Bright Ideas, a grant program sponsored by the Flint Energies Foundation and Flint Energies, awards teachers money for innovative lessons and projects to energize learning in their students. In 2022, a total of $25,000 was awarded using participating Flint members’ small change through Operation Round Up®. Since 2006, nearly $325,000 has been awarded to fund projects reaching more than 10,000 students in Middle Georgia.
The Bright Ideas program distributes money as grants to teachers of grades PreK-12 at public or private schools located in the Co-op’s 17-county service territory; this includes Bibb, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dooly, Harris, Houston, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Schley, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Twiggs, and Upson.
The grants may not be used for professional development, SMART Board purchases, field trips or subscription services. The minimum for a grant request is $750; the maximum is $1,500. The amount requested should fully fund the lesson plan, and should be implemented by the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Applicants must not use any identifying information in the body of the application such as county, school, teacher names or mascots. Grants cannot be used toward fundraising activities.
The Early Bird deadline to apply is Friday, September 8, 2023. All of these entries will be entered to win an iPad.
The final deadline to apply for a Bright Ideas grant is Friday, September 22, 2023.
For more information, email Natalie Bradley at nbradley@flintemc.com or call her at 478-847-5195.
Here's the rules!
Who is eligible?
Any teacher who teaches grades PreK-12 at any public or private school located in Flint Energies service territory is eligible to apply for a Bright Ideas grant.
Can multiple teachers from the same school apply?
Yes, a school may submit more than one application.
Can a teacher apply for multiple grants?
No, a teacher may apply for only one project per school year.
How much is the grant?
The minimum amount to apply for is $750; the maximum is $1,500. Some grant requests may be partially funded.
What qualities is Flint looking for in the grant applications?
-Innovative, creative learning experiences for students
-Clearly defined plan of implementation
-Benefits and directly involves students
-Provides an adequate budget summary
-Involves teamwork
When will I know if I have been awarded a grant?
Grant winners will be notified when the Bright Ideas prize brigade makes its rounds in November.
Who judges the applications?
A panel of judges reviews applications and ranks them based on innovative teaching methods that benefit students. Because the evaluation process is competitive, partial funding may be awarded to allow more applications to benefit from the grant process.
Does Flint Energies accept applications from private schools?
Yes, the Flint Energies Bright Ideas program accepts applications from private schools.