Spark innovation. Empower students. Build futures.
Every great classroom idea deserves the chance to come alive. The Cabarrus County Education Foundation’s Inspire Impact Grants help educators create engaging, innovative learning experiences that prepare students for success—in school and in life.
Whether you’re reimagining how students tell their stories, designing service projects that connect to the community, or finding new ways to bring lessons to life, Inspire Impact Grants provide the resources you need to turn your vision into reality.
To date, we have awarded almost $250,000 to teachers and staff in Cabarrus County Schools.
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For Educators:Funding for projects that go beyond traditional school budgets.
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For Students:Opportunities to explore, create, and connect learning to the real world.
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For the Future:Builds confidence, critical thinking, and workforce-ready skills that makes our community stronger.
Types of Grants
CCEF offers several Inspire Impact Grant opportunities, each honoring local educators and community leaders who believed in the power of teaching:
Strick Dalton Innovation Grant – Honors Strick Dalton’s legacy by funding the most innovative and creative project proposal that transforms student learning.
Bert Thomas Storytelling Grant – Celebrates Bert Thomas’s passion for storytelling by supporting projects that let students share their voices through writing, performance, art, and other creative mediums.
David Fitts Community Service Grant – Honors the giving spirit of David Fitts by supporting projects that help students learn the value of community service and their ability to make a difference.
General Classroom Grants – Provides support for innovative PreK–12 classroom projects across all subject areas that enhance student learning and growth.
Who Can Apply
Open to all PreK–12 educators in Cabarrus County Schools.
Projects must directly impact student learning.
Some grants may have additional eligibility requirements (see details in instructions).
Bringing Learning to Life
2024-2025 Classroom Grant Recipients Spark Innovation & Storytelling
Congratulations to Heather Shulman of Hickory Ridge Elementary, recipient of the Strick Dalton Innovation Classroom Grant for Storytime Meet STEM: Interactive Learning with Bee Bot Robots. Her project will engage students in climate, plant life cycles, and environmental awareness through interactive Storytime STEM+C Adventures, using robotics to enhance problem-solving and creativity.
Alexandria Scott of Jay M. Robinson High School received the Bert Thomas Storytelling Grant to support the school’s theatre program and its upcoming production of Mamma Mia!. This grant will provide essential materials for set design, lighting, sound, and costuming, helping students develop technical theatre skills while bringing storytelling to life. Thank you to the Strick Dalton and Bert Thomas families for making these opportunities possible!
Congratulations to our
2023-2024 Strick Dalton Innovation Classroom Grant Recipient
Congratulations to the team of Carmen Money, Christine Achambault, Erin Espinoza, Shannon Greene, Kate Highsmith, Jennifer Koerner and Laurel Reisen for their project, Pioneering Prosthetics for Life’s Diverse Ecosystems, as the recipient of the Strick Dalton Innovation Classroom Grant. Fourth-grade students at Coltrane-Webb Elementary will embark on a journey to design and create 3D limbs for Lego figures and explore the science and engineering by delving into research to understand how prosthetics are designed and utilized for animals in various ecological niches.
2024-2025 CLASSROOM GRANTS
We are honored to partner with family, friends and businesses to offer these classroom grants in memory of these people who touched Cabarrus County Schools.
