Innovative Grants Program Awards 2025
At Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF), we are passionate about fostering educational innovation, and we are thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2025 Innovative Grants Program! This year, we awarded 12 new and five ongoing amazing projects totaling nearly $198,000 to enhance student learning across Irvine Unified School District (IUSD). Since our founding in 1996, IPSF has awarded over $2.8 million in grants supporting educators and schools throughout IUSD.
IPSF’s Innovative Grants Program empowers teachers and staff to dream big, explore new educational approaches, and create dynamic learning environments. These grants allow educators to implement creative, hands-on projects that have the potential to inspire and engage students in meaningful ways.
“We are proud to support the educators who are leading the charge in reimagining education,” says Neda Eaton, President & CEO of IPSF. “These grants provide opportunities to bring innovative ideas to life, ensuring that our students are well-equipped for the challenges of tomorrow. We are grateful for the generous support of our community, which makes these transformative projects possible.”
This year’s grant recipients are leading the way with inspiring initiatives that enhance learning, promote inclusivity, and spark creativity. From cutting-edge STEM programs and digital learning platforms to inclusive recess activities and creative literacy projects, each of these grants represents our commitment to ensuring that every student has access to enriching educational experiences.
We can’t wait to see the impact of these innovative projects in classrooms across IUSD! Stay tuned as we highlight each grant and the incredible educators bringing them to life.
The 2025 grant recipients are:
Beacon Park School Project: Amplify the Future: Empowering Student Musicians
This project will provide space, equipment, and performance opportunities for student-led ensembles, empowering young musicians to perform in public and foster a love for music.
Brywood Elementary School: Be the Change
A new online learning platform offering interactive, project-based learning opportunities for students to connect, collaborate, and grow in meaningful ways.
Canyon View Elementary School: Reimagine Recess
This initiative will enhance recess by introducing adaptive equipment, cooperative activities, and non-physical options to create a more inclusive environment for all students.
Cypress Village Elementary School: Bridges
A service-learning project designed to foster inclusion through mentorship and community service between students in autism-specific and general education classes.
Irvine High School: Annual District-Wide Academic Competition
This project will introduce a district-wide academic competition that promotes collaboration and academic excellence, with Quiz Bowl serving as the cornerstone of the event.
Portola High School: Graphic Novels to Promote Literacy
Funding will support the purchase of new graphic novels and a graphic novel festival for students to foster literacy and a passion for reading.
Portola Springs Elementary School: Building the Flame
Students will create and run live-streamed news broadcasts, providing hands-on experience with digital media and communication tools. This grant is funded by IPSF in partnership with Amy & Rami Moussilli.
Rancho San Joaquin Middle School: Shine a Light on Rancho’s Stars!
This grant will fund an update to the school’s outdated theater lighting system, enhancing productions in Rancho’s multi-purpose room.
IUSD Special Education Department: Tech for Text: C-Pen Initiative
The C-Pen initiative will provide each IUSD school with two C-Pen reader devices, assistive technology that scans and reads text aloud, helping students with learning differences to access written material.
STEM Math Department: Empowering Instructional Assistants: Toolkits for Student Engagement
This project will equip instructional assistants with math resource toolkits, including training, activity guides, and instructional videos, to help maximize their impact with students.
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Stonegate Elementary School: Designing the Future
Students will gain access to 3D printers and filament, allowing them to explore design and technology in the Innovation Lab and create tangible projects that foster creativity.
Westpark Elementary School: Westpark Garden
This garden project will allow students to connect with nature, learn about sustainable agriculture, and cultivate a sense of responsibility toward the environment.
The 2025 Innovative Grants Program is made possible through the generous contributions of parents, community members, and corporate sponsors, including Assistance League of Irvine, Amy and Rami Moussilli, and parent donations to IPSF’s Parents Appreciating Teachers and Staff (PATS) program.
As IPSF celebrates these transformative projects, we remain committed to supporting the educators who are shaping the future of IUSD students, one innovative idea at a time. Through these grants, IPSF continues to ensure that IUSD students have access to the tools and opportunities needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world.