Applications are open through September 12 for full-time teachers across the region, as well as any active credit union members working in the field. Applicants must submit proposals that outline clear learning objectives and demonstrate a creative approach to classroom instruction. Since the program began in 2012, the foundation has distributed $235,000 to support Southern California educators.

Past projects have ranged from the construction of model houses and bridges to the creation of sensory gardens and high school entrepreneurship courses. Marvel Ford, president of the foundation, noted that the grants serve to turn specific teacher-led concepts into tangible learning experiences. The foundation, which covers its own administrative costs through its parent credit union, focuses its philanthropic efforts on educational support, financial literacy, and community empowerment.