Foundation Awards 20 Active Teacher Grants Statewide

Indiana Retired Teachers Association Foundation grants of $500 each went to educators across the state, including a Jac-Cen-Del High School Spanish teacher.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Administration

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a stack of closed books against a wooden shelf, in warm ochre and sage tones, evoking classroom resources for Indiana teachers. — Indiana Retired Teachers Association Foundation awarded 20 $500 Active Teacher Grants statewide, including one to Jac-Cen-Del High School Spanish teacher Abbey Thole. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Indiana Retired Teachers Association Foundation awarded 20 Active Teacher Grants statewide, each valued at $500. Jac-Cen-Del High School teacher Abbey Thole received an Area 10 grant for the project "Building Independent Readers in the Spanish Classroom."

Why it matters

The grants fund classroom resources for Indiana educators at a time when the Foundation received more than 60 applications this year. Projects such as Thole's are designed to create reusable materials that can support students over multiple years.

Each grant is valued at $500, and each area was permitted to select two recipients. Area 10 received 13 applications, the largest number in the state, and the Foundation received more than 60 applications this year.

The players

Indiana Retired Teachers Association Foundation

The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, which supports educators across the state through grants and programs.

Abbey Thole

Thole is a Spanish teacher at Jac-Cen-Del High School in Indiana who received an Active Teacher Grant for classroom reading resources.

The details

Nancy Durham, who chairs the Active Teacher Grant Committee, oversaw the selection. Cheryl Corning presented the award to Thole and her principal, Dr. Matt Maple. Thole plans to buy high-interest, proficiency-appropriate Spanish readers and a class set of Spanish picture dictionaries for her classroom library.

2026 (this year): Foundation received more than 60 Active Teacher Grant applications.
November 12, 2026: Article published on the grant awards.

Roadmap

The Active Teacher Grant program is a recurring Foundation initiative that channels retiree-association funds directly into classrooms. This year's round of 20 awards reflects continued demand, with applications well above the number of grants available.

Educators interested in future Active Teacher Grants should expect competition, since more than 60 applications were received this year for 20 awards. Applicants can plan ahead by developing specific, classroom-focused projects with clear student benefits.

The takeaway

Targeted classroom projects backed by modest grants can build lasting resources for students. Teachers seeking similar funding can focus on reusable materials that serve multiple years of learners.