ABOUT US

Two children, a girl and a boy, are working together at a table in a classroom. The girl is seated and looking at the tower they built with colorful magnetic pieces. The boy stands next to her, smiling and holding a board game box. Other children are visible in the background, and the classroom has green walls and large windows.

Our Vision

We believe that introducing students to the spectrum of available technology creates opportunities for exploration, problem-solving and inspired uses of imagination. The Innovative Technology Education Fund (ITEF) empowers educators to consider the kinds of innovative learning projects that enable these opportunities.

Our Mission

With a keen eye on underserved schools and communities, ITEF seeks to accelerate learning in K-12 spaces through the innovative uses of technology.

  • ITEF is a St. Louis, Missouri–based private 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation dedicated to advancing innovation in education. We fund cutting-edge technology and ideas in classrooms across public, private, parochial, and charter schools throughout the greater St. Louis region, while also creating opportunities for educators to grow and deepen their practice. Our work is supported by the FCC license we hold for four Educational Broadband channels in St. Louis.

    To us, innovation means driving positive change, championing new approaches that meet the evolving needs of today’s learning environments. It requires the vision to see what’s possible and the commitment to transform instructional practices and environments in ways that benefit students and educators alike.

  • ITEF began in 1986 as the Humanities Instructional Television Educational Center (HITEC). We originally filed Articles of Incorporation for a General Not-for-Profit Missouri Corporation, “to obtain authority (from the FCC) to own and operate closed circuit television channels in order to provide instructional and educational programs.”

    This was a response to the boom in cable TV programming. More than just entertainment, cable TV was now offering a rich array of high-quality educational content that need to reach students in the region. One inspired solution was the creation of Instructional Television Fixed Service, a band of television channels licensed to colleges, universities and not-for profit-organizations such as HITEC.

    HITEC’s transmitter was located on the KETC Channel 9 tower at Butler Hill. Offerings included The Learning Channel, Discovery EWTN, CSPAN, Inspiration Network and an arts channel. Educational facilities could now receive programming via state-of-the-art microwave dishes from their rooftops. Since the equipment was costly, HITEC offset the cost. Classrooms were enriched with content they otherwise would not receive.

    And then came the Internet boom. By the 1990’s, the public was immersed in technology at an unprecedented rate. Home computing was easier than ever, laptops, smart boards, and web-based content were all becoming readily available. The students entering school were exposed at an early age to the benefits of technology—they were true digital natives. Savvy educators were demanding better access to this technology for their students who were growing up hand-in-hand with technology.

    So as technology changed, so did we. In 2006, HITEC announced a new name and a new mission. New articles of incorporation approved by the State of Missouri changing the name from HITEC to the Innovative Technology Education Fund: ITEF. Our new mission was to advance the creative use of technology to provide excellence in education. Far from our humble cable TV roots, the new ITEF grew to accommodate technology’s many faces: music, video, robotics, and the arts.

    Educators sprang to discover ways technology could be brought into the classroom. They saw how innovative technology promoted creativity and critical thinking. From hands-on computing to innovative software, they sought ITEF grants to cover an ever-growing spectrum of technological opportunities.

    Since then, ITEF has given over $7.28 million to area schools for enhanced learning through the use of technology. Each year, ITEF awards grants and actively seeks collaborative partnerships with innovative educators throughout the region.

    Today, we welcome the chance to equip educators as they prepare students for a digital world. We achieve this mission by offering grant funding and by expanding professional opportunities for educators. ITEF is proud to share the knowledge, the passion and the funding to positively impact education and its effects on our community.

  • ITEF recognizes that institutional racism and other forms of oppression have adversely impacted educational opportunities for students of diverse races, ethnicities, nationalities, abilities, classes, genders, sexual orientations, and other marginalized groups.


    Therefore, ITEF is committed to supporting innovative projects that ensure accessibility to all students and educators and invite passion and purposeful learning.

40 Years of Impact

Hear from some of ITEF's stakeholders as they reflect on the foundation’s impact and its role in the St. Louis region's education community after 40 years of service and 20 years of grantmaking.

