Empowering Educators: NCEF Awards $63K in Classroom Grants

These days, teachers are expected to do everything but teach. They are overburdened with, among other things, redundant administrative tasks, a huge driver of teacher burnout and retention.

It's a bruising, unjustly maligned profession. But a commitment to teaching fundamentals and student uplift keeps many educators from jumping ship. Exhibit A: the many dozens of teachers in Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties who received classroom grants from the North Central Education Foundation (NCEF).

The NCEF is the philanthropic arm of the North Central Education Service District. It's been doling out grants to qualifying educators since 2010 (the onset of a cross-industry public worker revolt in which many teachers partook). This year, 225 teachers received a sum total of $63,000, reportedly the most in NCEF history.

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The grants can be broken down by category: cultural awareness, financial education, health and wellness, literacy, the arts, the social sciences and STEM. Some were "collaborative" in nature, meaning that two or more teachers applied for the grant.

"We are very pleased that teachers are combining resources to enhance their teaching," writes NCEF Secretary Eldene Wall. Teachers are nothing if not ruggedly resourceful!

The bad news? Funds were pretty scant. This is a donor-driven operation, unimplementable without the support of various nonprofits and private sector actors. (Wheatland Bank stands out for its donation of $10,000.) Wall says that nearly 50 applications from 85 teachers went unfunded because there wasn't enough money.

The good news? These orphaned applications are up for "adoption!" Click here if you're willing and able to pony up the needed cash.