Board releases final empowering parents funding for grant distribution

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —

The Idaho State Board of Education has approved the last of the funds for Empowering Parents grants for the recently concluded state fiscal year, meaning Odyssey, the program administrator, is now processing the final batch of eligible grants.

There was tremendous interest in the program. Parents submitted over 59,000 applications, of which more than 37,000 were verified as eligible for an Empowering Parents grant. However, available funding could not support all of the applications received.

Here are quick facts about this year’s Empowering Parents program:

28,916 Idaho K-12 students received Empowering Parents grants in the 2023/24 program year
71 percent of the grants were awarded to families making less than $60,000 per year
Idaho parents and students can spend grant money on over 11,000 items and services available on the Empowering Parents online marketplace
Over 400 Idaho small businesses are vendors in the program, offering such items and services as laptop computers, educational summer camps and tutoring and instructional materials.

The Empowering Parents program was created in 2022 to assist Idaho families address lingering pandemic-related learning loss while also supporting Idaho businesses and the local economy.

“This concludes the second year of the Empowering Parents program and more than 78,000 grants have been awarded to students since the program’s launch,” State Board President Dr. Linda Clark said. “Empowering Parents is making a real difference for Idaho students and their families, and I thank Governor Brad Little and the Idaho Legislature for their continued support.”

Lawmakers appropriated $30 million for additional Empowering Parents grants in the current fiscal year, which started on Monday, July 1. The next Empowering Parents application window will open this fall.

Empowering Parents grant applications are prioritized and awarded first to eligible households with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) at or below $60,000 per year. Once the first phase of awards is completed, the AGI limit is expanded to eligible households earning up to $75,000 per year. After the second phase is completed and if there are still grant funds available, grants are awarded to other eligible applicants on a first come, first served basis.

Idaho small businesses interested in providing services or selling education-related items can learn more about joining the Odyssey marketplace at withodyssey.com