Do you have an idea for a useful innovation in your classroom? Could $500 help bring your idea to life? 

Introduction: Thanks to the generous financially by REMCSave, we are excited to announce that we are awarding up to fifteen (15) Classroom Innovation Grants of up to $500 for 517 Ed Tech educators!

Who is eligible to apply? Any educator in a REMC 13 district. (If you aren't sure if you're in a REMC 13 district, reach out to Andrew and ask. His contact information is listed below.)

What kind of ideas will we support? We are excited to support meaningful classroom innovation that will support improved teaching-and-learning in your classroom that solves targeted problems. Preference will be given to ideas that support larger groups of students (whole classes or multiple classes) and will benefit the learning of a range of subjects areas. Previous awardees ideas include...

• Universal Design innovations like
  • building deskless, flexible, standup areas in classrooms
  • Improved audio, lighting, space, power
• Classroom innovations designed to drive better learning experiences
  • Flexible technology for improving authentic assessments
  • podcasting equipment to make spoken word responses more accessible to students
  • STEAM gear to support cross-curricular instruction
  • Enhanced centers activities
• Innovations across a variety of classrooms
  • classrooms from kindergarten to high school
  • a variety of subject areas including elementary specials

These are just examples of previous winners. There are many, many other good ideas that would make excellent grant proposals. They are simply waiting for you to take the lead to initiate them.

Please note: The applications are evaluated on the innovative nature of the problem-solving described in the application. We want to help you address a need by changing the way teaching and learning happens in your classroom. In the application, you will be given an opportunity to describe the problem or area of need and to describe how the money you’re asking for is likely to sustainably address that problem or area of need. This is where the committee pays most of its attention when considering the quality of a grant application.

Who is funding this grant program? The funds to support the Classroom Innovation Grants does not come out of our annual REMC 13 budget. We are very thankful to REMCSave for providing the funds to support this grant program. These funds are possible because of the increased purchasing Michigan Schools are doing through REMCSave. (Remember, when you make your purchases through REMCSave (as opposed to heading to Amazon), you are almost certainly going to get a better price, and your purchasing provides the support for programs like these in our area as well as in other locations around the great state of Michigan.)

When is the application window? We will be accepting applications from August 1st until September 30th, 2026.

I've got an idea. How do I apply for a grant? The grant application is a Google Form that will give you an opportunity to describe your idea in detail. At 8 am on August 3rd, 2026, the Application Form will begin accepting submissions.

If you are awarded the grant, what's going to be expected you? We are hoping to have the awardees notified that they've been awarded a grant by November 1, 2025. In addition to rolling your idea in your classroom during the second half of the 2026-2027 school year, we are going to do a couple of visits to see your idea working and we'll ask that you tell your story (with all the successes and struggles) at a 517 Ed Tech gathering at some point in the future. We'll discuss the specifics of that with each individual winner, though, so there will be time to figure that out.

If you have any other questions: Reach out to Andrew Shauver at ashauver@inghamisd.org 

Application for scholarships for the 2026 MACUL Conference opens on October 1, 2025. 

The MACUL Conference is the Midwest's premier teaching, learning and technology conference. 2026 MACUL Conference is March 18-20 in Grand Rapids. The 517 Ed Tech MACUL Scholarship covers the admission fee to attend the conference Thursday the 19th and Friday the 20th. When filling out your application, you will be entered into a drawing to win hotel accommodations as well. More details will be shared on that drawing when the application window opens.

Who is funding this scholarship program? The funds to support the Classroom Innovation Grants does not come out of our annual REMC 13 budget. We are very thankful to REMCSave for providing the funds to support this grant program. These funds are possible because of the increased purchasing Michigan Schools are doing through REMCSave. (Remember, when you make your purchases through REMCSave (as opposed to heading to Amazon), you are almost certainly going to get a better price, and your purchasing provides the support for programs like these in our area as well as in other locations around the great state of Michigan.

If you have any questions on the 517 Ed Tech MACUL Scholarship, please reach out to Andrew at ashauver@inghamisd.org.