Effective teachers use creative ideas to enrich students' learning. In order to support and encourage that process, the FFE has for several years supplemented schools' budgets by providing funds with which teachers could try out and refine new ideas.

The funded projects have been called "mini-grants." The name reflects in part the fact that funds are limited (usually $500) but also that projects, while significant and worthwhile, should be enjoyable and should take a reasonable amount of time.

All mini-grants are funded by contributions from friends and supporters of the MISD. The FFE Executive Committee determines the total amount it can expend each year, based on available funds, and a range of amounts for individual grants. The FFE each year announces these amounts and invites school personnel to apply by March 31 for grants for the following school year.

The foundation's Academic Enrichment Committee evaluates applications and selects the recipients and specific amounts of mini-grants in May.

If teachers wish to carry out projects which cost more than the average grant and have access to other resources, they are welcome to apply for partial funding.

Applications are available here.
The website also has archived descriptions of mini-grants funded in recent years.

Applications for both new projects and repeated projects (designated on the application form as Proven Excellence Grants) are welcome, but the FFE wants especially to encourage new projects.

The foundation's policy is that at least 30% of funds budgeted each year will be used for new projects and no more than 70% will be used for repeated projects. To be more specific: as much as 100% could be used for new projects and as little as 0% for repeated projects. If there are no new projects, then the 30% of budgeted funds will be held for the following year.