Browse Category: Funding Search

Most Popular Funding Opportunities Last Month

In the previous month, educators were looking for funding opportunities in the areas of arts, technology, academic achievement, and more. Check out which grants GetEdFunding educators viewed the most in February.

Brady Education Foundation Education Grants

The Brady Education Foundation seeks to close the achievement gap for children at risk for poor school outcomes due to environmental factors associated with living in poverty. The foundation is focused on the development and evaluation of programs that are consistent with a strength-based approach and show promise of being feasible, effective, and sustainable. 

Deadline: Stage one applications are due April 1, August 1, and December 1, annually.

Initial Teaching Alphabet Foundation

The Initial Teaching Alphabet (i.t.a.) is a phonemic alphabet based on the phonemic sound system of the English language. It was designed to present the beginning reader and writer with a logical and reliable reading and writing system. The foundation promotes literacy through the use of the i.t.a. to help students perform better in school, have a healthy self-image, and become lifelong learners.

Deadline: Letters of Intent are due April 1, annually.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Program

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research supports educational and workforce development initiatives in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) targeting kindergarten through grade 16 and adult learners. Proposal plans in a range of size and complexity may establish, build, or maintain educational pathways and space-related workforce opportunities addressing the scientific and technical areas identified in the program solicitation. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider underrepresented and underserved populations including women and minorities. Special audience priority areas may include, but are not limited to, military connected students, veteran initiatives, and education systems integral to Air Force science and technology.

Deadline: Applications are due April 14, 2023.

The Charles Lafitte Foundation Education Grants

The Charles Lafitte Foundation (CLF) supports innovative and effective ways of helping people help themselves and others around them to achieve healthy, satisfying, and enriched lives. The foundation supports organizations working in four main areas: education, children’s advocacy, medical research and initiatives, and the arts. CLF helps individuals gain access to schools, from preschool through college, by issuing grants and taking an active role in exploring new approaches to education.y. 

Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round.

Fluor Foundation Education Grants

Fluor Foundation makes grants that support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in communities where the company operates. Priority is given to programs that inspire and prepare students to excel in STEM and are committed to developing the next generation workforce, improving teacher effectiveness with emphasis on STEM student proficiency and persistence, and cultivating leadership skills in youth.

Deadline: Letters of Inquiry are accepted year-round.

Teach Self-Management Skills

4 Ways to Personalize Learning and Teach Self-Management Skills

Although education has undergone rapid changes in the past few years, many of the processes have stayed the same. At this year’s Future of Education Technology ConferenceAlberto and Mario Herraez, also known as the eTwinz, opened with this thought starter in their Thursday session, “Fostering Self-Regulation Skills and Personalized Learning in an Elementary Setting.”

The Herraez twins noted that technologies have changed with time — from photocopies to Microsoft OneNote — but the delivery process remains the same for many schools. Teachers deliver information to students, who are expected to absorb and remember the lessons.

The Herraezes shared strategies they used when working as fifth and sixth grade educators in Utah. They argued that personalizing learning and teaching students self-management skills prepares them for the workforce they’ll one day enter. They cited data from the World Economic Forum’s 2020 report “The Future of Jobs,” which showed the increased demand for employees with self-management skills.

As they explained the ways they incorporated these pedagogies and skills into their classrooms, the Herraezes encouraged districts to follow their example.

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covid funding cliff

K-12 Schools Share Their Strategies for Addressing the Coming Federal Funding Cliff

The COVID-19 pandemic essentially ended the conversation about whether school districts should embrace one-to-one programs that put a computing device into the hands of every student.

“During COVID, a large number of individual devices were deployed,” says Amy McLaughlin, Cybersecurity Initiative director at the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). “We exited the conversation of, ‘Should we do one-to-one?’ and entered the conversation of, ‘How do we maintain one-to-one?’”

Historically, many school districts have struggled to build device refresh cycles into their operating budgets. Often, new interactive displays or laptops are bought with one-time, nonrecurring funds, such as bond money for a school building project. More recently, schools received multiple rounds of federal government funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, the Emergency Connectivity Fund, and other grants to make necessary ed tech purchases.

As McLaughlin notes, the lifecycle for mobile devices such as laptops and tablets is much shorter — about three years, she suggests — than the lifecycle of a school building. In a 2022 CoSN survey, 75 percent of districts said federal economic stimulus funds were significant for supporting hybrid learning. Of those that relied on emergency funding for IT initiatives, 60 percent used the money to purchase devices.

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Most Popular Funding Opportunities Last Month

In the previous month, educators were looking for funding opportunities in the areas of arts, technology, academic achievement, and more. Check out which grants GetEdFunding educators viewed the most in December.

Focus on Education & Technology/Innovation Grants

The Charles Koch Foundation awards General Grants that apply to all of the foundation’s key focus areas, which include Education and Technology/Innovation. Grants support research in the focus area, with emphasis on innovative solutions that spur social progress and widespread benefits. Education may address any aspect of helping individuals unlock their potential. Technology & Innovation proposals may also address a wide spectrum, including the challenges of adapting to change created by technology.

Deadline: Proposal applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Education and Workforce Development

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: Education and Workforce Development Program supports the development of the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences.

Deadline: March 20, 2023.

Create Action Grants

The Sony Create Action program seeks grant applicants committed to serving their local communities in areas such as science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics; academic enrichment; workforce development; and nonprofit services for underserved and underrepresented groups.

Deadline: Applications are accepted monthly until the final deadline of March 31, 2023.

GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants

The ScottsMiracle-Gro Foundation provides Grassroots Grants to bring the life-enhancing benefits of youth gardens to communities across the United States. Awards provide funding for the development of new and expansion of existing youth garden programs and greenspaces serving 15 or more youth. Winners will be selected based on their commitment to the maintenance and sustainability of their garden program, including plans for growth and future fiscal stability.

Deadline: Applications are accepted from January 3 to February 10, 2023.

Technology Education Grants

The Rural Technology Fund awards Technology Education Grants to support projects in rural areas that deliver technology education resources for computer science and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education classes and extracurricular activities with the goal of enabling rural students to better recognize and explore technology careers and pathways to the computer industry..

Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Most Popular Funding Opportunities Last Month

In the previous month, educators were looking for funding opportunities in the areas of arts, technology, academic achievement, and more. Check out which grants GetEdFunding educators viewed the most in October.

SCA Grants

Sony Corporation of America focuses the majority of its charitable giving on art, culture, technology, and the environment, with a particular emphasis on education in each of those areas. While support in other areas may also be considered, the company seeks to apply its financial, technological, and human resources to the encouragement of the creative, artistic, technical, and scientific skills required of tomorrow’s workforce.

Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round.

Store-Based Giving Grants

Ross Stores, Inc. Foundation provides support for youth-oriented programs and services that prepare today’s youth for a bright tomorrow. The foundation makes Store-Based Giving Grants in the areas of building academic achievement and life skills in economically disadvantaged youth.

Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round.

Direct Grants

The Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation makes Direct Grants in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, especially blue-collar and nontraditional STEM programs; energy conservation and environmental concerns; and local communities.

Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round.

Education Grants – BAE Systems

BAE Systems’ Community Investment awards grants to community-based organizations that support education in the target areas of early childhood, kindergarten through grade 12, higher education, and programs that advance learning in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

MONAT Gratitude Grants

MONAT Gratitude, Inc. awards MONAT Gratitude Grants with the goal of helping children, families, and communities thrive. Funding supports new and existing programs in three areas: arts and culture, youth sports and recreation, and youth entrepreneurship.

Deadline: Applications are accepted October 3 through November 18, 2022; and February 2 through March 2, 2023.

Most Popular Funding Opportunities Last Month

In the previous month, educators were looking for funding opportunities in the areas of science, math, leadership, arts, and more. Check out which grants GetEdFunding educators viewed the most in the month of September.

Education Grants, Fluor Foundation

Fluor Foundation makes grants that support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in communities where the company operates. Priority is given to programs that inspire and prepare students to excel in STEM and are committed to developing the next-generation workforce, improving teacher effectiveness with emphasis on STEM student proficiency and persistence, and cultivating leadership skills in youth.

Deadline: Letters of Inquiry are accepted year-round.

Toshiba America Grant Program for Science and Mathematics Educators

Toshiba America Foundation accepts applications from teachers who are passionate about making science and mathematics more engaging for their students. The foundation seeks to support teachers by providing funds to support classroom projects. The foundation strongly encourages projects planned and led by individual teachers or teams of teachers for their own classrooms.

Deadline: Deadlines vary.

SCA Grants

Sony Corporation of America focuses the majority of its charitable giving on art, culture, technology, and the environment, with a particular emphasis on education in each of those areas. While support in other areas may also be considered, the company seeks to apply its financial, technological, and human resources to the encouragement of the creative, artistic, technical, and scientific skills required of tomorrow’s workforce.

Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round.

Education Grants, The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation supports programs in arts, community, education, environment, health care, and peace. Recent awards were made to programs supporting high school music, leadership, and youth development.

Deadline: Applications are due October 31, 2022.

Store-Based Giving Grants

Ross Stores, Inc. Foundation provides support for youth-oriented programs and services that prepare today’s youth for a bright tomorrow. The foundation makes Store-Based Giving Grants in the areas of building academic achievement and life skills in economically disadvantaged youth.

Deadline: Applications are accepted year-round.

2021 Survey Results

New Survey Results from GetEdFunding

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, most educators who used GetEdFunding (GEF) found it an intuitively easy and effective way to supplement shoestring budgets for technology and other needs. During the pandemic, many of them found the funding opportunities provided by GEF even more relevant and accessed them even more frequently than before.

These were among the findings of a 2021 survey conducted among 64,000+ users of GetEdFunding.com, a vetted collection of thousands of relevant and innovative grants and awards sponsored by CDW-G, a leading provider of educational technology.

A total of 501 respondents from 46 U.S. states and the District of Columbia—a representative sample of the site’s users—answered the Zarca Interactive online survey between March 9 and April 30, 2021.

