Bright Ideas

With Coastal Electric Cooperative and its Foundation, teachers have the power to put their Bright Ideas to work.

Bright Ideas awards teachers money for creative, innovative lessons that light up students' love of learning.

View our image gallery from our 2012 Bright Ideas Prize Team

Or click here to view the slideshow

Watch our 2012 Bright Ideas Prize Team video
to get ideas for your classroom grant

Every year Coastal Electric Cooperative and its Foundation award over $20,000 in Bright Ideas grants to school teachers in Bryan, Liberty and McIntosh County.

Tteachers were invited to apply to win grants of up to $2,000 each. The Bright Ideas program encourages teachers to develop creative, innovative programs that might not otherwise be funded thru the school system. A panel of independent judges reviews and scores the applications.

Since the program’s inception more than $170,000 has been awarded to local teachers. The grants are open to teachers instructing students in grades K-12.

Bright Ideas is made possible in part thru the voluntary donations of the Cooperative's Members who participate in Operation Round Up® -- Members allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. Those nickels and dimes each month are turned over to The Coastal Electric Cooperative Foundation which oversees the fund. The Foundation uses the money to assist with food, health, shelter, safety, and educational needs within the community.

The application window for the 2012 Bright Ideas grant is now closed. The Bright Ideas Prize Team made it rounds September 26th and 28th! Watch this page for the next grant application window to open in the summer of 2013.