Support

2026-2027 Grant Cycles At A Glance

Two Opportunities to Apply

LTSF will offer two Creative Impact Grant cycles during the 2026–2027 school year, with up to $20,000 available during each cycle.

Cycle 1:

Applications Open: August 4, 2026
Application Deadline: September 4, 2026
Grants Awarded: October 12–16, 2026

Cycle 2:

Applications Open: December 1, 2026
Application Deadline: January 11, 2027
Grants Awarded: February 8–12, 2027

Grant Amount:

Applicants may request between:

$750 and $5,000

Projects requesting less than $750 should be submitted through the LTSF Mini Grants program.

Important: Principal endorsement is required for every Creative Impact Grant application.

Application Guidelines & Information

Dates to Know:

• Grant Applications Open: Monday, August 4, 2026, at 8:00 am 
• Deadline for Grant Applications: Friday, September 4, 2026, at 5:00 pm
• Final Report for Grant Award Due: Friday, May 28, 2027, at 5:00 pm

Who May Apply?

Creative Impact Grants are available to eligible MSD of Lawrence Township employees, including:

• Teachers
• Instructional staff
• Counselors and student-support professionals
• School-based staff
• Administrators
• Teams, departments, grade levels and Professional Learning Communities

Collaborative proposals are strongly encouraged when the project will benefit a larger group of students.

The staff member submitting the application must serve as the project lead and primary point of contact.

What May a Creative Impact Grant Support?

Competitive projects may include:

• Innovative classroom or schoolwide programs
• Hands-on and experiential learning
• STEM, literacy, arts and cultural enrichment
• Student wellness and social-emotional learning
• Inclusive learning opportunities
• New instructional strategies or pilot projects
• Community-connected learning experiences
• Materials or equipment essential to implementing a new project
• Programs that increase student engagement, achievement, motivation or belonging

Creative Impact Grants are intended to help educators launch or substantially strengthen projects—not simply replace normal classroom, school or district operating expenses.

What Makes A Strong Application?

Show Us the Idea - and the Impact

Strong applications clearly demonstrate the following:

• Innovation and Creativity: The project introduces a thoughtful new approach, experience or opportunity for students.
• Student Need: The application identifies the challenge, opportunity or need the project will address.
• Educational Value: The project has a clear connection to student learning, engagement, development or well-being.
• Meaningful Student Impact: The proposal explains who will benefit, approximately how many students will be served and how their experience will improve.
• Evidence and Data: The need and anticipated results are supported by relevant information. This may include academic data, participation data, student observations, surveys, behavior trends or other appropriate evidence.
• Clear Implementation Plan: The applicant provides a realistic timeline, identifies who will lead the work and explains how the project will be carried out.
• Thoughtful Budget: Requested expenses are clearly itemized, reasonable and essential to the project.
• Evaluation: The applicant explains how project success and student outcomes will be measured.
• Sustainability or Lasting Value: When appropriate, the proposal describes how materials, learning or benefits may continue beyond the initial grant period.

Funding Priorities

Preference may be given to proposals that:

• Benefit an entire grade level, department, school, student group or Professional Learning Community
• Reach a meaningful number of students
• Address an identified student or instructional need
• Provide students with an experience or opportunity they would not otherwise receive
• Demonstrate collaboration among educators or schools
• Have the potential to be replicated or expanded
• Include a clear plan for measuring and sharing results
• Represent a new project or a meaningful evolution of an existing idea

A smaller, highly meaningful project may still be competitive when its depth of impact is clearly demonstrated.

Program or Experience?

Applicants will identify their proposal as one of two project types:

Program:

An organized initiative or instructional approach designed to produce measurable student outcomes over a defined period.

Examples may include a new literacy intervention, student leadership initiative, maker program, wellness strategy or interdisciplinary learning model.

Experience:

An educational opportunity that brings learning to life through direct participation, exploration or exposure.

Examples may include an artist residency, academic competition, immersive field experience, community partnership or hands-on learning event.

The project type helps reviewers understand the proposal. One category is not considered more competitive than the other.

Expenses Generally Not Eligible for Funding

Creative Impact Grants generally do not support:

• Employee stipends, salaries or substitute-teacher expenses
• Professional development or employee travel (We recommend applying for the Susan Jordan Scholarship)
• General classroom supplies that are included in school budgets
• Routine operating expenses
• Recurring subscriptions without a clear implementation and sustainability plan
• Projects that have already occurred
• Reimbursement for purchases made before grant approval
• Requests for ongoing or guaranteed multi-year funding
• Food, celebrations, incentives or promotional items unless essential to the educational project
• Individual student assistance (We recommend applying for Bridge Fund dollars for your student)
• Capital improvements or building modifications that don't have approval of your principal and MSDLT Operations
• Computers, laptops, tablets, e-readers or similar personal computing devices that don't have approval of your principal and MSDLT Technology
• Items available through existing school or district funding
• Projects that do not directly benefit MSD of Lawrence Township students

LTSF may determine that a requested expense is ineligible even when it is not specifically listed above.

