Teacher Innovation Fund
Innovation Center
The CMS Foundation established the Teacher Innovation Fund in 2014. Through the fund, we awarded grants to school-based educators to support the implementation of innovative strategies in their classrooms.
We're excited to expand our work through the launch of the CMS Foundation Innovation Center. The goal of the Innovation Center is to seed and support innovative school-based ideas to help students realize their full potential and prepare them to lead meaningful, fulfilling lives. We'll help participating school teams bring their ideas to life by providing coaching and planning support, organizing innovation-centered learning experiences, and helping fund implementation.
Teacher Innovation Grants
Previous Grants in Action
Browse the videos below to see some examples of past grant funding recipients and join us on the journey to elevating teacher voices and encouraging innovation in education.
Albemarle Innovation Grants
The Albemarle Innovation Grant program was designed to “Grow the Good” by empowering educators to implement innovative programs and strategies that enhance the learning experience of their students and build the skills needed to be college- and career-ready in the 21st century. This not only encompasses mastery of content in core subject areas, but also includes creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration skills.
This grant program was made possible by support from the Albemarle Foundation, a philanthropic affiliate of Albemarle Corporation.
Social & Emotional Learning Grants
The Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) Teacher Innovation Grant Program sought to spark and spread innovative SEL practices in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. As defined by CASEL, social and emotional learning is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. The core competencies of social and emotional learning include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making.
The CMS Foundation awarded grants up to $2,500 to help CMS educators implement school-based initiatives that support students’ social and emotional learning.
Hornets Teacher Innovation Grants
The Hornets Teacher Innovation Grant Program was the first grant program established through the Teacher Innovation Fund through a $250,000 donation by the Charlotte Hornets Foundation, Lowe’s and Fox Sports Southeast. A total of 55 grants were awarded to nearly 70 teachers, impacting 45 schools throughout Mecklenburg County.
Learn about the impact of these grants in the Impact Summary Reports:
