Kalispell Education Foundation is seeking community organizations and businesses to join the foundation in supporting creativity in Kalispell Public Schools through the Great Opportunities Grants program.

Since 2007, the foundation has awarded more than $40,000 in grants toward inspired classroom projects that might not otherwise be possible within an educator’s budget.

In the last two years the grant-funded projects have involved more community and business support through in-kind donations, financial contributions, business discounts and volunteers. This has extended the foundation’s available budget for the grant program while connecting schools to their community.

Kalispell Education Foundation Board President Anna Marie Bailey and Executive Director Mike Kofford saw a direct relationship between many grant applications and the giving goals or business focus of organizations in the community.

“We would read an application for a project like the school history display case at FHS and think, ‘Wouldn’t this be a great match for a community business like Kalispell Glass,’” Bailey said in a press release. “We knew there was great potential for building some lasting relationships between schools and the community.”

Last year, several projects involved collaborations and support from businesses such as McDonald’s for a Glacier High School virtual restaurant simulation, Cabela’s Outpost to start a fly-tying club at Kalispell Middle School and community members such as artist Lee Proctor in constructing a sculpture with Linderman Education Center students.

This year Kalispell Education Foundation has received eight grant applications to fund projects such as programming robots, painting a mural, building fly rods, DNA barcoding and geocaching. The projects represent combined requests of more than $14,300.

The foundation is seeking additional community partnerships with these projects. Businesses or organizations wishing to support a project or donate an in-kind gift may call the foundation at 751-3432.

For more information about this year’s project proposals visit kalispelleducationfoundation.org.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].