High Impact Grants

Award Amounts: $40,000 to $100,000

Recurrence: One-time grants to organizations (not recurring annual program)

Focus Areas

Strategic grants supporting education initiatives and professional development:

• Financial wellness and student advocacy programming
• Teacher professional development and training
• Superintendent and leadership development
• Teacher recruitment and retention
• Educational infrastructure and resources
• Project-based learning methods

Recent Grant Examples (2021-2025)

2025: Alamo Colleges District – $100,000

• Five new financial resource libraries
• Case management and financial wellness programming
• Scholarships for students
• Blended financial wellness into Student Advocacy Center Network
• Focus on improving economic and social mobility for local graduates

2024: San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT) – $100,000

• SAMSAT Educator Fellows Program
• One-year teacher training in project-based learning (PBL) methods
• Three experienced teachers serving as mentors
• Focus on Title I schools serving underrepresented populations
• Professional development for teachers

2023: The Holdsworth Center – $100,000

• Superintendent Leadership Program (SLP) scaling
• Leadership development for superintendents with 5 or fewer years of service
• Training in strategic leadership, vision, communication, and executive team building

2022: CAST Schools Network – $40,000

• Teacher Residency Program support
• Teacher recruitment and retention
• Network of support, coaching, and mentorship
• Hands-on classroom experience for educators pursuing teaching certificates

2021: CAST Teach – $80,000

• School infrastructure costs
• Innovative model classroom construction
• Professional resource library development
• Teacher preparation program for high school students interested in education

Application Process

No open application process described. Grants appear to be by invitation or directed funding based on Firstmark Foundation's strategic initiatives.