Innovative Education Fund

The Innovative Education Fund (IEF) provides funding to Georgia schools and districts implementing innovative programs at various levels. The Georgia Foundation for Public Education (GFPE) defines innovative education programs as those that contribute solutions to improve outcomes for Georgia students. The Fund is designed to provide a pathway for schools and districts to design, implement, and scale innovative programs that have the potential to transform education in their context. The Innovative Education Fund is made possible through the PEACH Education Tax Credit.  The GFPE defines characteristics of innovative programs as those that are:

• Targeting the Root Cause of a Problem
• Inclusive
• Disruptive & Transformative
• Contextualized
• A Breakthrough Approach
   

2026 Innovative Education Fund Grant Programs

The 2026 Innovative Education Fund will feature two programs:

Prototype/Expansion Grants:

• Prototype Grant: Provides $25,000-$50,000 over 12 months (one year) to pilot an innovative education program that has the potential to impact student outcomes and transform teaching/learning practices at the school or district.
• Expansion Grant: Provides $25,000-$50,000 over 12 months (one year) to scale an innovative education program that has a proven track record of impacting student outcomes and transform teaching/learning practices at the school or district.

Innovation for Impact Fund

The Innovation for Impact Fund is a capacity-building opportunity designed specifically for schools recognized as Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI). Here is how it works:

Step 1

• School districts identified as CSI and TSI schools are invited to apply using a commitment/capacity screening application.
• Districts participate in a half-day virtual “Innovation Sprint” that helps them identify a single high-impact barrier (attendance, literacy gaps, staff burnout, etc.). Using examples of innovative programs implemented throughout the country, participants will have the opportunity to design a program to pilot based on the challenges the district is facing.
   

Step 2

• Within two weeks of the Innovation Sprint, participating schools are invited to apply got a grant of up to $30,000 to pilot their program over 12 months.  
• GFPE will remain on standby for office hours and targeted support when needed as schools put their proposals together.
• Follow-up throughout implementation: GFPE will offer weekly optional office hours and mid-year check-ins for support. Grantees will submit a final evaluation report at the end of the grant period.

Eligibility Requirements

Prototype/Expansion Grants

You are eligible to apply for a Prototype or Expansion Grant if:

• You are a school administrator, principal, or instructional coach at a charter school or traditional public school in the state of Georgia. If you are a school administrator, principal, or instructional coach at a Georgia public school applying, please ensure that your district is aware of the application before submitting.
• You are another type of leadership-level administrator in a Georgia LEA.
• You are a Georgia 501(c)(3) partnering with a Georgia school or school district. If you are a 501(c)(3) organization, you must include a Letter of Commitment from the school or district with which you are partnered. The letter must be signed by the school principal and district superintendent.

Application Submission Limits

• Schools are limited to ONE submission per school for the Prototype and Expansion Grant.
• School districts are limited to ONE submission per school for the Prototype and Expansion Grants.
• Georgia 501(c)(3) organizations are limited to ONE submission for the Prototype and Expansion Grants.

You are eligible for priority points if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You are a school/school district located in a county with a population of 35,000 or less (2 points added to your raw score)
• You are a current or past IEF Prototype or Expansion Grant recipient and you are seeking an Expansion Grant to scale the work you implemented with your current or past IEF Prototype or Expansion Grant to impact a neighboring district, a new school(s), or more students at the original schools (2 points added to your raw score).

Innovation for Impact Fund

You are eligible to apply for the Innovation for Impact Fund if:

• You are a school administrator, principal, or instructional coach at a charter school or traditional public school identified on the Georgia Department of Education’s Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI) lists. If you are a school administrator, principal, or instructional coach at a Georgia public school applying, please ensure that your district is aware of the application before submitting.
• You are another type of leadership-level administrator in a Georgia school district and applying on behalf of a public school identified on the Georgia Department of Education’s Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI) lists.
• You commit to actively participating in virtual a capacity-building, half-day Innovation Sprint, where you will have the opportunity to identify a challenge the school is facing and its root cause, as well as design a program to address the challenge. The event will be held in May.
• After participation in the Innovation Sprint, you will be invited to apply for a grant of up to $30,000 to pilot a program at your school that addresses a challenge your school is facing.

Funding Timeline

Grant Application opens	Grant Application Due	Reviewed and Announced
Mid-February 2026	March 16, 2026	Early May 2024

Submission Instructions

To participate in either of the Innovative Education Fund programs, please follow the steps below:

1. Watch the “Grant Writing 101” Webinar (recommended, but not required).
2. Watch the “Innovation 101” Webinar (recommended, but not required).
3. Carefully review this document, including the eligibility requirements, application components, and the scoring rubric for the program to which you are applying: Innovating Education Expansion Grant and Innovating Education Prototype Grant. The Innovation for Impact Fund application serves as a capacity and commitment screening.
4. Complete an application using the GFPE Application Portal: https://grants.gfpe.org/
5. The application will open in mid-February. Submit your application online by March 16, 2026.  

The GFPE may invite the applicant and prospective grant team to participate in an interview with GFPE staff and board members during the weeks of March 23, 2026-March 27, 2026.

Grant Expectations

Here are the expectations for Innovative Education Fund grantees:

• The Innovative Education Fund grant will be awarded up front.
• Innovative Education Fund grantees are responsible for tracking the outcomes of the project or program. The evaluation reports are the grantee’s opportunity to share the project’s progress, outcomes, lessons learned, and best practices. Grantees will submit three evaluation reports, one at Mid-Year Report (may be “verbal” and/or a site visit) and one Final Grant Evaluation at the completion of the program (must be the online template).
• When appropriate, representatives from the GFPE may request an in-person or virtual site visit to observe the program/project. Grantees may also request site visits to showcase the work or if course correction is needed.
• Grantees are required to recognize the GFPE as funders of the work at least five times throughout the grant period.  Any media or social media posting must include the GFPE’s logo, social media handles, and be shared with the GFPE.

See the Impact

Find inspiration in our past winners! In May 2024, GFPE awarded 13 Innovative Education Fund grants to Georgia schools, districts, and organizations totaling $505,005.00. The grant program provided types of awards – the Prototype and Expansion Grants – which both provided up to $50,000 to pilot or scale innovative work, respectively. The GFPE awarded six Prototype grants and seven Expansion grants. The grants focused on mental health tech solutions, economic literacy for kids, ELL programming, teacher recruitment, and more. In May 2023, GFPE awarded a total of $287,723 to 15 innovative programs across the state. In May 2022, the GFPE awarded six Innovative Education Fund grants totaling $90,000 to schools and districts across the state.

See the Funded Programs

Questions

For questions regarding the Innovative Education Fund, please contact Jaclyn Colona at Jaclyn.colona@doe.k12.ga.us or 404.445.9828.