Direct Classroom and Target Funding

The Foundation provides Direct Classroom and Program Funding in the form of small grants to support and enhance curriculum and instruction that involves our Tracy community. At this time grant awards focus on classroom and program support for instruction related to:

• Tracy's History
   
  
• Tracy's Natural Resources and Environments
   
  

Interested teachers can find valuable ways to introduce real life examples from the Tracy community and region into course study across many subjects, including social studies, history, science, government, literature and service. For example, Third and Fourth grade social studies curriculum standards that currently include units on the student's community and the State can incorporate studies about Tracy and its history. Although funding priorities and available funds change from year to year, examples of prior grant awards include:

• 1st grade classes that took a field trip to a Delta habitat at Durham Ferry Educational Center and a 6th grade class that took field trip to Caswell State Park
   
  
• 3rd grade classes that used funds for field trips to the Tracy Historical Museum and Historic Lammersville Pioneer School Program
   
  
• 8th grade teacher who used funds to establish a school-wide paper recycling program

Currently, teachers within the Tracy Unified School District and Jefferson School District are eligible to apply for grants to support core curriculum and enrichment classroom related activities. Grants are not made for personnel, capital improvements, major equipment, teacher research projects or extracurricular clubs or athletics.

Each year the Board determines the amount of funds available for grants (or voucher equivalents) and the funding priorities. Grants are awarded based on consistency with Foundation goals, annual funding targets, need, prior awards, and available funds.

Grants are issued on an annual cycle with public announcements generally made in August/September and awards issued by October. Grant recipients must sign a grant agreement and provide a final report as applicable. If a prior recipient, grant applicants must have completed all grant requirements of prior grant awards, including submission of the final report, to be considered for future grants.

See Current Grant Cycle for information about current grant opportunities.