Introducing IAFI’s K-12 Education Grant Program
Empowering Teachers to Share the Ice Age Floods Story with Students Mini-grants of up to $500 now available for K-12 educators Open Application Period The Ice Age Floods Institute is proud and excited to announce a groundbreaking initiative to bring one of Earth’s most dramatic geological stories into classrooms across the Pacific Northwest. Our new K-12 Education Grant Program provides targeted funding to help teachers and students explore, understand, and share the remarkable Ice Age Floods narrative with their communities. The Challenge We’re Addressing The Ice Age Floods story may seem straightforward to those who’ve studied it, but explaining these catastrophic events to newcomers can be surprisingly complex. Teachers need effective guidance and quality materials to bring this geological phenomenon to life in their classrooms. Students who become fascinated by the floods can inspire others. IAFI recognizes that reaching K-12 students is one of the most effective ways to educate young people, and through them to share this incredible story with their families and communities. Our Mini-Grants Solution: Grants up to $500 That Make a Difference These carefully designed mini-grants help defray the costs of materials, field experiences, and project development for classroom instruction throughout Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Oregon. By providing this crucial support, we’re creating a ripple effect of interest and knowledge that extends from students to their families and friends. How Grants Can Be Used We’ve designed this program with flexibility in mind, understanding that teachers and students have diverse needs and creative approaches to sharing the Ice Age Floods story. These grants are meant to support classroom activities including curriculum materials, educational supplies, guest speaker fees, and field trip expenses to Ice Age Floods sites throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Power of Student Engagement When students develop genuine interest and excitement about the Ice Age Floods, they become natural ambassadors for the story. They share their enthusiasm with family members over dinner, explain geological concepts to friends, and carry this knowledge forward throughout their lives. This program doesn’t just fund classroom teachers—it creates a generation of informed advocates for geological education, research and preservation. What Makes This Program Special Our grant program initially focuses on 4th grade educators in support of the IAFI 4th Grade Curriculum Project. This strategic approach allows us to build a strong foundation before expanding to all K-12 teachers and students in future years. It’s For Educators Teachers can apply for funding to enhance their Ice Age Floods curriculum through: Classroom materials and educational resources Field trip expenses to visit actual flood-carved landscapes Hands-on demonstrations and interactive activities Professional development opportunities Simple Application Process We’ve designed our process to be straightforward and educator-friendly. Applications are accepted year-round starting January 2026, with a two-month review period. Once approved, recipients have one year to complete their projects, followed by a six-month window to share their results with the IAFI community. Educators can use the online application below to get started. Join Us in Making Floods History Come Alive This Scholar Support Grant Program represents more than just funding—it’s an investment in geological literacy, scientific curiosity, and the preservation of our region’s remarkable natural heritage. By supporting teachers and students as they explore the Ice Age Floods, we’re ensuring that this incredible story continues to inspire wonder and understanding for generations to come. Get Involved – YOUR support directly impacts the next generation Whether you’re an educator ready to apply or a potential donor, an individual member, local business, organization committed to education, or simply curious to learn more, we invite you to be part of this exciting initiative. Contact us at IAFIGrants@gmail.com. And your donation will help ensure that more students and teachers can access the resources they need to share the Ice Age Floods story effectively. Donate tax-deductible and fee-free through our Zeffy Fundraiser or IAFI Gorge Chapter’s PayPal Giving Fund (***note: Zeffy’s “tip” request is optional***). $5,000 Annual IAFI Program Funding Commitment and Growth The program is initially funded by the Ice Age Floods Institute and our 11 local chapters with a $5,000 annual commitment to support multiple projects each year. We’re committed to growing this program through donations from IAFI members, businesses, educational grants, and other philanthropic sources. We anticipate significant interest from current members and believe that a successful grant program will help attract new supporters to IAFI’s mission. Grant Cycle Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Grant awards will be approved and announced within 2 months of application and 90% of an grant will be awarded upon approved. The awarded grant must be used and a final report shared with IAFI within 12 months – the final 10% of of the grant will be awarded after completion of these requirements. Questions? Email us at IAFIgrants@gmail.com
Free Educators Workshops: Bringing the Ice Age Floods Story to Classrooms
Every student in the Northwest should experience the incredible science story of the megafloods that shaped our landscape and history. To help bring this story to life, the Ice Age Floods Institute, Engaging Every Student, and our partners are excited to invite K–12 educators to free special training events. Thanks to support from the Avista Foundation, we are offering free hybrid workshops where you will gain access to valuable resources designed to inspire students to investigate their local environment.