Before You Apply

Applicants should complete the following steps before submitting:

1. Discuss the project with your principal

Principal endorsement is required. Applicants should confirm that the project aligns with school priorities and can be implemented within the proposed timeline.

2. Verify other funding sources

Confirm that the project is not eligible for funding through the school, district, Title I, technology, federal grants, departmental budgets or another existing source.

3. Develop an itemized budget

Provide realistic costs and identify the exact materials, services or experiences the grant would fund.

Whenever possible, include estimates, vendor information or supporting documentation.

4. Identify measurable outcomes

Determine how you will know whether the project was successful and what evidence you will collect.

5. Review the complete application

Clear writing, accurate information, complete responses and careful proofreading help reviewers fully understand your idea.

Application Process - From Idea to Impact

Step 1: Prepare

Review the guidelines, discuss your project with your principal and gather your budget information.

Step 2: Apply

Complete the online application before the published deadline. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

Step 3: Principal Endorsement

Your principal must endorse the proposal as part of the application process.

Step 4: Review

Applications are evaluated by the LTSF Creative Impact Grants Committee using consistent review criteria.

Step 5: Notification

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions during the published award period.

Step 6: Implement

Funded projects must be completed during the designated grant period and in accordance with the approved proposal and budget.

Step 7: Report and Share

Recipients must submit a final report describing the project, student participation, outcomes, use of funds and lessons learned.

Recipients may also be asked to provide photographs, student work, quotes or other materials that help LTSF share the impact of the community’s investment.

Grant Recipient Responsibilities

By accepting a Creative Impact Grant, recipients agree to:

• Use funding only for approved expenses
• Follow LTSF purchasing and financial procedures provided with your grant award
• Contact LTSF before changing the approved project, timeline or budget. Material changes require prior approval
• Complete the project within the required grant period
• Maintain appropriate documentation and receipts
• Submit the required final report by the established deadline
• Return any unused funds as directed
• Acknowledge LTSF support when communicating about the project
• Assist LTSF in sharing the project’s impact when requested

Questions or Application Assistance

Questions about Creative Impact Grants or the application process?

Tanisha Jackson
Chief Operations Officer
Lawrence Township School Foundation
tanishajackson@msdlt.k12.in.us 
317-423-8300

About Creative Impact Grants

Big Ideas. Meaningful Experiences. Brighter Futures.

Creative Impact Grants empower Lawrence Township educators to transform innovative ideas into meaningful learning experiences for students.

Whether you are creating a new hands-on learning opportunity, piloting an imaginative instructional approach, or expanding student access to an engaging educational experience, LTSF is here to help turn your vision into impact.

Applications for Cycle 1 open August 4, 2026.
 

Established in 1983, the Creative Impact Grants program is the cornerstone of LTSF. These grants are awarded to LT staff to fund creative and innovative projects that would not typically be supported by tax dollars. For more than 40 years, the program has empowered educators to implement unique educational initiatives that enhance the learning experience for students. Since its inception, LTSF has provided over $1M in grants to educators, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence within our schools. The Creative Impact Grants continue to play a crucial role in supporting the dynamic and imaginative teaching approaches that define Lawrence Township education.

Any MSD of Lawrence Township teacher, teacher group, school personnel, or administrator is eligible to apply. The Lawrence Township School Foundation is excited to announce the Cycle 1 Creative Impact Grants for teachers for the 2026-2027 academic school year!

THE LEGACY BEHIND THE GRANTS

A Transformational Investment in Educator Innovation

During the 2026 LTSF Celebration Gala, Ron and Laura Frieden and their family announced a historic $1 million gift to permanently endow the Creative Impact Grants program.

Ron Frieden was one of the Foundation’s founding members in 1983. Through the Frieden Family Legacy Educator Excellence Endowment Fund, the family’s commitment will help Lawrence Township educators bring creative, innovative and transformative ideas to life for generations of students.

A legacy of believing in educators. A future filled with big ideas.

This transformational Family Legacy Fund contribution is the largest gift in the Foundation’s history and will permanently endow the Foundation’s Creative Impact Grants, ensuring continued support for educators and students throughout the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township.

As a founding member of LTSF in 1983, Ron Frieden has long believed in the power of community support to expand opportunities for students and teachers. For more than four decades, the Foundation has worked to invest in innovative classroom ideas, enrich learning experiences, and empower educators across the district.

The Frieden family’s gift will create a lasting endowment dedicated to the Creative Impact Grants program—one of the Foundation’s signature initiatives. These grants provide funding directly to educators to bring creative, innovative, and transformative ideas to life in their classrooms, impacting thousands of students across Lawrence Township schools each year.

“This extraordinary gift is not only historic for the Lawrence Township School Foundation—it is a legacy that will support generations of educators and students,” said Misty Wick Johnston, President & CEO of the Lawrence Township School Foundation. “Ron’s vision helped establish this Foundation in 1983, and today the Frieden family is helping ensure its impact continues far into the future.”