ICSD BUDGET VOTE & ELECTION

IPEI is co-hosting school board candidate forums ahead of the district Budget Vote and Election on Tuesday May 19th.

Learn more
Learn more
A branding element from IPEI's logo. It look like sun rays, but is in fact pages of a book turning.

The Ithaca Public Education Initiative facilitates community connections and support for the Ithaca City School District through engagement, collaboration, gifts, and grants.

Since 1996, IPEI has provided over $2 million in grants and awards to district staff and students.

Grant Opportunities

  • Four young women with helmets and safety harnesses enjoying a team-building activity outdoors in a wooded area with fallen leaves and a wooden structure.

    Red & Gold Grants

    Red and Gold Grants are one-time awards of up to $750 to ICSD teachers and staff members for projects that strengthen and enrich curriculum.

  • Group of six young people wearing matching light blue T-shirts that say 'Equality Fun Run 2024,' standing behind a counter with ice cream containers and smiling, thumbs-up gestures.

    Student Leadership Grants

    Student Leadership Grants provide up to $500 to fund projects led by ICSD 9th-12th grade student that have a local community impact and build personal leadership skills.

  • Mural artist Margalo Guo paints a mural at Belle Sherman elementary funded by IPEI

    Teacher Grants

    Teacher Grants fund up to $1,750 for projects led by ICSD teachers in collaboration with a community partner to enhance student learning and engagement.

Apply for an IPEI Grant!

Check Out
IPEI Updates on
Instagram

✨ IPEI Grants Spotlight: Building Literacy through Puppetry and Performance! 🌟 🎭 Last school year, Fall Creek Elementary School teachers in collaboration with @lilysillypuppets hosted a school-wide puppet show. Students then created their own pupp
Shout out to our final fabulous Beekeeper Joey Steinhagen, Founder and Artistic Director of @runningtoplaces ! Joey promises to keep his hive teams buzzing throughout the event as they compete for the Queen Bee trophy and pots of local honey. We h
We are simply bee-yond thrilled to announce another new Beekeeper for our 2026 Spelling Bee @alinakim23 ! Alina is the owner of @khousekaraoke and we hope that she will grab a mic and grace us with her singing at the Karaoke for a Cause after party a
IPEI's Spelling Bee event Beekeepers are part referee, part spelling shepherd, and part guardian of the hive—making sure every word is earned the old-fashioned way: one letter at a time. We're excited to have first-time Beekeeper @lesleygreene1

IPEI 2024-25 Annual Report

IPEI celebrates “Legacies of Learning” in this report that highlights multi-generational connections to local schools, Fall Creek 1st grade student researchers of sound, the 2025 student-led School Board Candidate Forum, and more!

Read Our Report
Read Our Report