Two years ago, the Cherokee County Educational Foundation introduced a brand new grant application process allowing Cherokee County School District teachers to apply for rapid and impact grants throughout multiple rounds of the year! CCEF is excited to announce that the first round of applications will be opening on July 1st, 2026. 

What's the difference between Rapid Grants & Impact Grants?

If you're new to CCSD, or haven't applied for one of our grants before, here's a breakdown of the difference between our grant opportunities: 

Rapid Grants:

  • Apply for up to $500
  • Simple application process
  • Once approved, funds can arrive sooner than Impact Grants. 

 Impact Grants:

  • Apply for up to $2,500
  • More advanced application process
  • Must finalize grant via signature sheet w/ signatures from Principal, Lead, Dept. Head, etc.
  • Finalized applications are graded amongst CCEF panel of judges, meaning funds can take slightly longer to arrive than Rapid Grants.
Past grant winners

What can and can't I request a grant for?

Over the 10+ years that CCEF has been doing these grant requests, we have seen some really innovative uses for funds! We've recapped some of our favorites in our blog, we encourage you to check them out if you're in need of some inspiration:

While CCEF encourages applicants to be as creative as possible and really think outside of the box with their grant requests, there're simply a few items that we cannot provide funding for. Please be aware before applying that CCEF cannot provide funding for:
  • Furnishing for classrooms
  • Travel for students or teachers
  • Student incentives
  • Equipment that poses physical liabilities
  • iPads/Computers
  • 3D printers
  • Professional development
  • Technology hardware
  • Facility changes 

How can I apply?

Apply for rapid grants and impact grants is easy! Click on this link to begin an application: https://www.ccefga.org/grant-application

  1. Enter in the applicant information (name, email, phone, grade/dept., school)
  2. Begin filling out the initial grant request details (grant title, total dollar amount)
  3. Then, based on your total dollar amount, you will need to select the proper grant type below:
Total Dollar Amount Grant Type
$1 - $500Rapid Grant
$501 - $1,000Impact Grant
$1,001 - $2,500Impact Grant with File Upload *
* Grant requests over $1,001 must include a file upload. This can be a detail project plan, itemized receipt, proposal, accompanying data, etc.

       4. From this point on, you will fill out the required fields that appear based on your grant type you selected.

       5. Any grant type can optionally upload a file, but Impact Grants requesting more than $1,001 will be required to do so.

Get ready for grant season!

Now that you're all caught up on our rapid and impact grant benefits, get ready for the application period, which opens on July 1st ,2026 and closes August 31st, 2026. This is a fantastic opportunity to get something amazing ready for the start of the 2026-2027 school year, we know CCSD will do great things! 

Begin your application here!