ACCELERATOR GRANT FAQs

Here’s everything you need to know!

Through the contributions of our Education Equity Fund donors, the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Foundation awards grants to IPS schools and central administration. We are happy to guide you through the grant process.

Eligibility

  • Accelerator Grants are available to all traditional IPS schools, Innovation Schools (In and Out-of-LEA), Alternative or Special Programs, and District administration.

  • IPS Foundation does not award grants to external or partnering individuals and organizations.

Grants for Schools

  • The application opens on the IPS Foundation website for a two-week period at the beginning of each semester. The form should take less than 5 minutes to complete.

  • The application form cannot be revised or edited once it is submitted. Please email the Development Manager at abrown@ipsef.org to request an amendment.

  • One grant is awarded per school each semester. If multiple applications are received from a single school, the principal has the discretion to determine which proposal will move forward to the Grant Committee Review.

  • Awards are transferred via EFT to the school checking account within 3-7 business days of the award notification.

  • Grant reports are due at the end of the grant period specified in the award letter. Project managers will receive a reminder email prompting them to submit a brief narrative about the project’s impact, including a participant quote and photo. The email will contain a link to a form for completing the report.

  • Participating schools may apply in the next grant cycle if their previous awards are spent down.

  • On a case-by-case basis, the IPS Foundation may approve any remaining funds to be reallocated to meet another need.

  • Please work with your school principal or bookkeeper to access and withdraw funds from the ECA account.

Grants for Central Administration

  • Please connect with your Executive Director regarding your funding request and for approval to submit it through the Additional Funding Request (AFR) form. If district resources are exhausted, the request will be considered for the Education Equity Fund or other funding options.

    For the AFR form, please reach out to the Development Manager at abrown@ipsef.org.

  • Project managers receive a procurement packet outlining our purchasing procedures. Any additional questions may be directed to your Foundation lead support.

As a friendly reminder, the IPS Foundation is committed to exclusively funding IPS schools and district initiatives therefore, outside organizations and individuals are not eligible to apply.

To learn more, please contact Ashlee Brown at abrown@ipsef.org.