Frieden Family Legacy Fund
Excellence in Education Creative Impact Grants
Big Ideas. Meaningful Experiences. Brighter Futures.
Since 1983, the Lawrence Township School Foundation has invested in the creativity and innovation of Lawrence Township educators through its signature Creative Impact Grants program.
These grants empower educators to bring imaginative ideas to life through innovative instructional approaches, hands-on learning experiences, and meaningful educational opportunities that go beyond traditional school funding.
Whether launching a new initiative, piloting a creative teaching strategy, or expanding opportunities for students, Creative Impact Grants help transform big ideas into lasting educational impact.
2026-2027 Grant Opportunities
Two Opportunities to Bring Your Big Ideas to Life!
LTSF offers two Creative Impact Grant cycles during the 2026–2027 school year, with up to $20,000 available in each cycle.
CYCLE 1 — COMPLETED | CYCLE 2 — UPCOMING | |
|---|---|---|
Applications Open | August 4, 2026 | December 1, 2026 |
Application Deadline | September 4, 2026 | January 11, 2027 |
Award Notifications | October 12–16, 2026 | February 8–12, 2027 |
Status | Applications Closed | Opens December 1 |
WHO CAN APPLY? | WHAT WE FUND | HOW TO APPLY |
|---|---|---|
Lawrence Township educators | Innovative programs and meaningful educational experiences | Prepare your proposal, secure principal endorsement, and submit online |
Principal endorsement required | Awards: $750–$5,000 | Two application cycles annually |
Everything You Need to Bring Your Big Idea to Life
Have an innovative idea for your students? Our Creative Impact Grants Guide provides everything you need to prepare a competitive proposal, including eligibility, funding guidelines, application tips, and recipient responsibilities.
Questions or Application Assistance
Questions about Creative Impact Grants or the application process?
Misty Wick Johnston
President & CEO
Lawrence Township School Foundation
mistywickjohnston@msdlt.k12.in.us
317-423-8300
Creative Ideas in Action
Meet the educators bringing innovation to Lawrence Township classrooms.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the Frieden family and their historic $1 million commitment to permanently endow the Lawrence Township School Foundation’s Creative Impact Grants program, educators across Lawrence Township are bringing innovative ideas to life.
For Cycle 1 of the 2026–2027 school year, 11 educators were selected to receive funding totaling $20,000+. These projects represent a diverse range of educational opportunities, including STEM, literacy, performing arts, social-emotional learning, early childhood development, and experiential education.
These awards reflect the vision behind the Frieden Family Legacy Fund: empowering educators to dream bigger and create opportunities for students that extend beyond traditional classroom resources.
From early childhood learning and literacy to scientific discovery, creative expression, and student wellness, this first grant cycle demonstrates how the Frieden family's investment is creating meaningful opportunities throughout Lawrence Township.
The family's permanent endowment will help ensure that future generations of educators continue to have the resources to transform innovative ideas into meaningful experiences for students.
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Amanda Rose
Just a Little Bit!
Harrison Hill -
Courtney Thomas
Student Regulation & Sensory Support Center
Mart Castle -
Cristina Fierro
Sunnyside Voices: One School. Two Languages. Many Voices.
Sunnyside -
Kevin Self
Investigating Sustainable Agriculture Solutions
Lawrence Central -
Kellie Hennessy
STEAM on the Green - Designing the Perfect Putt
Crestview -
Dave Shafer
STEM-In-Action: Outdoor Lab Edition
Skiles Test -
Chrissy Smith
Listen, Imagine, Read: Creating a Playaway Collection for Crestview Elementary School Library
Crestview -
Olivia Reel
Brook Park 3rd Grade Zoo Experience
Brook Park -
Kathy Prince-Williams
Wonder Walls
ELC @ Brook Park -
Cameron Relford
Let's Get Movin'
ELC @ Brook Park -
Shannan Masten
Choir Clinician Centered Creativity
Lawrence North
More Than 40 Years of Creative Impact
| Impact Measure | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Impact Grants awarded since 1983 | More than $1.17 Million | ||
| 2025–2026 Creative Impact Grants awarded | $24,561 | ||
| Educators supported in 2025–2026 | 16 | ||
| Students impacted in 2025–2026 | 8,855 | ||
A Legacy of Innovation. A Future of Possibilities.
Honoring the Frieden Family's $1 Million Commitment to Educator Excellence
A Transformational Investment in Educator Innovation
During the 2026 LTSF Celebration Gala, Ron and Laura Frieden and their family announced a historic $1 million commitment to permanently endow the Foundation's Creative Impact Grants program.
As one of the Foundation's founding members in 1983, Ron Frieden helped establish a legacy of investing in Lawrence Township educators and students.
More than four decades later, the Frieden family's extraordinary generosity will help ensure that innovative ideas continue to become transformative educational experiences for generations to come.
Their legacy is more than a gift. It is a lasting investment in the creativity, passion, and potential of Lawrence Township educators.
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.”
