Golden Acorn Classroom Mini Grants

Berrien Community Foundation wants to give creative teachers and other school staff a hand! We know that many educators would like to do extra projects but funding can stand in the way. That's we started Golden Acorn Classroom Mini Grants, which are available for any school or classroom in Berrien County.

The mini grant is for requests up to $500 for a specific program or project. 

Berrien Community Foundation is most interested in funding in-school or in-class projects that take an imaginative and innovative approach.

We typically do not fund field trips or regular classroom costs like textbooks.

Because multiple educators/projects from the same school district can receive a grant, multiple applications are not only allowed but encouraged!

How to get started:

1. Find a project. (Some examples would include requesting a tree tapping kit for a lesson on maple trees or requesting a lab kit for a geometry lesson.)

2. Get principal approval. You will be asked to upload a signed letter from your principal as part of the application.

3. Create an account. Click on the button below to create an account as an individual. You'll need to create one online application.

4. Fill out the simple application.

There are two grant cycles each year. The deadline for submissions to the first round is February 15, the deadline for the second round is September 15 of each year.

Teachers may receive one award per calendar year.

To review some of the classroom mini grants awarded in past years, click here.

Please note: We have moved several of our grant applications to a third-party application portal, which you will be taken to after clicking on the "Apply Now" button below. You will be required to create a separate account on this third-party portal, however the login credentials for that portal and BCF's main website can be the same.