Educators and individuals who represent programs and organizations that fuel the imagination, education and growth of students can apply for a Florida Golden Grant from McDonald’s. This is the first year the state of Florida local owners and operators are funding the Golden Grants program. The program will award $100,000 in grants to various teachers and organizations to positively impact the lives of thousands of students.
“The hard work of teachers and community leaders on behalf of our students is immensely appreciated. The Golden Grants program is a great opportunity to support educators that impact our next generation of leaders,” said Ania Nitzsche, president of the Central Florida Business Unit. “Our youth are vital to the pulse of our communities and we recognize the importance of supporting education in our neighborhoods.”
This year, 27 Golden Grants will be awarded based on creativity, innovation, need and hands-on application of projects:
- Three – $10,000 grants
- Seven – $5,000 grants
- Twelve – $2,500 grants
- Five – $1,000 grants
Activities that qualify for a Golden Grant include arts and crafts programs, education initiatives, mentorship and empowerment programs, after-school programs, community service outreach, sporting programs, technology and COVID-19 relief efforts. Activities and programs must be executed by December 31, 2022 in one of the counties listed with the program.
Golden Grants are available in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Desoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Suwannee, Union, Volusia; as well as Crawfordville, Lake Park, Lamont, Live Oak, Madison, Perry, Quincy and Tallahassee; the cities of Sarasota and Venice in Sarasota County, Florida; the cities of Bushnell and Wildwood in Sumter County, Florida; and in Georgia: Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn, Pierce and Ware Counties, as well as Lakeland, Quitman and Valdosta.
Eligible teachers and organizations are invited to submit an application. The deadline to enter is December 10, 2021 and grant recipients will be announced in February 2022.
