Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: Ithaca Public Education Initiative
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As: IPEI
Mailing Address: PO BOX 4268
City: Ithaca
State: NY
Postal Code: 14852
Main Phone: 607-256-4734
Main Fax:
Organization Website: http://www.ipei.org/
Employer ID Number: 161506703
Organization Tax Status: 501c3

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: 12.30.23
Requested Amount: $8,000

Project Title: IPEI Teacher, School, and Partnership Grants
Project Description:

The Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) facilitates community connections and support for Ithaca City School District students through engagement, collaboration, and grants. In addition to providing funding support for teachers to enhance their curricula, IPEI serves as the fiscal sponsor of two affiliates: the Ithaca Fine Arts Booster Group and Ithaca STEM Advocates. IPEI enables support for teacher projects in the Ithaca City School District’s (ICSD) 12 public schools with over 5300 students.

IPEI Teacher Grants support ICSD initiatives for innovative educational projects involving community members in student learning. Applications are accepted for grants up to $1,750 each. The West African Music for Social Justice grant, for example, funded a visit from Ithaca College Music Professor Baruch Whitehead to students in elementary school classrooms who were learning about West African drumming and its connections to dance and storytelling.
Red and Gold Grants are grants of up to $700 for specific classroom or school projects to enrich activities that fall outside the criteria of IPEI’s larger Teacher Grants program. An example is high school seniors meeting with governmental officials to learn how to create a thriving city in a Participation in Government class.
Connecting Classrooms Grants of up to $10,000 fund large-scale projects that enhance student engagement and support learning consistent with district goals. ICSD staff are encouraged to develop partnerships between teachers, across grade levels and/or between schools. The grants are designed to encourage innovative thinking, engage students, and increase the sense of community between groups of teachers and students. A recently awarded grant connects all ICSD elementary school students participating in the 2023 Global Read Aloud. Students read a book about the rovers exploring the planet Mars, meet scientists from Cornell’s Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility, and partake in a STEM robotics activity centered around the rovers.

Total Project Budget: $80,000

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): Foundation gifts committed : $20,000; Corporate Gifts committed: $5,000; Pending Foundational Gifts $10,000; Pending Individual Gifts: $25,000

Project Duration: School Year 2024-25
Geographical Area Served: Ithaca Public School District (5300 students)
Age Group To Be Served: 5-18

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms.
Contact First Name: Rebecca
Contact Last Name: Morgan
Contact Title: consultant
Contact Phone: 607289665
Contact Email: rmorgan@choicewordspr.com