Deadline for SRP Arizona classroom grants set for Feb 15

By Stacy Mantle
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Arizona educators looking to expand classroom learning opportunities have a new funding window: Salt River Project is accepting applications for its 2026 Classroom Grants program, offering up to $5,000 for projects that support STEM, history and social science instruction.

The annual grant program is open to certified public K–12 teachers in Apache, Gila, Maricopa, Navajo, Pinal and Yavapai counties, with applications due Feb. 15 at srp.net/grants.

The grants are designed to help teachers integrate technology, adopt innovative teaching methods and provide hands-on learning experiences that spark curiosity and deepen understanding across core subject areas. Each year, SRP Classroom Grants are estimated to positively impact more than 2,000 students across participating schools.

“The classroom grant applications we receive showcase the incredible talent and creativity happening inside classrooms across the Valley,” said Anita Tarango, corporate giving manager at SRP. “Through the SRP Classroom Grants program, we’re able to fund ideas that inspire educators and spark curiosity in students, helping bring meaningful learning experiences to life across Arizona classrooms”

Two grant categories available

Teachers may apply for one of two grant types:

• STEM Grants: Up to $5,000 for projects using innovative teaching strategies in math and science.
• History and Social Science Grants: Up to $2,500 for projects focused on history, geography, civics, government or economics.

Eligible proposals include classroom technology integration, project-based learning initiatives and experiential activities that connect academic content to real-world applications.

A certified K–12 teacher must complete the application, and projects must be implemented in public school classrooms within the eligible counties.

Building on past success

Last year, 55 Arizona teachers received SRP classroom grants, funding projects ranging from hands-on science labs to immersive social studies experiences that brought curriculum to life for students.

Past recipients say the grants have allowed them to pilot new ideas, purchase specialized equipment and provide learning opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

“Their generosity allows me to bring innovative and creative ideas into the classroom that would otherwise not come to fruition," Dr. Melissa Wendell, Engineering Teacher at Corona del Sol High School said in a November, 2025 press release.  "The grant from SRP has helped fund a high-quality 3D printer  for my classroom, which lets my students bring their ideas to life."

Longstanding investment in Arizona schools

SRP invests more than $2 million each year in education initiatives across Arizona, supporting classroom grants, teacher workshops and student programs designed to strengthen STEM learning and workforce readiness.

In addition to funding, SRP offers free educator workshops and classroom resources aimed at helping teachers engage students in science, technology, engineering and math.

SRP serves about 1.1 million electricity customers in the Phoenix metropolitan area and provides water to roughly 2.5 million Valley residents. The organization manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed and delivers more than 260 billion gallons of water annually across central Arizona.

Education leaders say partnerships like these are increasingly important as schools look for ways to expand opportunities without placing additional strain on district budgets.

"I feel very excited about receiving this grant from SRP. This is my 21st year in education, and it's the first time I win anything like this," Shannon Arroyo, a 6th-8th grade gifted education teacher at Shamley Elementary School said in a November press release. "The robots that I am planning on getting with this grant have an AI component, so they will learn as the students are learning. I just think it is a really cool way for my students to be educated on how to use AI appropriately and for the potential that it has."

Teachers can learn more and apply at srp.net/education or srp.net/grants.

Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.