Grants
It's Grant Season!
Click Here to learn about Grants and the Grant Process.
Click Here to download a grant application for the 2025-2026 school year.
Questions? Contact Vanessa Nowlin, VP of Grants (grants@spiritof67foundation.org)
We look forward to seeing your great ideas.
Past Grant Awards
Founders' Grants
The Founders' Grant fund has been created in recognition of our founding president, Dorothy Chantler, and the founding members of the Spirit of 67.
The fund has been established to address time-sensitive and important opportunities outside of our normal grant cycle.
Anyone may apply for a grant from this fund, but the requests must be under $1,000 and must be time sensitive.
NEW FOR THE 2023/24 School Year:
Each of the five Elementary school campuses (Cherokee, Everett and Sheridan) will have access to a total of $3,000 per school.
Each of the two Middle School campuses (DPM-East, DMP-West) will have access to a total of $4,000 per campus.
All other grant requests should be submitted through the regular process/cycle, which begins in January/February.
Each request will be evaluated by the building principal and the Grants Committee to ensure that they meet the goals of our Spirit of 67 Foundation mission.
Founders' Grant Fund Application
View the Awarded Founders' Grants HERE
Spirit at Work
It is the mission of the Spirit of 67 Foundation to raise funds and acquire resources to provide enriching educational and cultural experiences for the students, parents, faculty and staff of Lake Forest School District 67 that might not otherwise be provided. We do this by funding grants that enrich the experience of EVERY STUDENT, IN EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY DAY.
Since its founding in 1985, the Spirit has funded almost 800 unique grants totaling over $6.5 million to support excellence in our schools; providing curricular enhancements, resources & tools that enrich the educational experiences of all of our students.
This lasting legacy is due to our dedicated volunteers, the generosity of district families and the commitment of local businesses, community members and corporations to support the mission of the Spirit.
GRANTS
The regular cycle of grant season starts with applicants submitting grant applications in late January/early February. All grant applications are reviewed by the Grants Committee prior to being presented to the entire Spirit of 67 Foundation Board for approval. The committee is made up of board members representing all of the District 67 schools, as well as a Board of Education representative and a District 67 administrative liaison.
The review process is interactive with most grant applicants being contacted by the committee with questions and requests for further information. Decisions are based on the merits of the grant application, the match between the grant and the mission of the foundation, as well as the inability to get funding within the school budget. Applicants are notified of a decision in mid-April.