STEVENS POINT — Rural school districts looking to promote professional development for their faculty and staff may apply for a number of $10,000 grants through the Harju Center for Equity in Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

To apply, submit the following by Dec. 1, 2023, each at 250 words max:

●  One-page description of the district’s professional development need

●  A brief description of how the grant would be used, including timeline and budget plan

●  A description of the district’s current financial investment in professional development

If accepted, the grant will be distributed in the amount of $10,000. Upon completion of professional development, the district is required to provide the Harju Center with a description of how funds were distributed to further professional development for faculty and staff and prepare a five-minute recorded video presentation. 

The Harju Center for Equity in Education at UW-Stevens Point’s School of Education was established with a $5 million gift from the estate of alumna Dorothea Harju. The center focuses on addressing educational inequities in Wisconsin by supporting diverse and first-generation elementary education teachers. It also aims to empower current and future elementary educators to recognize and address persistent challenges, close achievement gaps and overcome barriers to providing equitable, inclusive and responsive instruction to students.  

Visit www.uwsp.edu/harjucenter for more details.