“Grants to Teachers”

The founding program of our organization... "Grants to Teachers" is what we are all about. Every year teachers spend money out of their own pockets to test new teaching ideas, foster learning or enrich their classroom. The grants program was established over 40 years ago to support teachers vision and innovation through education. The program is made available to all certified teachers and staff in the NMUSD.  Over 3,000 students benefit from the Foundations grants each year from the 90+ grants given out,  totaling about $100,000.

Grant applications are solicited by the Foundation from all teachers and schools in our district. Over a hundred grant applications are read and evaluated by 48 grant readers each year.

A gala awards dinner is organized by the Foundation every year to award the grants and checks to each deserving teacher, along with celebrating and announcing the “Teachers of the Year” by the Newport Mesa Federation of Teachers.

State of the Schools Breakfast

Each fall as schools open for the new academic year, the Newport-Mesa Schools Foundation, in partnership with Newport-Mesa Unified School District, organizes our State of the Schools Breakfast. The breakfast is an annual fundraiser which brings together business, government, and community for the Foundation's “Grants to Teachers” Program and kicks off the new school year.

The annual sold-out event is hosted each year by one of the District's four High Schools (Corona del Mar, Estancia, Harbor and Costa Mesa) and is an opportunity for the community to hear about programs and goals that define our children and their schools.

The event is made possible by generous sponsors from our community. Everyone gets a behind the scenes look at the "State of our Schools", a gourmet breakfast, great networking and of course our famous "goodie bag.”

This is a fun and rewarding event for all.