K-12 Ice Age Floods Curriculum: Floods in the Classroom
Thousands of K-12 students across the Pacific Northwest are becoming Ice Age Floods detectives—investigating ancient catastrophic flooding, conducting hands-on experiments, and sharing geological discoveries with their communities. Some may be inspired to become scientists who will ask new questions and conduct research that will advance our understanding of these ancient megafloods. This transformation is happening through Ice Age Floods Detectives, a new grade school science curriculum funded by the Ice Age Floods Institute (IAFI) and developed through partnership with the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail (NPS), and Engaging Every Student. The Ice Age Floods Detectives program is comprised of four phenomena-based ~1-hour lessons, targeted to grade 4 but adaptable for grades 3–8, to be taught in order over a week or more. Lesson 1: Modeling Ice Age Floods Erosion. Students create watershed models to visualize how water flows and reshapes the landscape. Lesson 2: Investigating Deposition. Students observe how different rocks and landforms are created by deposition, connecting these small-scale experiments to the massive scale of the Ice Age Floods. Lesson 3: Creating Kinesthetic Classroom Models. Students use physical movement and simple materials to model incredible scale of Ice Age flooding, weathering and erosion. Lesson 4: Exploring the Erosion Energy of Moving Water. Students experiment with water speed and volume to understand its erosive forces and to practice designing scientific experiments. Students will explore the scientific processes geologists use to make discoveries, and how the fascinating area of science—like most other disciplines—is dynamic and constantly changing. The lessons help students explore phenomena and investigate how they relate to observable geologic features. Students are gradually introduced to concepts, processes, and theories that will assist them in forming and revising their own explanations and hypotheses about the Ice Age Floods. These adaptable lessons help train students to be good scientists and critical thinkers, with a unifying theme of exploration and investigation. When the lesson plans are delivered in sequence, a storyline develops, using the creation of our NW landforms as a compelling framework to help cover core concepts and improve student skills. Numerous studies have identified the need for improved STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) education that connects to students’ lives and communities. Research indicates that grades 4-6 are particularly critical for engaging students and encouraging them to pursue STEAM fields. Those grades are a particular focus of the program, which will help us address the critical need for more scientists and engineers. The curriculum complies with Next Generation Science Standards + Common Core State Standards, and should not compete with other curricular goals for classroom time. This program updates and complements the earlier NPS Investigating Ice Age Floods K-12 curriculum. We’re bringing this curriculum to educators throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana through regional workshops. Ice Age Floods Institute has also established an IAFI K-12 Education Grant Program to help educators offset attendance costs and classroom implementation expenses. You can also help support the program and play a significant part in inspiring the next generation of scientists: Donate fee-free through our Zeffy Fundraiser or IAFI Gorge Chapter’s PayPal Giving Fund Share information and leads about potential funding sources— contact us at IAFIGrants@gmail.com Share this flyer with educators in your community to help spread the word
2025 IAFICS Student Research Grant Guidelines
Introduction The primary role of the Cheney-Spokane Chapter, Ice Age Floods Institute (IAFICS) student research grants program is to provide partial support of undergraduate senior thesis and graduate student thesis research on Ice Age floods in the Pacific Northwest at universities in the United States and Canada, by offering $500 grants to help defray field expenses. Students may receive a total of two IAFICS graduate student grants in their entire academic career, regardless of what program they are currently enrolled in. In addition, graduate student research theses/dissertations focusing on Ice Age floods in the Pacific Northwest may also request partial support for lab fees for surface exposure or other dating techniques, not to exceed $27,000. Eligibility To be eligible to apply for the IAFICS Chapter’s Student Research Grant, you must: Be a IAFI Student Member, student fee of $10 online at iafi.org, which must be renewed or active through the end of the award year, which is the same calendar year in which the application deadline occurs. Be currently enrolled as a senior undergraduate engaged in a senior thesis or in a graduate program working toward a Master’s or Doctoral degree. Agree that if you are selected to receive a grant, and if you have a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN) or U.S. Tax Identification Number (TIN), you will provide it to cheneyspokane@iafi.org to facilitate payment of the funds. Must apply as an individual; institutions, societies, and universities are not eligible for grants. Application Submittal Only electronic applications submitted online to the IAFICS Student Research Grants Program Manager (cheneyspokane@iafi.org) will be accepted. Proposals are due by April 15 and must focus on aspects of Quaternary flood geology in the Pacific NW. The application should be concise and should define a research problem of geologic significance. It should detail a research strategy to solve a problem in the field and/or the laboratory. Graduate students may request funds to partially cover lab costs for any essential rock or sediment dating aimed at constraining the timing of Quaternary flooding in the Pacific NW. Details about who and where the preparation and analyses are to be done must be fully addressed, as the IAFICS grant money would be paid directly to the providers as payment for a service. These payments can be made to the providers incrementally as batches of analyses are completed. There is no submittal deadline for those graduates who request only funds for lab dating analysis. Advisor Confirmation/Appraisal of Student’s Academic Status The student applicant is obligated to see that a confidential confirmation of student status from the applicant’s advisor is verbally or electronically sent to IAFICS Student Research Grants Program Manager (cheneyspokane@iafi.org) on or before the April 15 deadline. Advisor appraisal is mandatory or the application will not be accepted. Time Schedule The recipient must commence the project as stated