Rhode Island Education Collective Awards Mini-Grants to 19 Teachers Across the State

This month, Rhode Island Education Collective awarded mini-grants totaling up to $1,000 each to 19 K–12 public school teachers across the state, supporting impactful projects ranging from specialized literacy training to hands-on science equipment and enrichment experiences beyond the classroom. 

The grant program, which invited applications from all Rhode Island district and charter public school teachers, was designed to support creativity, innovation, and impact in classrooms by funding instructional materials, experiential learning opportunities, and professional development. 

The initiative grew out of the Collective's Educators' Circle program, which brought together nearly 50 Rhode Island public school teachers for discussions on recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction.  

“During our Educators’ Circle conversations, we heard from teachers about the resources and opportunities that would make the biggest difference in their classrooms,” said Joshua Laplante, the Collective’s chief innovation officer. “We were thrilled to be able to create this program to support their ideas and their students’ needs.” 

Of the 52 applications received, grants were awarded in February to nine teachers in district public schools, eight in charter public schools, and two in state schools. Funded projects include Orton-Gillingham training for specialized reading instruction, a bacterium incubator for hands-on science learning, and a trip to Teatro ECAS to explore the poetry and theater of Federico García Lorca. 

Building on the momentum of last year’s 401Gives campaign, this marks our second year participating in Rhode Island’s annual day of giving. The Collective will match donations to further expand the mini-grant program and increase support for teachers across the state.  

To learn about future grant opportunities and other Collective programs, sign up for our mailing list.