• Public or private schools that have children of Great Lakes Energy members enrolled may apply for an Education Grant. The school or school district does not need to have electricity supplied by Great Lakes Energy.
• If your district is very near or within the shaded areas on the map, you are eligible to apply. Schools far from the shaded area will most likely not be eligible. Contact us with questions.
• Each separate school within a school district may apply for a grant; however, multiple schools within a school district will be limited to a collective total of $2,000 for this grant cycle. Please note that your request can be for less than $2,000.

We serve areas in these 26 counties: Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Oscoda, Ottawa, Otsego, Wexford.

Please note: We serve limited areas in each of these counties, so your school district or specific schools within your district may not be eligible. Review the map for coverage areas and contact us if you have a question.

For your convenience, the following questions and criteria are provided to assist in preparation before filling out the Classroom Grant application. Before applying be sure you can respond to the following: 

• Describe the proposed project/program. What purpose would it accomplish? How will it use technology in an innovative, educational way?
• What is the estimated cost of the project/program?
• Are outside funds needed?
• Please attach supporting documents such as an itemized list, if appropriate.
• Who and how many would benefit from this project/program?
• How many students are in your school?
• Explain how the program will meet the objectives/goals of the grant program?
• How long would the project/program be able to benefit the students?
• Will this project/program have a community impact?

When selecting applications to receive a Classroom Grant, the following criteria will be weighted and considered:

• Promotes innovation in the classroom
• Will enrich the learning experience for students
• Impacts a significant number of students at the school
• Establishes potential for long-term benefit to the student body
• Includes measurable indicators of success
• Clarity of application (all areas are addressed; rationale and budget are thoroughly clear)

These schools received classroom grants for the 2020-2021 school year:

• Allendale Christian School, Allendale, $1,400 for Wi-Fi boosters and portable projectors
• Beaver Island Community School, Beaver Island, $500 for Flip cameras
• Boyne City Elementary School, Boyne City, $500 for STEM materials
• Boyne Falls Public School, Boyne Falls, $950 for Virtual Math Manipulative Platform
• Boyne Falls Public School, Boyne Falls, $239.90 for Drawing/Tracing Light Pads
• Concord Academy Boyne, Boyne City, $300 for Student Created Podcasts and a Walking Outdoor Classroom
• East Jordan Middle/High School, East Jordan, $2,000 for Integration of a 20kW solar array
• Grayling Elementary, Grayling, $1,650 for Lego Robotics
• Harbor Springs High School, Harbor Springs, $1,895 for DJI Mavic Enterprise Dual with regular and IR Camera
• Hesperia High School, Hesperia, $700 for iPad and Apple TV
• Johannesburg Elementary School, Johannesburg, $2,000 for iPads
• Mason County Central High School, Scottville, $1,500 for Headphones
• Newaygo Elementary, Newaygo, $2,000 for Coding Critters
• Oceana County Early Learning Center, Hart, $2,000 for iPads
• Otsego Christian School, Gaylord, $1,975.86 for Document cameras
• Patricia St. Clair Elementary, Hesperia, $1,300 for iPads
• Pentwater Public Schools, Pentwater, $500 for Heart Rate monitors
• South Elementary School, Coopersville, $1,269.67 for Sphero Robots
• St. Mary School, Big Rapids, $1,928 for Robotics materials
• St. Mary School, Charlevoix, $1,000 for STEM kits and supplies