FAQs

General FAQs

Does the teacher I thank have to be a public school teacher?

Every teacher can be thanked. It doesn’t matter if the teacher works at a public, private, religious- based, home school, etc. school facility. What matters is that they are (or were) a teacher and are deserving of your thanks.

Can I thank a friend or family member who is a teacher?

Absolutely.

The teacher I want to thank is in another state. Can I still thank them?

We welcome “Thank You” postings to any teacher in any state that you’d like to thank. We know every teacher thanked will appreciate it.

Can I thank more than one teacher?

It’s likely that we all know more than one teacher who deserves our thanks, so yes, please thank more than one teacher.

Can someone in another state thank a teacher in my state?

Yes. Every teacher deserves our thanks and we encourage the public, wherever they may be, to thank a teacher who has made a positive impact on their lives.

I don’t know if the teacher I want to thank is still teaching – he/she may have retired or passed away. Can I still thank them?

Whether they are currently working or formerly active, teachers have helped educate our young people and improve our communities. Yes, thank them for what they did for you and for others.

Who can I contact to learn more about this Thank A Million Teachers initiative or about the University of Farmers Education Foundation?

Inquiries about the Thank A Million Teachers initiative or about the University of Farmers Education Foundation can be addressed to .

Contact Info:

Questions about the Thank A Million Teachers initiative or about the University of Farmers Education Foundation can be referred to

$2,500 Grant Program FAQs

Can private school teachers submit a proposal for a grant?

Yes. Proposals will be accepted from K through 12 teachers currently employed as teachers and who have been thanked on our ThankAMillionTeachers.com web site. (hint: you can even thank yourself if you’re unsure of whether or not you’ve been thanked)

Can I submit a proposal for funding through the Thank A Million Teachers initiative and register for adoption by AdoptAClassroom.org?

Farmers is proud to partner with AdoptAClassroom.org to help bring needed resources to classrooms across the country. However, AdoptAClassroom.org is a separate entity with a similar goal, to help teachers and schools. We encourage teachers to visit the AdoptAClassroom.org web site to learn more about how they may be able to provide additional help.

When can I submit a proposal?

Proposals will be accepted every month during 2014 through the end of October. Voting for proposals will occur during the months of March, May, July, September and November for qualified proposals submitted during the previous two months.

Are teachers in every state eligible to submit a proposal?

Yes. Any teacher in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia can be submit a proposal for possible funding once they have been thanked on the ThankAMillionTeachers.com web site.

Are there any guidelines I need to follow when submitting a proposal?

Every educator that has been thanked on ThankAMillionTeachers.com is eligible to apply for a $2,500 grant. The winners can use the money to purchase school supplies through AdoptAClassroom.org and/or have the funds applied toward a professional certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Grant proposals that do not include AdoptAClassroom.org or NBPTS will not be considered. Grant checks will not be written to the winning teachers. The checks will be written to AdoptAClassroom.org and NBPTS and the winning teachers will access their funds through those organizations only. The proposal itself is a 1,000 character narrative you will write and submit online to state your case.

When does voting for the proposals happen?

Voting for the first set of proposals will begin in March 2014. Thereafter, voting will occur every other month through November (in May, July, September and November) for proposals submitted during the two months prior to the month of voting.

When will winners be announced?

Winners will be notified and announced during April, June, August, October and December.

How can I find a Farmers agent to sponsor by proposal?

Teachers can visit farmersagent.com to locate a Farmers agent in their area.

Do I need to have a Farmers agent to sponsor my proposal?

While we encourage teachers to partner with a local Farmers agent – they may be able to help spread the word about supporting a specific proposal – it is not a requirement and does not increase your chance to be selected.

How will the winning teachers be presented their award?

We want to celebrate your award with a formal announcement and presentation in your community. We will work with you and your school to determine when and where. Please remember that the winning teachers do not receive any funds directly. The funds will be provided to AdoptAClassroom.org and/or NBPTS in the winner’s name for redemption by the winning teachers.

How many teaching proposals can you vote for?

The public can vote for as many proposals as they’d like. However, people can only vote for the same proposal once daily.

How will proposals be selected?

Farmers Insurance has the right to have final say on the proposals that will be posted on the website for voting. At this time we are planning to limit the number of proposals to 100 per region.

Can someone in another state vote on a proposal?

Yes. Votes will be accepted from across the country so we encourage teachers who have submitted proposals to reach out to family, friends and supporters around the country to vote in support of their proposals.

$100,000 Grant Program FAQs

Who is eligible to submit a proposal for their chance to win a $100,000 grant through the Thank A Million Teachers program?

