ING Unsung Heroes
Encyclopedia
ING Unsung Heroes is a grant
program for Kindergarten through 12th grade educators in the United States
. The program is run by the U.S. Financial Services division of global financial services
company ING Group
(ING). The program awards funding to K-12
educators for innovative classroom
projects they currently operate, as well as projects they would like to implement.
In the application, applicants must provide a thorough description of the project, demonstrate how the program directly benefits students (as well as the school overall, parents, and the community), and put together a budget showing how they would spend the $2,000 grant as well as the potential additional funding.
The postmark deadline for applications each year is April 30. The application form is available in PDF format on the program's website.
Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed
, religion
, age, gender, disability, or national origin. Previous recipients are not eligible to apply for another award.
. Following the selection of finalists, the top three award recipients are chosen from that group by ING’s Educators Advisory Board. The Educators Advisory Board is composed of six educators and education administrators from various areas of the United States. Educators on the board include past state Teachers of the Year.
In January 2004, the program was renamed ING Unsung Heroes. The name became a registered service mark
in March 2006. In 2005, ING Unsung Heroes celebrated the 10th anniversary of the program's inception by awarding a special "Best in Class" $10,000 grant to the 2003 First Place Winner, Jennifer Wise of Tampa, FL. The award recognized Ms. Wise as the most notable of the program's top prize winners. Her "Kids and Canines" program matches at-risk middle school students with puppies to train as service dogs for the physically disabled in their community.
In 2007, the program awarded its top prize totaling $27,000 to an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles, CA.
In 2008, the top grant was awarded to a teacher from Los Alamitos, CA..
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
program for Kindergarten through 12th grade educators in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The program is run by the U.S. Financial Services division of global financial services
Financial services
Financial services refer to services provided by the finance industry. The finance industry encompasses a broad range of organizations that deal with the management of money. Among these organizations are credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, consumer finance companies,...
company ING Group
ING Group
The ING Group is a global financial institution offering retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance services. ING is the Dutch member of the Inter-Alpha Group of Banks, a cooperative consortium of 11 prominent European banks...
(ING). The program awards funding to K-12
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
educators for innovative classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
projects they currently operate, as well as projects they would like to implement.
Program overview
Each year, 100 educators are selected from a pool of applicants to receive awards of $2,000 each. Three of those finalists are chosen to receive additional funding. First place receives an additional $25,000. Second place receives an additional $10,000. Third place receives an additional $5,000. All awards must be used to further the projects within the school or school system. Checks are made payable jointly to the recipient and his/her school. At least one award will be granted in each of the 50 United States, provided one or more qualified applications are received from each state.In the application, applicants must provide a thorough description of the project, demonstrate how the program directly benefits students (as well as the school overall, parents, and the community), and put together a budget showing how they would spend the $2,000 grant as well as the potential additional funding.
The postmark deadline for applications each year is April 30. The application form is available in PDF format on the program's website.
Eligibility
Applicants for ING Unsung Heroes must be employed by an accredited K-12 public or private school in the U.S. Specifically, applicants must be full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff with effective projects that improve student learning.Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed
Creed
A creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, age, gender, disability, or national origin. Previous recipients are not eligible to apply for another award.
Selection of Recipients
To ensure impartiality, applications are submitted to, and evaluated by, Scholarship AmericaScholarship America
Scholarship America is a Minnesota-based American philanthropic organization that assists communities, corporations, foundations and individuals with fundraising, managing and awarding scholarships to students...
. Following the selection of finalists, the top three award recipients are chosen from that group by ING’s Educators Advisory Board. The Educators Advisory Board is composed of six educators and education administrators from various areas of the United States. Educators on the board include past state Teachers of the Year.
History
The program, originally called the Education’s Unsung Heroes Awards Program, started in 1995 with the first awards handed out in 1996. During that first year, 80 finalists were selected for awards totaling $200,000. In 1998, the number of awards was increased to 100.In January 2004, the program was renamed ING Unsung Heroes. The name became a registered service mark
Service mark
A service mark or servicemark is a trademark used in some countries, notably the United States, to identify a service rather than a product. When a service mark is federally registered, the standard registration symbol ® or "Reg U.S. Pat & TM Off" may be used...
in March 2006. In 2005, ING Unsung Heroes celebrated the 10th anniversary of the program's inception by awarding a special "Best in Class" $10,000 grant to the 2003 First Place Winner, Jennifer Wise of Tampa, FL. The award recognized Ms. Wise as the most notable of the program's top prize winners. Her "Kids and Canines" program matches at-risk middle school students with puppies to train as service dogs for the physically disabled in their community.
In 2007, the program awarded its top prize totaling $27,000 to an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles, CA.
In 2008, the top grant was awarded to a teacher from Los Alamitos, CA..