Grant Fund

What is the CCPTA Grant Fund?  

The goal of this fund is to support equity in academic experiences and opportunities across schools by enabling those PTAs/PTSAs with sufficient funds to help those schools lacking external financial resources. The fund provides targeted financial grants to Arlington public schools to accomplish specific, limited goals that have not been funded by APS, County, or private sources. 

How can PTAs/PTSAs or individuals contribute to the CCPTA Grant Fund?

Most years, we receive more applications than we can fund, and we rely entirely on private contributions. If you are interested in making a donation to the CCPTA Grant Fund, please contact the CCPTA Treasurer. PTAs/PTSAs or individuals can donate at any time! 

Who can apply to receive a grant from the CCPTA Grant Fund?

PTAs/PTSAs or APS staff members or student groups representing schools with unmet needs are encouraged to submit an application.

What type of projects are funded?

All applications must be approved by the principal at the applying school. The CCPTA Grant Fund Committee will review each application on its merits, consider the available funds, and forward its recommendations to the CCPTA’s Executive Committee for approval.

• Author visits or other educational speakers

• Supplemental funding for field trips

• Supplemental books for classroom libraries that align with APS curriculum

• Supplies for outdoor classrooms, arts programming, special projects, etc.

• Enrichment opportunities for students

• Priority will be given to applications that can demonstrate a sustained, positive impact on student learning and well-being.

What type of projects are NOT funded?

Per APS policy, requests related to technology must receive approval from the APS Information Services Department prior to approval.

Here are some examples of requests we can not fund:

• Technology hardware

• Projects that include a recurring cost year-over-year, unless the requester can demonstrate how the school or PTA/PTSA will sustain funding beyond the initial request

• Any type of permanent structure that would have to be maintained by APS, unless the requester has received an agreement from APS that maintenance will be provided

• Anything that is in opposition to APS policy or CCPTA guidelines around appropriate use of PTA/PTSA funds

• Anything that APS should be providing to all schools on its own (such as materials for curriculum implementation or for distance learning)

A History Of The CCPTA Grant Fund

The Arlington County Council of PTAs (CCPTA) partnered with Arlington’s PTAs/PTSAs to establish the CCPTA Grant Fund (formerly the CCPTA-PTA Collaboration Initiative, or CPCI) in 2015.

The CCPTA Grant Fund provides targeted financial grants to those Arlington public schools in need of funding to accomplish specific, limited goals that have not been funded by County or private sources. The CCPTA fully supports the goal of Arlington Public Schools “to instill a love of learning in its students and prepare them to be responsible and productive global citizens,” as outlined in its current strategic plan. The CCPTA encourages collaboration among schools, particularly when those efforts reach and support more students than any one school could support individually.

Why do we need such a program in Arlington County? 

Unfortunately, significant economic and racial segregation continues to exist in our community and continues to create disparities across our County and our schools. While disparities are certainly an issue APS should be addressing, it is also an issue every PTA/PTSA should be considering: how we serve our students, how we work to be inclusive, and how we advocate for equal access and equity in our school communities and at the County level.  PTAs/PTSAs can have a significant impact either by exacerbating or by addressing funding inequities among our schools.

The goal of the CCPTA Grant Fund is to facilitate equal access to academic experiences and opportunities.