The Manatee Education Foundation (MEF) announced that approximately 150 teachers have received funds for educational projects for their students. In total, $125,000 was  awarded through Teacher Impact Grants.

The foundation says that awarding the funds at the end of first quarter allows for plenty of time to use the funds in the classroom, prior to the end of the school year. Teachers in grades ranging from pre-K through 12th grade submitted applications in mid-September for the 2021-2022 school year. Grants were funded in the following categories: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), literacy, disadvantaged and at-risk youth, arts and culture, and children with disabilities.