Available Grants

About AEF Grants

The Grant Portal is now open and accepting applications for the 2023-24 school year!

Application deadlines: 11:59 PM on Tuesday, September 12, November 7, February 6, and May 7.

Please contact our office if you wish to talk through any grant ideas or if you have application questions.

Access the Grant Portal here!

AEF favors grant projects that:

  • Demonstrate educational innovation
  • Promote original, creative ideas
  • Focus on content enrichment and skills development
  • Are not supported through normal school budgets
  • Have measurable indicators of success
  • Address one or more academic standards set by AASD

Application Process

Register and log in to the Appleton Education Foundation Grant Portal here.

Please review the Grant Portal resources to the right to help you navigate the portal.

Application deadlines: 11:59 PM on Tuesday, September 12, November 7, February 6, and May 7.

Decisions are made by the AEF Grants Committee, Fund Advisors, and Board of Directors within 35 days of each deadline.

If you have any questions, we welcome your emails and calls: Grants@AppletonEducationFoundation.org | 920-832-1517 ext 3

**Please click to enlarge the grid below and review before applying.**

Available Grants

The Grant Portal is now open and accepting applications for the 2023-24 school year!

Application deadlines: 11:59 PM on Tuesday, September 12, November 7, February 6, and May 7.

Granting opportunities for 2023-24

AEF has three applications available on the portal:

AEF – Mini Grant Application: select if your funding need is up to $500.

AEF – General Grant Application: select if your funding need is $501-$3,000.

AEF – Professional Development Grant Application: select if your funding need is for AASD staff professional development.

Click on grid above to enlarge.

If you have a Big Idea Grant project in mind, please review the guidelines and process. Follow the instructions and contact the AEF office with any questions: 920-832-1517 ext. 3 or email.

General Guidelines & Restrictions

All grant applications must be submitted through the Grant Portal.

  • Only one of each type of grant may be awarded to the same educator in the same school year.
  • Grantees should carefully track expenses and save receipts for use of grant funds. Any unused grant funding should be returned to AEF.
  • Grant recipients will be required to submit a final report to help the AEF ensure effective grant making and data collection. Final report is necessary to remain eligible for future grants.
  • AEF typically provides seed money for creative projects and should not be considered a resource for ongoing funding.
  • AEF does not reimburse for previously incurred expenses.
  • Any proposed software must go through AASD’s software approval process before the grant is submitted.
  • AEF places low priority on funding computer software, classroom sets of books, furniture and food.
  • AEF does not provide funding for staff salaries (substitute teachers).

Where does the grant $$$ come from?

AEF stewards more than 90 charitable funds established by donors who wish to make a difference for education in our Appleton schools. Some funds are partners in the Appleton Education Foundation’s competitive grant programs.

All AEF grant applications are reviewed by as many AEF funders as possible. These funds include (but are not limited to):

  • Appleton Education Foundation Fund (unrestricted grant making)
  • SAACC Fund (co-curricular education and training grants)
  • Gruner Family Community Mental Wellness Fund
  • Bob and Gerri Heffron Family Endowment Fund
  • Jeanne Klatt Stilp Memorial Endowment Fund
  • Ellen Kort Endowment Fund
  • Dianne Catlin Lang Fund for Empowering Girls through STEM and Leadership Development
  • Betsy Melzer Endowment Fund
  • Ann Moe Art Appreciation Fund
  • John Mielke and Salley Morey Mielke Education Fund
  • Mile of Music Fund
  • Connie Pitt Memorial Endowment Fund
  • Scheuerman Family Fund
  • Vira and Alan Stoner Education Fund
  • Stan and Phyllis Thatcher Family Fund for STEM

Technology Notice

The Appleton Education Foundation believes in outfitting classrooms with new technology as it advances learning for all students. Grants from the Appleton Education Foundation Fund and other funds within the AEF have supported technology since AEF’s founding in 1997. As technology continues to evolve, AEF appreciates receiving grant requests for new, creative programming opportunities using the newest technology. The AEF grants committee and board favor requests that use technology in new ways and/or as a means to pilot a technology that has not yet been used within AASD.