Rutherford EMC Celebrates 30 Years of Funding Teachers' 'Bright Ideas' Educators are eligible to earn up to $1,000 for their innovative classroom proj

Teachers now have the chance to bring their dream lesson plans to life with the help of Bright Ideas education grants from Rutherford EMC. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the local electric cooperative providing grants to enhance educational experiences through creative and engaging projects. Teachers can apply online at www.ncbrightideas.com.

"We're excited to begin our 30th year of supporting students and educators with grants that fulfill needs in local classrooms. Our teachers always present some of the most unique ideas that stimulate the minds of these young children and make learning fun. As a community-focused organization, we are committed to building a brighter future for our students, our educators, and our region. We encourage all educators with 'bright ideas' to submit an application," said Dirk Burleson, General Manager of Rutherford EMC.

Rutherford EMC expects to award over $15,000 in Bright Ideas grants to local teachers during the 2024-2025 school year. Funding is available for K-12 classroom projects in all curriculum areas including art, history, math, reading, science, technology and more. Educators can apply as individuals or as a team and must include a budget, project goals, implementation plan and description of how the project will engage students and enhance their success.

Over the last 30 years, Rutherford EMC has issued more than $486,000 in grants, funding 606 creative projects that have benefited well over 130,000 students in Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, and Rutherford counties.

The final deadline to apply is September 15, 2024. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.remc.com to find out more details about the program such as grant-writing tips and frequently asked questions. To submit your online application please visit www.ncbrightideas.com. This site allows you start your Bright Ideas grant application, save it, and then return to complete it later!

The Bright Ideas education grant program is a shared initiative of all 26 electric co-ops in North Carolina. Collectively, Rutherford EMC and North Carolina's electric cooperatives have awarded nearly $16 million in grants, supporting more than 14,700 projects benefiting close to four million students statewide. Get your application in today and let's work together to building a brighter future through educational experiences!

Rutherford EMC, headquartered in Forest City, is a rural electric cooperative that maintains over 7,500 miles of power lines to provide electricity to over 73,500 connected member-consumers in a 10-county area of the southwestern Piedmont.