‘Fund My Classroom’ helps teachers with projects

In a continued effort to show appreciation for area K-12 educators who have been navigating diverse styles of teaching to best lead students on their education journey, Western Governors University (WGU) has announced the return of its “Fund My Classroom” initiative, according to a news release.

The fully online, nonprofit university is pledging up to $100,000 in grant money for K-12 teachers who need help funding their innovative classroom projects. Teachers can submit proposed projects here for the opportunity to receive full or partial funding.

Applications will be accepted are being accepted Monday, March 21, through April 17. Selected classroom projects will be announced during Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs May 2-6.

K-12 educators can request funding for any type of innovative classroom project they believe would provide an enriching classroom experience for their students – from books, supplies and equipment or technology to classroom experiences and field trips. To be considered, proposed projects must include a description, detailing how much funding is needed and how the proposed project will benefit students.

Both public and private school teachers are encouraged to submit applications. Teachers do not have to be WGU students or alumni to apply.

WGU’s “Fund My Classroom” initiative launched in Missouri in 2019 and was expanded to include select counties in Illinois in 2020. Last year was the first year the initiative was made available to teachers across the entire state of Illinois, where WGU awarded nearly $90,000 in grant funding toward 87 classroom projects throughout Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. The university hopes to continue to fund dozens of projects across the three states again this year.

Anyone interested in nominating themselves, colleagues, family or friends can fill out the short application available here. Nominees must live in Illinois, Missouri or Kansas.

About WGU 

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 140,000 students nationwide and has more than 261,000 graduates in all 50 states. Learn more here.