Julie Kinnaird | May 21, 2019
Don’t let funding be a barrier to bringing the world to your classroom! Below are just a few grant opportunities that advance global learning in the classroom or support professional development. Some grants are smaller and may fund supplies, materials or technology, while others can be used by teams or individual educators to implement a global education initiative or an experiential or professional learning experience.
Bright Ideas Education Grants
Bright Ideas education grant program has expanded learning opportunities in North Carolina classrooms by awarding grants to K-12 teachers for innovative, classroom-based projects that would not otherwise be funded. Maximum grant amounts vary depending on the sponsoring local electric cooperative. Application period opened April 1. There is an early-bird deadline of August 15 and a final application deadline in many locations of September 23. Visit the Bright Ideas website for more information on the electric coops and application deadlines in your region.
Crayola Creative Leadership Grant
Champion Creatively Alive Children® grant opportunity! The 2019 program provides grants for innovative, creative leadership team building within elementary/middle schools. Grant applications typically open in December. Submit your application for the opportunity to receive a grant to help build your school’s creative capacity. In 2018 each grant-winning school (up to 20 grants awarded) received $2,500 and Crayola products valued at $1,000.
DonorsChoose.org
Donors Choose is an innovative program that matches U.S. teachers in need of funding for classroom projects with donors. Teachers post their projects and project budgets to the DonorsChoose.org website and people inspired by the project can contribute any amount towards making it happen. The new #ISeeMe campaign through Donors Choose is aimed at increasing the amount of culturally responsive materials in U.S. classrooms. In an effort to bring authentic diversity to classrooms where all students can see themselves, teachers can request funds to purchase books written by authors of color or other resources featuring figures from diverse backgrounds. Donated funds are matched in the #ISeeMe campaign by sponsors.
Fund for Teachers
Fund for Teachers (FFT) has awarded $30 million in grants to nearly 8,000 of America’s top educators. FFT honors the professionalism of dedicated teachers and values their judgment as to what best impacts their practice. All fellowships awarded are self-designed. The 2020 application will open on October 1. Applicants can apply as a team or for an individual experience.
McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation
The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation offered two grant programs. The Teacher Development Grants support small teams of teachers in the formation and implementation of groundbreaking k-12 classroom instruction. The grants provide opportunities for teachers to integrate fresh strategies that encourage critical inquiry and to observe their effects on students. The Foundation awards grants to individuals in amounts up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $30,000 over three years, provided the eligibility requirements continue to be met. The Academic Enrichment Grants provide funding for programs that nurture the intellectual, artistic and creative abilities of children from low-income households. The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation awards grants to individuals in amounts up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $30,000 over three years, provided the eligibility requirements continue to be met. One of last year’s recipients focused on global learning and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals! Application is available from January 15-April 15 each year (or when 350 submissions are received).
NC Council for the Social Studies (NCCSS) Grant
NCCSS provides grants of up to $1,000 to help teachers make an even greater impact in their classroom, school district, and community through innovative social studies programs. Grants are available for currently employed, licensed NC classroom teachers in grades K–12. Applicants must teach social studies (i.e., individually as a course, on an interdisciplinary team, as an elective in a social studies department, etc.) Applicants must be a current member of the NCCSS.
NEA Foundation
NEA’s Learning & Leadership grants support NEA members in public schools in their professional development, either independently or with a group of colleagues including summer institutes, conferences, seminars, travel abroad, curriculum development or research. Preference is given to proposals that incorporate STEM and/or global competence in their projects. Two levels of funding are available: $2,000 and $5,000. Application deadlines are February 1, June 1 and October 15.
P. Buckley Moss Teacher Grant
The P. Buckley Moss Teacher Grant program provides funding for art supplies for teachers. These grants, up to $1,000 each, are given annually. The purpose of the Teacher Grant is to support a new or evolving program that integrates the visual arts into education in the school classroom setting, with a special focus on those who learn differently. Teachers who are awarded grants have incorporated art projects into other curricula including math, science, and geography. Application period opens July 1 and closes September 30.
SupplyaClassroom.org
SupplyAClassroom.org (formerly known as the Kids In Need Foundation Teacher Grant Program) offers teachers the opportunity to apply to receive a Classroom Supply Box based on student need. Application includes a short essay outlining the impact the supplies will have for the classroom. The award is two boxes containing a predetermined assortment of essential items, including pencils, scissors, paper, and notebooks. Application opens in July.
Toshiba America Grants
Toshiba America Foundation provides teachers with additional funds to support classroom projects. The Foundation strongly encourages projects planned and led by individual teachers or teams of teachers for their own classrooms. Many successful grantees have designed projects that tap into the natural curiosity of their students, enable students to frame their own scientific questions, and incorporate the expertise of community partners. Grants are awarded for project-based learning projects in two categories Grades K-5 and Grades 6-12.
Looking for more ideas?
NC educator Andi Webb compiled an amazing list of over 200 funding and professional development opportunities for teachers. Read the TeachingTraveling.com interview here.
For a few ideas on education technology, STEM or STEAM grants check out these links:
https://www.stemfinity.com/STEM-Education-Grants
https://www.kajeet.net/extracurricular/10-new-grants-for-ed-tech
http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/grant_awards
https://teachergeek.com/pages/north-carolina
Join the closed FaceBook Group: Scholarships, Grants and Summer Institutes for Teachers. The Scholarships, Grants and Summer Institutes for Teachers is a group page for instructors looking for grant funding and stipends, opportunities for professional development, summer travel, job options, independent research, and graduate programs.
Ask a foundation to support your work. Click here for a list of the top forty giving foundations in North Carolina. If you are seeking strategies for incorporating federal funds and other sources into your school global learning plans? Check out Funding Global Learning in Schools from the Asia Society.