Madison Street Festival awards $30,000 in grants to educational initiatives

Madison Street Festival has awarded $30,000 in grants to teachers and groups with educational pursuits. This grant distribution marks the largest amount to-date. Recipients of 2025 MSF Grants appear in the photo. Photo courtesy of Madison Street Festival

MADISON – A long-lasting benefit of Madison Street Festival or MSF is the collection of grant applications and subsequent funding. MSF awarded $30,000 to 2025 grant applicants at the Recipient Breakfast at Midtown Elementary School on Feb. 7.

“We received over 100 grant applications from all over Madison County, and 22 programs aligned with our mission to inspire and support students in exceptional ways,” MSF President Crystal McBrayer said. The total of $30,000 in grants is MSF’s largest distribution to-date.

“However, over $500,000 was requested this cycle, underscoring the need in our community,” McBrayer said. “None of this would be possible without unwavering support of our spon- sors. Their contributions allow us to . . . ultimately, give back through our grants.”

Grants to elementary schools:

• Columbia Drama Club, “Dare to Dream, Jr.” — Theatrical productions encourage confidence, teamwork, creative expression and self-confidence.

• Columbia Music Department, “Composition Rug for the Music Classroom” — Better understanding of musical structure by interactive composition and movement-based learning.

• Harvest’s “Read aloud, Read along” — Strengthen literacy and engagement by expanding access to age-appropriate reading materials.

• Horizon “Scholastic News” – Gain critical thinking with engaging, standards-aligned resources using current events and informational text.

• Madison Elementary’s “Girls Engaged in Math and Science” or GEMS — Supplies to design STEM projects for GEMS Expo. Confirms students can attend and showcase their work free.

• New Hope’s Blended Pre-Kindergarten Classroom — Learning model that emphasizes social-emotional growth alongside foundational academic skills.

• New Market’s Literacy Program – Enhancement of third-grade Space Exploration unit with immersive program to spark interest in space science and experiential learning.

• Rainbow’s SPED Classroom with “Immersive STEM Learning with VR/AR” — Meta Quest 3S VR/ AR equipment and instructional resources for fourth- and fifth-graders in special education.

Grants to middle schools:

• Buckhorn’s Eighth-Grade Literature Circles — Enhance literacy and engagement by expanding access to instructional reading materials.

• Discovery’s After-School German Club — Necessary supplies for free school club for grades 1-5. Engaging language and cultural learning to build confidence and global awareness.

• Monrovia’s “Rock it to Us” Science learning by interactive, inquiry-based resources. Students strengthen problem-solving skills with experiments and real-world applications.

• Sparkman’s “Financial Literacy and Life Skills” — Real-world success by integrating academic instruction with essential life skills. Focus on responsible decision-making, goal setting and financial awareness.

Grants to high schools:

• Buckhorn’s “Books That Build Bridges” — Promote literacy and critical thinking with diverse, relevant reading. Encourage independent reading for varied perspectives.

Grants to college:

• University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Charger Campus Visits – Gives middle schoolers immersive college experience. Builds awareness and access to higher education.

Grants to organizations:

• Critical Hit Robotics — Inspire future STEM leaders with free, inclusive robotics education. Focus on innovation for technical skills while learning perseverance.

• Cure Diabetes Inc.’s Lifestyle Change – Supports diabetes education, prevention and community outreach initiatives emphasizing long-term health outcomes.

• Disability Resource Network’s Assistive Technology – Provides digital tools and instructional resources for Assistive Technology Camp, which will expand independent skills and access to technology in daily life for individuals with disabilities.

• Kids to Love’s Camp KTECH Summer Initiative – Promotes STEM and advanced manufacturing at Camp KTECH, including materials, equipment and immersive projects.

• Passionate Percussion Inc.’s Summer Percussion Education Camp – Builds confidence, leadership and self-expression with percussion and music education. Students develop discipline by structured musical instruction.

• STEAM Room’s Hands-On Learning — Experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics that foster creativity and experimentation.

• The Caring Link’s Book Fairy Literacy – Provides book fair certificates for elementary and middle school students to confirm their chance to participate.

• Whirly Girl Ink Inc.’s STEM Community Center – Supports nonprofit, safe practice space with technology for competitive robotics teams. Offers low- and no-cost workshops in coding, robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence. Expands equitable STEM access for students in Madison County and surrounding areas.

Madison Street Festival is held on the first Saturday in October. For 2026, the date will be Oct. 3. For more grant information, visit madisonstreetfestival. org.