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Oppenheimer Family Foundation

The Foundation, established in 1933, has been giving grants to Chicago Public School teachers for the past twenty-six years through its Teacher Incentive Grant (TIG) program.

The purpose of our TIG grants is to underwrite the outstanding efforts of CPS teachers who enhance and enrich the educational lives of their students through project-based learning.

We believe that in order to make learning more meaningful, students need to experience hands-on learning. Such an approach to learning both excites students and energizes teachers, enabling them to move beyond the traditional curriculum and employ new methods of teaching.

To celebrate the 40th and final year of the Teachers Incentive Grant, 40 previous winners have been selected as automatic winners for the 2016 TIG. They have been invited to apply for a 2016 grant of up to $3,000. Selection is based upon the number of grants teachers have won over the years, the quality & consistency of their work and the projects' contributions to the school community. In 2016 we are transitioning from individual teacher grants to partnering with groups that service teachers and students through innovative programs.
Examples of 2016 programs:
- Bring chess to CPS students through the Chicago Chess Foundation.
- Support the CPS Service Learning and Civic Engagement Department for its work in the middle schools.
-Partner with the Chicago Human Rhythm Project to bring tap dance performance to students.
- Partner with Her Story Theater and the CTU to develop awareness of child sex trafficking in Chicago. High school students will see a performance of an original production based on the lives of teenagers in Chicago who were trafficked, "Money Make'M Smile"; teachers will receive a study guide and students can choose ways to follow up to address the issues in their schools and communities.
 

News & Events


Aug-27-15
FORTY 2016 TIG WINNERS ANNOUNCED - more info

Aug-24-15
ANNOUNCING THE FINAL YEAR OF THE TEACHER INCENTIVE GRANTS - more info