LansingCurrent.com

More grant money will be available in Lansing school district, Lansing Educational Foundation Fund officials recently announced.

Mary Alice Schroeger, director of the organization and Lansing High School teacher, said teachers received the good news at a year-end breakfast.

The foundation will offer $3,500 in Educate the Pride mini-grants - $500 more than last year - plus $500 for a building project. The group also will put $3,000 toward its major gift for the district for a total of $7,000, Schroeger said. The gift will be either an upgraded sound system or a concert grand piano for the new auditorium that will be built at LHS, she said.

The parameters for the mini-grants are the same as last year, Schroeger said. Each teacher can receive up to $500; two teachers working on one project can receive up to $1,000.

"The grant is about innovation in the classroom (and) use of technology," she said.

Teachers will have the summer to write their proposals, which will be due in August. The foundation hopes to distribute the money by September, she said.

Many teachers who received grants this year had expressed doubts about being able to re-apply. Not to worry, Schroeger said - all teachers are eligible for the mini-grants.

"It's an open competition," she said.

However, Schroeger said she expected more competition for the money the second time around. This year, eight teachers applied for grants. Next time, she hopes to have 10 to 14 applications, and she thinks she will.