FEDCO Charitable Foundation

• Overview

  The FEDCO Charitable Foundation was created when the FEDCO chain of stores closed in 1999. After creditors and employee benefits were paid in full, the remaining assets of more than $7 million were used to establish the FEDCO Charitable Foundation, a supporting organization of the California Community Foundation, whose staff coordinates the grant distribution process.

  Through the Teacher Grant program, the FEDCO Charitable Foundation provides support to public school teachers in Los Angeles County to provide innovative hands-on and field learning experiences to students.

  Applicants in ABC, LAUSD, and Pasadena Unified, information regarding the specific process is listed below.

  ABC: Teacher grants are now administered by the ABC Unified School District Education Foundation. Application information can be accessed here: www.abcedfoundation.org/mini-grant-applications.html. Grant applications will be accepted until November 15, 2019. Applications will be reviewed between November 18 and December 13, 2019. Teachers will be notified of funding decisions by December 20, 2019.

  LAUSD: Teacher grants are now administered by the Los Angeles Education Partnership. Applications can be accessed here: www.laep.org/news-and-media/. Grant applications will be accepted until November 8, 2019. Applications will be reviewed between November 8 and December 9, 2019. Teachers will be notified of funding decisions by December 10, 2019. If you have any questions, contact Maya Donnelly, mdonnelly@laep.org.

  Pasadena Unified: Teacher grants are now administered by the Pasadena Educational Foundation. Application information can be accessed here: pasedfoundation.org/our-work/grants-awards/teacher-grants/. Grant applications have now closed for the year.

  For questions please reach out to fedcofund@calfund.org.

  Cheng Ung
  Program Associate, Education
  213-413-4130 Ext. 218
  fedcofund [@] calfund [.] org

• Eligibility

  In addition to CCF’s general eligibility requirements:

  • You must teach K-12 full-time at a public or charter school in one of the following school districts: LAUSD, LACOE, ABC, Culver City, Norwalk-La Mirada or Pasadena Unified.
  • Approval from your school administrator is required with the grant application.
  • Your project should be connected to core curriculum standards and include all students in your class.
  • Your project should include engaging and creative experiential learning activities linked to common core standards or integrate community related topics. (e.g. a nature-themed field trip, a series of experiments, a visit to a museum or cultural institution or community involvement).
  • Your project should increase student academic achievement in one of four areas: language arts, math, science or social studies.
  • Your project must include a final group project for all participating students.

  Note: For application-related questions, or information about the FEDCO Teacher Grant Program, please contact John Garcia III, Ed.L.D., program officer, education, at fedcofund [@] calfund [.] org. For technical assistance, please contact a member of the Grants Team at 213-239-2330.

• Key Information
  • An estimated total of $160,000 is available for the 2019-20 school year.
  • If you are applying as an individual, your grant request must range between $500 and $1,000.
  • Multiple teachers at one school may collaborate and submit a joint application to request for up to $2,000. Joint applications should be from a team of teachers instructing a similar grade level or subject area at the same school. If you are submitting a joint application, only one teacher may submit an application.
  • You must apply either individually or as part of a joint application. You may not submit grant applications for both.
  • You may use grant funds for expenses specific to the project, such as transportation, pre- or post-field trip materials or the creation of final student projects.
  • You may not use grant funds for computer hardware or video cameras, or to pay salaries or substitute teachers.
• 2019 Timeline
  • Monday, June 3 – Friday, June 28, 2019: Applications for funding accepted.
    
  • August 2019: All applications reviewed and decisions made.
  • September 2019: All teachers are notified of their application status and grants are distributed.

  FEDCO grant applications are open through June 28,2019. To learn how you can apply, view our application guidelines.
  

• FAQs

  FAQs

  ELIGIBILITY

  Are private school teachers eligible to apply?

  No. Private school teachers are not eligible.

  Are charter school teachers eligible to apply?

  Yes. Charter school teachers are eligible.

  Are preschool teachers eligible to apply?

  Yes. Preschool teachers, like other teachers, must demonstrate the strength of the learning objective as it relates to California standards for the project or the field trip.

  If I reside in Orange, San Diego or San Bernardino County, am I eligible to apply?

  No. Please refer to the following organizations to review the eligibility guidelines and deadlines for Orange, San Diego and San Bernardino County:

  Orange County: Orange County Community Foundation

  Applications are available in September.

  San Bernardino County: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

  Applications are available in September.

  APPLICATION

  Why do you need my school’s tax ID#? How do I find my school’s tax ID?

  We need to have a Federal Tax ID# (EIN) on file for every organization to which we grant, including schools. If you do not have the school EIN on hand, we suggest requesting the information from your administrator or from finance or payroll personnel who is most likely to know the number. The format looks like this: EIN: 95-3510055 (Tax ID# for California Community Foundation).

  Can I use a FEDCO teacher grant to pay for the transportation cost for a field trip?

  Yes.

  Can a portion of my grant support the hiring of a substitute teacher?

  No.

  What is the GeoCoding form?

  We ask that you select from a dropdown menu the Service Planning Area (SPA) in which your school is located. To find your school’s SPA, click here.

  Can I submit a paper application?

  No. We only accept online applications.

  Can I view a copy of the application?

  Yes. Click here to view the application.

  AFTER SUBMISSION

  When can I expect to hear back on the decision?

  August 2019.

  When can I expect to get the check?

  September 2019.

  What will be required of me once I have obtained this grant?

  Once you receive the grant, you will be required to submit a final report by June 19, 2020 to report on the project/field trip. Instructions on submitting your final report can be found here.
  

  Who do I contact for more questions?

  If you have any questions or need additional information about the FEDCO program, please contact Chen Ung, program associate for education, at fedcofund [@] calfund [.] org. If you need technical assistance, please contact a member of the Grants Team at 213-239-2330.

• Application Information

  Applications for the Norwalk/La Mirada and Culver City Unified School Districts are currently closed.

  Application information for teachers in the ABC, LAUSD and Pasadena Unified School Districts can be accessed at the links below:

  • ABC Unified School District Education Foundation application – abcedfoundation.org/mini-grant-applications.html
  • LAUSD application – laep.org/news-and-media/
  • Pasadena Unified application- pasedfoundation.org/our-work/grants-awards/teacher-grants/