We help light that fire! Each year the volunteer Board of the Flint Classroom Support Fund gathers to ensure that the teachers in the Flint Community Schools have an opportunity to apply for much needed support to enhance their students' learning experiences.
The Flint Classroom Support Fund was organized in 1983 under the direction of the Pittsburg Public Education Foundation which was established by the Ford Foundation.
Flint Superintendent, Dr. Joseph Pollock contacted selected members of the community, businesses, government, and school district in response to a necessity for increased involvement in the Flint Community Schools.
The new organization set goals, developed a constitution and bylaws, and established our mission. The school district would provide office space, file cabinets, desks, the use of telephones and a secretary if necessary.
The organization was chartered as the Flint Community Education Fund with the federal government and the state of Michigan as a 501C3 foundation. Soon after, it became locally known as the Flint Classroom Support Fund to avoid confusion with the newly established Flint Community Foundation. The new name more accurately reflected our mission and was kept.
The Flint Classroom Support Fund's mission in 1989 was to provide mini-grants to teachers, support staff and Flint Schools for creative and innovative programs that were unable to be funded by the District. The mission remains the same today.
The first grants were awarded in both Spring and Fall rounds. Those year-long grants have been reduced to second semester awards to accommodate teachers who were transferred or has a change of assignment making it impossible to complete their grant terms.
Individual classroom grants are available to teachers and support staff up to $750.00 each. Schools may apply for funds up to $1200.00. All subject areas and grade levels have been represented in winning grants. $20,000.00 total is awarded each year through the grant program.
Finances for the grants are obtained through individual donations, designated gifts to the Districts Employee Charitable Campaign and fundraising activities.
The Flint Classroom Support Fund is ready to assist in any program, theme, or project that Superintendent Kevelin Jones is considering as a focal interest in the coming year.
The CASH 4 CLASSROOMS CAMPAIGN was introduced as a yearly event to raise money for the organization.
We have three special grants that we award each year. After winning grants are selected, Trustees choose the best school grant and award the winner THE TOM LANDAAL AWARD. The winner of this award receives $500.00 more than their grant request in memory of our former president. THE FLINT AREA SCHOOLS CREDIT UNION AWARD also sponsors a grant for the requested amount. THE ANNETE MARCHINOSKI AWARD is given to the elementary teacher that writes the best grant. The winner receives $250.00 more than the grant request. The Marchinoski Award is in honor of our former Executive Director to commemorate her 20 years of service.
Trustees award School and Classroom Grants to winners in January. Over the Past 38 years, we have been able to give over $700,000 to 472 Classroom Grants and 93 School Grants.