2020 Spring Grants Awarded

Each Spring, School District employees are invited to submit requests for DDEF-
funded grants for the following school year. A Grant Committee evaluates the requests
and makes funding recommendations to the Foundation. The Committee helps
identify if certain requests are appropriate for the DDEF Spring Grant program or
should be funded through other sources such as the regular school district budget or
the Multnomah Education Service District.


This year’s Spring Grant awards were finalized at the April 2020 DDEF Board meeting
awarding approximately $7,600 in grants to teacher and district personnel requests.
Grants awarded for the 2020-21 school year include:

  • Funds contributing toward the purchase of a baritone marimba for the Ventura
    Park Elementary music classroom.

  • Equipment to calm and teach self-regulation for students at Mill Park Elementary.

  • Purchase of three projection microscopes for the Alice Ott Middle School 6 th grade
    science team. The equipment increases student engagement, allows more
    student-directed learning, and allows classes to examine samples under a
    microscope and projected onto a screen to the whole class.

  • Purchase of two stand-up desks for Floyd Light Middle School classroom meeting
    the needs of students who need to stand/move at their desks.

  • Purchase of two Bluetooth speakers, two handheld projectors, and four wireless
    microphones to replace failing equipment at Ron Russell Middle School.

  • Purchase 43 pairs of various sizes of swim fins to increase the range of sizes for the
    high school swim program.

  • Purchase 4 transformation kits for 10 th grade biology students, including special
    education students, to experience genetic engineering while learning about
    epigenetics and gene regulation.

  • Purchase exercise equipment for PE classes at Floyd Light Middle School including
    weightlifting bars, speed/agility ladder, 25-lb weights and three softball bats.

  • Purchase storage equipment for PE equipment at Floyd Light Middle School to
    keep the equipment organized, safe, and in good condition.

    If you would like to see the 2019 grants awarded, click here.

Anna Pickel