Educators Can Apply for Bright Ideas Grants of up to $2,000 to Fund Innovative Projects

EnergyUnited is reminding teachers throughout its 19-county service area that its Bright Ideas season is now in full swing. The largest electric cooperative in the state is now accepting applications for Bright Ideas grants of up to $2,000 for innovative, hands-on classroom projects. Educators can learn more and apply online at www.ncbrightideas.com.

EnergyUnited expects to award more than $40,000 in Bright Ideas grants this year to teachers throughout our 19-county service territory. The grants are available to K-12 teachers for projects in any subject, and educators can apply individually or as a team.

Applications will be accepted now through Sept. 15, 2020. Teachers who submit their applications by the early bird deadline of Aug. 15 will be entered to win one of five $100 Visa gift cards.

EnergyUnited is one of 26 electric cooperatives in North Carolina that offers Bright Ideas grants to teachers to fund creative classroom projects. In 2019, North Carolina teachers received $716,000 in Bright Ideas funding from electric cooperatives for 660 projects – the most awarded in a single year in the history of the program. Since the program began in 1994, educators statewide have received more than $12.9 million in Bright Ideas grant funding, and approximately 2.5 million North Carolina students have participated in 12,359 Bright Ideas-funded projects.