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Carmel Education Foundation outlines grant process and pilot AI literacy request, urges greater community giving
Summary
Carmel Education Foundation leaders explained their governance as a separate 501(c)(3), walked the board through a mock AI literacy middle-school grant requesting $2,000 and urged greater community participation after noting low per-student giving.
Leaders of the Carmel Education Foundation presented an overview of the foundation’s independent role, grant-review process and examples of funded programs, and then led a mock grant review exercise with the board.
Sam Harris, president of the foundation board, said the foundation operates independently of the district as a 501(c)(3) and partners with Carmel Clay Schools to enhance student experiences. Stephanie Flitner, governance chair, reiterated the foundation’s guardrails, stating the organization "is an independent 501c3" and cannot fund district staffing or operational expenses.
John Ferguson, chair of the grants committee, summarized a mock middle-school AI literacy and digital citizenship grant submitted for $2,000 and said it would directly benefit a cohort of middle-school students (the application text in the packet said, "Approximately 246th grade students will benefit directly from this grant and the amount requested is $2,000"). Board members evaluated the submission using the foundation rubric, citing concerns about measurable outcomes, curriculum alignment and data privacy; some members characterized the request as potentially sustainable while others placed it in a "yellow" category pending further information.
Presenters highlighted example programs that the foundation supports, including BizTown and stop-the-bleed kits, and noted the foundation’s need to expand participation: the foundation’s "Share the Love" campaign did not meet a $10-per-student benchmark and overall community giving lags peer foundations. The presenters asked the board and community to consider volunteering, serving on committees, amplifying foundation messaging and attending the foundation’s Taste of Carmel fundraiser.
Contact and donation links were provided (foundation page on the district site: ccs.k12.in.us/foundation). The foundation encouraged board members and the public to join committees and participate in grant review.
