Sponsor a Grant for Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind
Support the ideas. Empower the people who make them happen.
Each school year, the Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind (IESDB) Foundation strives to award approximately $20,000 in grant funding to support school and outreach programs across IESDB. These grants help cover meaningful expenses and initiatives that fall outside of state-allocated budgets.
The IESDB Foundation’s Sponsor-a-Grant program allows community members, families, alumni, and partners to directly support grant opportunities that foster connection, creativity, and innovation throughout IESDB. By sponsoring a grant, you help remove financial barriers so IESDB employees can focus on what they do best—serving students and strengthening community.
How Sponsorship Works
Choose a grant to sponsor: Select the type of grant you’d like to support.
Make a one-time or recurring gift: Your donation is fully tax-deductible and applied directly to the selected grant category.
See your impact: Sponsors receive updates, photos, or brief summaries showing how their support made a difference.
Grant Sponsorship Options
Mini Grant Sponsor — $200
Funds small, everyday needs that directly benefit the IESDB community. Mini Grants are employee-directed and supervisor-approved, making them a simple and effective way to support meaningful, immediate needs. Examples of purchases may include braille books, classroom supplies, or other items that enhance learning and daily experiences.
Your impact: Supports flexible, staff-driven ideas that improve daily life at IESDB.
Community Event Grant Sponsor — $350
Helps fund events such as family movie nights, celebrations, and community gatherings across regions and campuses. For some students in Idaho, this may be their only opportunity to connect with other children from the Deaf, blind, and disability communities.
Example events include ASL Santa, audio-described movie nights, and other inclusive experiences that bring students and families together. These gatherings create meaningful spaces for connection, belonging, and shared understanding.
Your impact: Builds connection, belonging, and shared experiences for students, families, and staff.
Catalyst Grant Sponsor — $1,000
Supports novel initiatives with the potential for lasting impact beyond a single school year. Catalyst Grants are employee-requested and committee-approved, ensuring thoughtful use of funds with meaningful outcomes.
Examples of past funded items include hearing aids, partial funding for Sawtooth Deaf Camp, and reusable art supplies.
Your impact: Helps launch innovative ideas that strengthen programs and services across IESDB.
Suszan Cadwell Innovation Grant Sponsor — $5,000
The Foundation’s signature grant honoring Suszan Cadwell’s legacy of leadership, service, and innovation. This grant supports a transformational project that reflects her lifelong commitment to education, access, and meaningful impact.
Examples of past funded initiatives include occupational and physical therapy equipment, and Raptor Manor—a large, student-led haunted house that connects IESDB with the Magic Valley community each fall.
Your impact: Invests in a transformational project that embodies creativity, dedication, and long-term vision.
Custom Amount
Not ready to sponsor a full grant? Any amount makes a meaningful difference and directly supports IESDB Foundation grant programs.