher-mini-grants. Some of this year’s Mini Grants include:  

• Hart’s Spitler Elementary School ($212): audio materials for a listening center.  
• Hesperia’s Patricia St. Clair Elementary ($150): an educational music subscription.  

• New Era Christian School ($250): a new projector for multi-sensory art lessons.  
• Oceana Christian Schools ($250): materials for a camping-themed Math Program.  
• Pentwater Public Schools ($500): a new 3D Printer for its coding classroom.  
• Shelby Elementary School ($500): a new language-based, multisensory reading course.   
• Walkerville Public Schools ($250): Math Stackers materials to visualize math problems.   

Supporting area teachers and their great lesson plans has captured the eager support of Foundation fund partners, who have helped grow this program substantially in recent years. Those partners include the Mrs. Mullen’s Closet Fund, Wilson Family Little Point Sable Fund, Wayne Elhart Be Nice Memorial Fund, Ralph’s Kids Fund, Little Point Sable – Arts for Oceana County Fund, Oceana Can! Operating Fund, Gary & Mary Ann Peterson “Grandpa and Grandma Pete” Memorial Fund, Zack Snider Agricultural Memorial Fund.  

For more information about making a gift, now or through an estate plan, creating a named fund at the Foundation, or to learn more about making a difference in your community, call Tammy Carey at 231-869-3377 or visit the Foundation’s website at www.oceanafoundation.org.