RIMEF 2026-2027 PRIME Grant

The Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation (RIMEF) was established in 1986 to assist with the financial needs of District 41. For 40 years, our mission has been to “Enhance Academic Opportunities for Student Success.”

Who May Apply:

RIMSD Educators including – teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, counselors, nurses.

PRIME Grant Criteria:

Eligibility for a PRIME Grant from the RIMEF requires that you must be an educator (Pre-K to 12) in the Rock Island-Milan School District #41. Educators are defined as teachers, principals, administrators, counselors, and nurses. If awarded a PRIME Grant, recipients must use the grant to implement the educational program described in the application. The program must:

• Expand, enhance, and improve the classroom’s or virtual classroom’s academic environment

• Access a broad range of students and involve them directly

• Be implemented by early March of the school year of award application

• Develop alternative and effective methods of instruction

• Comply with district parameters and include endorsements from Principal, Dept. of Teaching & Learning, Superintendent, Chief Financial Officer, and Dir. Of Technology*   (*if needed)

• Directly align to the District standards/programs or School Improvement Plan (SIP)

• Technology requests need to align with the District’s requirements and receive their approval

The following types of items WILL NOT be funded:

·       In-service and training programs for personnel

·       Landscape projects or clubs

·       Field trips that do not align with the District’s SIP

·       Bus and/or travel costs for accepted field trips

Grant applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis as follows:

• Project goal

• Description of project and relationship to current curriculum standards or SIP

• Plans for evaluation of the project

• Budget request

Grant Rules:

• Educators may submit only one grant application per calendar year – only one application per project

• Grant funds must be spent as per the grant request - any changes must be pre-approved by the RIMEF

• Grant funds must be spent within the awarded academic year - if not, funds are returned to the RIMEF

• If an educator moves to another school & grant funds were not yet used, funds must be returned to the RIMEF

• Requests to move any materials that were received under a grant must be approved by the RIMEF and the Curriculum Office

• Approved grant notices will be sent to the applicant and principal of the applicant’s school

• The checks will be deposited in a district account, and the applicant will receive a budget code for ordering

• The applicants agree to report on the project funded before the next granting cycle begins.

• Award of additional grants in the future is contingent on adequate reporting of previous grants

Only those projects meeting both District and RIMEF criteria will be eligible for funding. All applications will be reviewed by applicant's principal or department head and the directors within the RIMSD administration. Projects accepted will then be considered for PRIME Grants by the RIMEF Allocations Committee.

PRIME Grant awardees will be notified by July 20, 2026. Awards for the 2026-2027 academic year will be announced at the Local Staff Institute on August 3, 2026.

All PRIME Grants are funded by the RIMEF but will be distributed through PO numbers assigned by the RIMSD Business Office.