Bright Ideas Grant

The Bright Ideas education grant program reflects Amicalola EMC’s ongoing commitment to supporting local schools and communities. For the 2023-2024 period, the program awarded $50,222.74 to 74 Georgia-certified teachers across elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as private schools within the Amicalola EMC service area. Since its inception in 2010, the program has distributed a total of $627,093.33 in grants, with each grant capped at $1,000.

Funding for the Bright Ideas program comes from unclaimed capital credit refunds, which become available after a mandatory five-year waiting period, as outlined in O.C.G.A §44-12-236.

Purpose: The Bright Ideas program is designed to support classroom projects for which funding is currently unavailable financially.

Eligibility: Applicant must be a Georgia-certified teacher and teach within Amicalola EMC’s service area. Teachers may apply for one grant per school year.

Grant Limit: Projects are open to all subjects and may be funded up to $1,000. Projects must be introduced within the current school year.

Selection Criteria: All applications requesting technology items (iPads, etc.) must have the prior approval of the school’s IT Department. Projects must provide a creative learning experience for students, benefit and directly involve students, contain a clearly defined plan of implementation, and encourage teamwork among students. Grants are for classroom projects; grants cannot be used for professional development, field trips, student fees, etc.

Deadline: All applications must be submitted online at www.amicalolaemc.com. Applications will be accepted beginning on August 1, 2024. Early bird deadline is August 30, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Amicalola EMC must receive all applications by 5:00 p.m. on September 6, 2024. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Program sponsor: Amicalola EMC is the sponsor of the Bright Ideas grant program. Amicalola EMC is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that serves approx. 56,000 locations in Bartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Gilmer, Gordon, Lumpkin, Murray and Pickens counties. The Bright Ideas program is funded using unclaimed property in accordance with O.C.G.A. 44-12-236.

Program Coordinator:
Kadie Shaw, Director of Public Relations
Amicalola EMC
544 Hwy 515 South
Jasper, GA 30143
Phone: 706-253-5200