Strategic Success Innovation Fund

Strategic success innovation fund

Funded by the Sandburg Foundation, the Strategic Success Fund empowers Sandburg employees to propose district-wide initiatives that foster collaboration, expand opportunity and drive meaningful impact across District 518. Through targeted seed funding, the Foundation will partner with you on scalable, grassroots ideas that strengthen student success and position Sandburg for long-term growth.

Apply

Priorities

• Align directly with Sandburg’s Strategic Plan
• Support growth toward 3,000 students by 2030, $35 million endowment by 2030.

Focus

1. Access (financial barriers reduced)
2. Belief (students see people like them succeeding)
3. Opportunity (clear workforce and transfer pathways) 

• Build long-term financial sustainability.
• Increase alumni and employee engagement and district-wide community impact.

Funding range

• Seed funding up to $25,000 ($100,000 available) to launch scalable, sustainable initiatives.
• Open to Sandburg employees. Limit one application per employee.

Award timing

• Application release: summer/fall 2026
• Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds have been awarded.
• Review and collaborative refinement period: Approximately four to eight weeks from submission
• Funding decisions and distribution will align with FY27 priorities and timelines.

 Eligible initiatives must`

1. Be district-wide or cross-functional in scope.
2. Demonstrate a two-to-three-year impact model.
3. Include a sustainability plan beyond Foundation seed funding.
4. Show measurable outcomes tied to:

• Enrollment growth
• Retention/completion
• Alumni engagement
• Revenue generation or cost efficiency
• Community engagement across District 518

Proposals include

Strategic alignment statement

How does this initiative advance:

• Enrollment goals & objectives
• Alumni/community engagement

Two-to-three-year growth plan

• Year 1: Launch
• Year 2: Scale
• Year 3: Sustain

Sustainability model

After Foundation funding ends:

• How does this continue?
• Revenue sources?
  • External sponsorship
  • Grant match
  • Other
• Institutional adoption?
• Enrollment growth?

Collaboration

Applicants will collaborate with:

• Team members
• Students
• Supervisor
• Dean
• VP

The grant will not fund:

• Routine departmental operating costs
• Technology upgrades that may belong in institutional budgeting
• One-time equipment purchases without a strategic expansion plan
• Short-term events without long-term growth impact
• Requests arising from departmental budget omissions, funding shortfalls, or requests that are more aligned through the college's annual budget and resource planning process.

Apply