in their proposal and continue it diligently throughout the stated duration of the investigation. If the recipient is unable to complete the work within the timeframe stated in the proposal, the Cheney Spokane IAFICS Research Grants Program Manager should be notified in writing. Progress Report A progress report and photos are due to the IAFICS Student Research Grants Program Manager (cheneyspokane@iafi.org) by March 1 of the year following the award. Publication of Results The committee encourages publication of results in a scientific journal and presentation of results at a professional meeting. The IAFI Cheney Spokane Chapter should be acknowledged for its support in thesis/dissertation and publication. We encourage the reporting of the thesis and PDF copy of publications back to the IAFICS Research Grants Program Manager. Return of Funding If the recipient is unable to undertake or complete the project, the recipient must return any unused portion of the grant to the Ice Age Floods Institute Cheney Spokane Chapter immediately. If the recipient receives substantial funding from another source for specific items budgeted in their IAFICS student research grant proposal, the IAFICS Research Grants Program Manager should be notified immediately. Funds returned to the Institute will be re-awarded promptly to alternate recipients who have been selected by the Committee on Student Research Grants. Taxation For field work grants, all individuals with a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN) or U.S. Tax Identification Number (TIN) must provide it to IAFICS in order to receive a grant payment. This includes all U.S. Citizens, all U.S. Resident Aliens, and some other individuals. This requirement is in accordance with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS); failure to comply will result in no grant being awarded to the individual. If awarded a grant, this money may be taxable by the IRS. The IAFICS Chapter is required to issue 1099 forms at the end of each calendar year according to rules set by the IRS. Issuance of a 1099 does not necessarily mean the income is taxable to the recipient–the recipient must make that determination, which may require the services of a professional tax accountant. The IAFI cannot offer tax advice. (Please note that an SSN or TIN is not required to apply; but everyone who is selected to receive a grant and who has an SSN or TIN must provide it to the IAFICS.) Application Evaluation The student submitted applications for $500 grants to help defray field expenses are received by the IAFICS Student Research Grants Program Manager and are forwarded to the board members on the Committee for reviewing Student Research Grants and they are responsible for evaluating and ranking the proposals on the basis of their scientific merits, the practicability of each project, the qualifications of the applicant for the proposed investigation, the reasonableness of the budget, and other pertinent data. There is no policy favoring small or large projects. The scientific merit of the research is weighed against the cost, in competition with other requests. Evaluation of each Student Research Grant proposal is based on the following: A clearly defined statement of scientific significance. Description of fieldwork or lab work expenses including budget justification. Advisor confirmation/appraisal of the student applicant. Committee Actions
Inspire New Generations
with the Ice Age Floods Story Help bring one of North America’s most dramatic geological events into Pacific Northwest classrooms Join Us in Making an Impact Help students discover the powerful forces that shaped our region’s landscape The Ice Age Floods Story The Ice Age Floods carved spectacular landscapes across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana—creating the dramatic geology we see around us today. The landscape of the Pacific Northwest tells a powerful story of earth-shaking forces—but does our next generation know how to read it? The IAFI K-12 Education Grant Program The Ice Age Floods Institute is launching a new K-12 Education Grant Program empowering teachers to take students beyond the textbook to explore the science in the classroom and field. Grants of up to $500 will give educators the resources they need to spark curiosity about the landscape before their eyes and beneath their feet. Now, through the IAFI K-12 Education Grant Program, you can help students experience this incredible story firsthand. Building for the Future Our pilot program launches with $5,000 in seed funding from IAFI and our 11 local chapters. The program will initially focus on 4th grade classrooms in support of with our new IAFI 4th Grade Curriculum Project. With your support, we can expand the program to serve students throughout K-12 grades across the region—creating a lasting educational legacy. $500 Maximum Grant per Educator 100% of Funds Go to Help Students Why This Program Stands Out Our K-12 Education Grant Program and your donations will help empower educators to enhance Ice Age Floods curriculum with: Field trips to flood-carved landscapes where students can read the story written in the rocks Classroom materials and educational resources that make complex geology accessible Hands-on demonstrations and interactive activities that spark curiosity Professional development opportunities for educators Geographic Reach Priority is given to schools in the core Ice Age Floods impact zones across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. We also welcome applications from the broader region for educational initiatives related to the Ice Age Floods. How Your Gift Powers Discovery Every dollar you donate directly supports hands-on learning experiences. Our team donates grant administration, and through our partnerships with Zeffy and PayPal Giving Fund there are zero processing fees, so your entire donation will go to work to fund classroom materials, interactive activities and field trips that bring the Ice Age Floods and science to life. Donate to the IAFI K-12 Education Grant Program Zeffy Fundraiser payPal Giving Fund Your Support Makes a Difference Donated administration by our all-volunteer team and our partnerships with Zeffy and PayPal Giving Fund eliminate processing fees and ensure maximum impact, so your full donation directly fuels student discovery. Together, we’re not just teaching the Ice Age Floods story—we’re inspiring young people to share this remarkable story with their families and communities. Questions? Email us at IAFIgrants@gmail.com Help expand the program, donate fee-free with several payment options through our Zeffy Fundraiser or PayPal Giving Fund links Our fiscal sponsor, IAFI Columbia Gorge Chapter, is a federally registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your donation may be tax deductible