Make Your Mark project grants of up to $1,000 give classrooms the tools, funding, and support to explore social issues, design hands-on solutions, and lead meaningful change in their communities.
Sign Up
Register your class to participate in Make Your Mark before the registration deadline.
August 29, 2025Learn about the program, hear from past-participating teachers on their experiences, and explore current areas of need in our community.
Help your students develop, refine, and plan their Make Your Mark projects with United Way’s resources and support.
October – November 2025Submit your project plan and budget to United Way by the deadline. Successful applicants will receive grants of up to $1,000 to launch their projects.
Application deadline: November 2025 (date TBC)Use your grant funding to bring your students’ project to life! Measure the impact and reflect on how this project made a difference in our community. Some teams may be selected to share their project on the local news!
November 2025 – March 2026Celebrate your students’ hard work with an event arranged by United Way! Plus, select projects will be honoured with an Award of Distinction at our Red Tie Gala on April 16, 2026.
Award nomination deadline: February 21, 2026Final report deadline: April 14, 2026
Student & teacher recognition: May 2026
“The number one leadership quality learned throughout this project is that of empathy. We had guests [from the community] who really opened their hearts and shared with the students their story, their struggles. This helped the students take down any barriers that existed and helped them develop a true understanding… The conversations were amazing, and the students really developed a greater understanding of how taking the time to better get to know someone can completely change their views. Beautiful!”
Teacher Participant
Registrations are accepted from any Kindergarten to Grade 12 educator in a publicly funded school located in communities and First Nations within the Edmonton Census Metropolitan area including:
Whether you teach one student or 100, it’s your first time or your fifth, Make Your Mark is open to all!
Make Your Mark is designed to be flexible and adaptable. Most projects are developed and executed between October and March, with the heaviest planning phase from October to January.
You can fit your project into regular class time, during special events, or as an extracurricular activity — whatever works best for your students.
When you sign up, you’ll get access to:
We’re with you every step of the way!
Nope! In fact, in many cases, it’s better if the idea comes from the students themselves as it gives them a greater sense of ownership and enthusiasm for the project and how it will impact people in the community.
If it’s student-led, community-minded, and connected to a social issue that affects local people, it qualifies.
Past projects have included:
Yes! Collaboration is encouraged. Whether it’s across classrooms, grades, or even schools, joint projects are welcome — and often lead to greater impact.
No. The program is completely free to educators and schools. In fact, we’ll give YOU money! Each approved project receives up to $1,000 in grant funding to bring their ideas to life.
Are you a local educator? Let’s work together to give students the opportunity to lead, create, and connect through action.
Sign Up
Check out past student projects and the educators who helped guide them. Discover what’s possible when young people lead with purpose.
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Every donation to Make Your Mark helps more classrooms bring meaningful projects to life.
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This program would not be possible without the ongoing support of corporate sponsors committed to making an impact in our community. Interested in supporting? Get in touch today!
Contact Us
If you'd like to learn more about the program, contact our Make Your Mark team.
Contact Us15132 Stony Plain Road Edmonton, AB T5P 3Y3
We are all Treaty people. United Way acknowledges our connection to one another, here on Treaty 6 Territory and Métis Nation of Alberta North Saskatchewan River Territory. The diverse Indigenous Peoples of this land include the nêhiyawak, Blackfoot, Dene, Anishinaabe, Nakota Sioux, Inuit, and Métis. Many of our staff are settlers living and working in this Territory. We all have a responsibility to uphold the spirit and intent of the original treaties and build relationships, trust, and understanding. We are grateful for the resources, knowledge, and culture Indigenous people share with us as we walk the path towards reconciliation together. We honour and respect Indigenous contributions supporting our work to ensure no one in our community is left behind.
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