Innovative
Grants

Have an innovative idea that will help your students soar?
Innovative Grant Priorities
HEF funds projects that:
- Are innovative and creative
- Have specific measurable outcomes
- Will target needs of challenged students
- Include unique ways of using technology and 21st century learning
- Focus on increasing achievement and self-efficacy of all students
Application Requirements
All applicants must schedule a grant consult with HEF Program Officer Erin Daniel prior to applying. Applications will not be accepted from applicants who do not complete the grant consult. Contact Erin at edaniel@henricogives.org to schedule your consult or if you have questions about HEF’s grant program. Applications should reflect school and district instructional goals.
Application deadline for Cycle 2 Innovative Grants is February 7, 2024.
Applicants must be full-time HCPS staff members. We do not accept applications from organizations outside of HCPS.


Awarded Innovative Grants
To learn more about these innovative grants and see photos, click on the links:
Elementary Schools:
- What's Cooking? - Colonial Trail
- Rubik's Cube Lending Library - Gifted Programs
- Camp 3401 - Harvie
- Start Each Morning with the Power of Choice - Shady Grove
- The Music Lab - Science of Sound Exploration - Seven Pines
- Mathporium - Crestview
- First Readers' Club - Arthur R. Ashe Jr.
- Ready for School! - Holladay
- Cougars with Charisma - Carver
- A New View in an old Classroom through the lens of Virtual Reality - Adams
- Outside Inclusive Garden - Gayton
- Leading, Loving and Learning Through Literacy - Pinchbeck
- Cultivating Leaders, Life Readiness and Love in our Community Garden - Pinchbeck
- Multisensory Mode Pilot - Mehfoud
- Elementary schools use vending machines in innovative ways:
- House systems in our elementary schools:
Middle Schools:
- Silent Disco: Can You Hear the Sound of Silence? - Hungary Creek
- Middle School eSports Connection - Brookland, Fairfield, and Tuckahoe
- Treat Train Helping Hands Program - Tuckahoe
- Making the Makerspace an Equitable Experience for All - Tuckahoe
- Cornerstone Farm: A Context for Authentic Learning - Fairfield
- Sustainable Greenspace for Environmental Study - Short Pump
- Journalism Journey - Elko Middle
- Equitable Communication & Inclusion for the Quioccasin Hispanic Community - Quioccasin
High Schools:
- Multilingual Learner Mavs United - Freeman
- Wildcat Den - Deep Run
- Soccer Learning Academy - J.R. Tucker
Other schools/departments:
Effective grants include a great idea, money to support it, a step-by-step implementation process and final outcomes—a proven formula for success!

Awarded Grants
HEF Innovative Grants and Educational Initiatives
email Erin
Is my idea grant-worthy?
Some questions to consider:
- What specific problem(s) will my grant project address?
- What data do I have (or can obtain) that shows this is a problem?
- What makes my project innovative?
- How many students will be impacted?
- As a result of the project, what outcomes do I hope to achieve?
- What will be included in the project budget?