To be eligible to submit a proposal for a $100,000 grant, entrants: 1) must be a K-12 full-time employed teacher, 2) must have been thanked at thankamillionteachers.com, 3) must be legal residents of the United States, 4) are at least 18 years old, 5) must have submitted a qualified proposal for $2,500 grant in the Thank A Million Teachers contest (click here to submit a qualifying proposal for $2,500 grant), and 6) must submit a qualified proposal in the $100,000 grant competition prior to the July 31 deadline (click here for details on what forms and information are required).

Complete rules can be found by clicking here.

Note: Farmers employees, agents and district managers and their family members are not eligible. See contest rules for additional details.

Must teachers submit a proposal for a $2,500 grant in order to then submit a proposal for a $100,000 grant?

Yes. Submitting a qualifying proposal for a $2,500 grant is one of the important qualifying conditions for being considered in the $100,000 grant contest. The submission process and criteria are different for each of these two grant programs, with the $2,500 grant submission process requiring less supporting materials for consideration.

Also, keep in mind that proposals for the $2,500 grants are being accepted throughout the $100,000 grant proposal submission timeframe.

Can I submit a proposal for a $2,500 at the same time I submit a proposal for the $100,000 grant contest?

Proposals for both grant contests can be submitted at the same time but please be aware that each of the two grant contests are unique and require individual submissions. Submitting a proposal for one of the programs is not the same as submitting for both. Entrants must submit a proposal for a $2,500 grant separate from the submission for a $100,000 grant.

Who do teachers submit their $100,000 grant proposals to?

There are two ways for teachers to submit proposals:

  1. Teachers may submit their proposal electronically be sending all of their completed forms to .
  2. Teachers may also submit via U. S. Mail to:Attention: Dream Big Teacher Challenge
    Farmers Insurance
    4680 Wilshire Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA 90010Note: Those submitting via U.S. Mail must have their completed submission postmarked by July 31, 2014.

Are private school teachers eligible to submit proposals for the $100,000 grant contest?

Yes, as long as they meet the other eligibility criteria.

Do I need to register with the Adopt A Classroom organization in order to be considered for a $100,000 grant?

Registration with Adopt A Classroom is not required but teachers may find benefit in registering with them to be considered for funding via their network.

What are the key dates to know regarding the $100,000 grant program?

The key dates include the following:

  • Contest announced and launched: Tuesday, May 6, 2014
  • Submission deadline: Completed proposals must be submitted by 11:59:59 p.m. PDT on July 31, 2014
  • Proposals evaluated and scored: All qualified submissions will be evaluated and scored during the month of August 2014
  • Top 15 Finalists announced: The top 15 finalists will be announced and posted on thankamillionteachers.com by October 1, 2014.
  • Voting: Voting for the top 15 finalist proposals will occur from 12:00 a.m. PDT October 1, 2014 through 11:59:59 p.m. PST November 30, 2014.
  • Winners announced: The top five (5) vote-getters in each of five regions of the country will be announced no later than December 10, 2014.

How will the winners be determined?

There will be a two-step process. First, all qualified submissions will be evaluated by a select panel of judges who will review the proposals, assign a score and select the top three proposals in each of five regions, for a total of 15 finalists across the country. Second, the proposals from among the finalists that receive the most online votes at thankamillionteachers.com in their region during October and November will be named the winner for their region. A total of five winners, one from each region, will be selected.

What are the five regions? What region am I in?

The regions can be found in the official contest rules. You can click here to see the official rules.

Can people outside of my region vote for my proposal?

Yes. Votes will be accepted from across the country so we encourage teachers who have submitted proposals to reach out to family, friends and supporters around the country to vote in support of their proposals.

How often can people vote for a proposal? Can people vote for more than one proposal?

The public is invited to vote for more than one proposal at thankamillionteachers.com from October 1 through November 30. People can vote for the same proposal as often as they’d like during the voting period but are limited to only one vote per 24 hour period.

Who will be on the judging panel evaluating the qualifying proposals and trimming them down to the top 15 finalists?

The judging panel will consist of educators, community leaders and Farmers representatives.

What will be the judging criteria in evaluating the proposals?

Details of the judging criteria can be found on the proposal submission forms and will include Comprehensiveness, Timeframe, Creativity/Originality, Impact, Scope and Need.

Do I need to have a Farmers agent, district manager or employee sponsor my proposal?

While we encourage teachers to partner with a local Farmers agent, district manager or employee, it is not a requirement and does not increase your chance of being selected as a finalist.

Who can help me if I have questions about the Thank A Million Teachers program and the $100,000 grant program?

Questions can be submitted to .