Our Staff

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Michele Mosley

Chief Executive Officer

  • “I am deeply honored to step into the role of Chief Executive Officer at the Innovative Technology Education Fund, an organization whose mission aligns with both my professional journey and personal values.”

    Michele Mosley brings more than 20 years of nonprofit and philanthropic leadership to her role as Chief Executive Officer of the Innovative Technology Education Fund. A passionate advocate for educational equity and innovation, Michele is committed to building on ITEF’s strong foundation, shaped by the leadership of Charmaine Smith and the Board of Directors, and working collaboratively to expand the Fund’s impact across the St. Louis region.

    Prior to joining ITEF, Michele served as Director of Philanthropy at YouthBridge Community Foundation, where she led efforts to inspire and grow charitable giving. She also served as a grants consultant with Let’s Build Hope, supporting nonprofits in developing strong, sustainable funding strategies. Her career spans a diverse range of organizations, from grassroots youth programs to a major U.S. health system. Notably, Michele helped launch The Biome, a STEAM charter elementary school, and has led initiatives to increase access to STEM and STEAM learning opportunities.

    “ITEF’s unwavering commitment to equipping youth and educators with innovative tools and opportunities resonates deeply with me,” Michele shares. “As a first-generation college graduate, I understand firsthand the transformative power of dedicated teachers and access to quality education and resources. I’m thrilled to contribute to this important work by helping to expand creative learning opportunities in schools across our region.”

    Michele currently serves on the boards of East Side Aligned and the St. Louis Council of Charitable Gift Planners and is active on the Education Committee of the St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

    A native of Chicago, Michele earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. Outside of work, she enjoys art, live music, traveling, and spending time with her husband, two children, and their growing family of pets.

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Grants Officer

Stephanie Prewitt

  • Stephanie Prewitt worked as a fundraiser for more than 20 years with positions at Missouri State University, Children’s Miracle Network, the Missouri Botanical Garden, Humane Society of Missouri, Saint Louis Zoo and Chesterfield Day School. The Grants Officer role at ITEF allows Stephanie an opportunity to finally give back to her favorite people on the planet, teachers. Teachers have done a lot to help her family through the years. “We continue to ask so much from teachers. ITEF is in the position to help teachers bring new ideas to their classroom, sparking curiosity, imagination and inviting all students, including those who don’t love school, to be a part of their class’s exploration and discovery.”

    With her fundraising background, Stephanie still finds joy in making an impact by connecting people to their passion and in the process, learning about the good work NPOs are achieving in St. Louis. She’s also a gymnastics and hockey mom, an advocate for women’s healthcare, and a volunteer for Kirkwood School District and KSD’s Nutrition on Weekends program.

    Stephanie has a Bachelor’s in English from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Logo celebrating 40 years of Flourish, highlighting innovation and education, with green leaves and red and black text.

ITEF Timeline

  • The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) to reserve broadcast spectrum for education, allowing nonprofits and schools to hold licenses for instructional television.

  • Humanities Instructional Television Education Center (HITEC) is incorporated in St. Louis to operate educational television channels.

  • The FCC grants HITEC four (4) Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) channels; excess spectrum is leased to expand cable access.

  • Launch of Windows 95, Amazon, and eBay accelerates everyday internet use.

  • The FCC enables 2-way digital transmission, opening the door to high-speed internet.

  • Global internet users surge from 150 million to 400 million; FCC introduces mobile designation.

  • The FCC rebrands the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) as Educational Broadband Service (EBS).

    • HITEC rebrands to become the Innovative Technology Education Fund (ITEF).

    • Board re-envisions the mission based on educator needs.

    • Grant-making begins with flexible, school-driven proposals.

  • First round of signature Innovator Grants awarded.

  • ITEF establishes its first brick and mortar office.

  • Lean into Learning professional development grants are launched.

  • Catapult technology infrastructure grants are introduced.

  • ITEF celebrates four decades of innovation and impact in education.