The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) has launched the second round of its Innovation Funding Initiative, offering substantial grants to local school districts. The program aims to support forward-thinking educational strategies designed to enhance student achievement across Orange County.
Eligible school districts can apply for up to $525,000 per project. The application window is open from today, October 7, through December 4, 2026. Following the application period, six new Orange County school districts will be selected, with award recipients anticipated to be announced around early February. Funded projects are slated to run for three years, from July 2027 through June 2030.
This initiative is a key component of OCDE’s broader focus on advancing innovation, which is one of five strategic initiatives outlined in County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean’s 5-3-1 Strategic Plan. The program is specifically structured to provide districts with the necessary resources and support to test, refine, and scale new approaches that address unmet educational needs.
Dr. Stefan Bean stated that every school district in Orange County is already seeking innovative ways to serve its students and communities. He noted that this initiative offers an opportunity to invest in promising ideas, learn from the results, and share successful approaches so they can potentially benefit students throughout Orange County and beyond.
This second round builds upon the success of the initiative’s inaugural cohort, which was announced earlier this year and also included six funded districts. Projects from the first round encompassed a variety of programs, such as collaborative math learning labs, student-built tiny homes for families experiencing homelessness, expanded International Baccalaureate and career pathways, new methods for teacher development, and strategies to strengthen student engagement and school climate. Officials reported strong interest in the first round, with OCDE receiving 29 applications from 22 Orange County school districts.
The current round is open to Orange County school districts serving students in grades TK-12, with eligible districts permitted to submit up to two applications. However, districts that received funding in the first cohort are not eligible to apply this round. Other ineligible entities include charter schools, districts outside Orange County, private schools, colleges and universities, nonprofit or community-based organizations, and non-educational agencies.
Beyond the financial support, the selected districts will also receive comprehensive coaching, technical assistance, and research and evaluation support. This assistance is designed to strengthen project implementation, accurately measure impact, and facilitate learning from the ongoing work. OCDE also plans to assess whether successful approaches can be sustained, scaled, or adapted in other settings.
Participating districts will also benefit from opportunities to connect and learn from one another through an Innovation Learning Community and an annual Innovation Summit. These platforms will allow educators to share lessons, promising practices, and early findings with colleagues across Orange County. Dr. Janel Alberts, OCDE’s manager of Grants and Funding, described the initiative as "more than funding a project," emphasizing the collaborative effort to move from an idea to implementation, make adjustments, and capture lessons beneficial to other educators and students.
Prospective applicants can access the Request for Applications, application materials, eligibility requirements, timelines, and additional resources online.