Grade levels for which participants are responsible span the education spectrum.  Distribution was close to even among K–12 grades, which comprised the bulk of respondents. In addition, 22 percent were connected with PreK and 18 percent with higher education—a six percentage point increase over the proportion in the most recent prior survey, conducted in 2019. Percentages are based on multiple responses to grade levels for which respondents are responsible.

Technology grants high on educators’ wish lists

More than a third of participants in the survey—36 percent—have job titles indicating likely interest in grants for technology purchases. These include educators directly involved in the grant process (writers, administrators and coordinators), technology administrators and staff (CIO/CTO, IT managers, technology integrationists, coordinators, directors, and support staff), as well as library/media specialists.

Twenty-eight percent say more than 25 percent of their technology budgets come from outside sources, such as grants, PTAs, local corporations and other sources.  Thus, technology needs are high on the list of subject/content areas for which users are most interested in getting grants:

  • STEM, 25 percent
  • Technology, 23 percent
  • Literacy, 17 percent
  • Career and college readiness, 12 percent
  • At-risk students’ education, 11 percent

Major new funding sources emerged not long before the survey was conducted: the $54.3 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund II (ESSER II), made available as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021. After the survey began, billions of dollars more became available through the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER) and the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III), also authorized under ARP.

Ninety-five percent of those surveyed anticipate using ESSER II funds. Number one in expected usage—voted on while the pandemic was in full force—is cleaning/sanitizing products, 46 percent. But technology-related categories are the next three: laptops, second at 41 percent of responses, followed by infrastructure to support remote learning, 40 percent, and Internet hotspots, 37 percent.

Users say GetEdFunding is easy, intuitive way to find grants

Sixty-two percent have applied for funding opportunities, and of those, 51 percent found those opportunities on GetEdFunding. And of those respondents, 56 percent received grants. Sixty-nine percent of users say GetEdFunding is an easy, very intuitive way to identify the kinds of grants they want.

Forty-seven percent of respondents have applied for six or more grants in their career. Ten percent have not sought grants. Their reasons for not applying include:

  • Lack of time, 39 percent—down 13 percentage points from the 2019 survey
  • Hard to identify appropriate opportunities, 38 percent
  • Often don’t find out about opportunities until it’s too late to apply, 33 percent
  • The grant application process is intimidating, 23 percent
  • We do not have personnel to undertake the grant writing process, 15 percent
  • Our school/district/campus budget suffices to meet any needs, 13 percent—up 10 percentage points from 2019.

Forty percent are with a school, district, campus or organization that has a grant writing specialist on staff or an individual who works with it to identify and prepare applications—up 11 percentage points from 2019.

But comments from the educators indicate a continued need for an easy, effective way to access grants such as those they can find on GetEdFunding:

“Typically, an individual applies on his own time. Not much support from a team.”

“I am a board member and so volunteer my time to grant writing. I am not a formal or educated grant writer, so it is all a learning process.”

“We can ask for assistance from the district grant specialist, but she rarely replies.”

On the other hand, some respondents seem to have access to clearly understood grant writing roles and procedures, enhancing their ability to use the kind of grant information GetEdFunding provides. A sample comment:

“1. A formal request for grant research, review, or development is made and approved by administration 2. Grant writer receives the request and reviews a grant program, researches grants, or develops a grant application 3. Grant writer completes the request and the administration decides next steps 4. Grant writer works with staff to develop grant applications 5. Grant application is submitted; if awarded, program staff manage the award.”

Top ways in which GetEdFunding users find out about the site are:

  • Referred by a friend or colleague, 24 percent
  • Search engine, 24 percent
  • Received an email, 16 percent

Relevancy rating of GEF newsletter soars to 90 percent

In addition, 56 percent of respondents get the GetEdFunding newsletter, and 63 percent of them say its length is “just right.” Of those who answered a question about grant opportunities featured in the newsletter, 90 percent rate them as relevant to extremely relevant, up from 75 percent in 2019. Thirty percent subscribe to the Discover GetEdFunding Blog, and 99 percent find its content relevant to extremely relevant, up from 92 percent in 2019.

Happy with their own GetEdFunding results, 71 percent of respondents are extremely or very likely to recommend the site to their colleagues:

  • Users have referred an average of one to three colleagues to GetEdFunding, while six percent have steered more than 16 to the site. 
  • Respondents have forwarded opportunities they found on the site to an average of one to three colleagues. Ten percent have referred such opportunities to more than 16 others.

Fifty percent say social media are very or extremely important to their work/professional life.  Of 12 social and professional networking websites listed, the top five with which respondents have an account are:

  • Facebook, 76 percent
  • LinkedIn, 62 percent
  • Instagram, 54 percent
  • Twitter, 51 percent
  • Pinterest, 48 percent

The order remains the same when users are asked which social networking service they would use for work/professional reasons if they could only use one. The leaders are:

  • Facebook, 27 percent
  • LinkedIn, 25 percent
  • Instagram, 11 percent

Sixty-three percent say they are very or extremely likely to use a social networking site in a typical week. The most popular purposes for using them are:

  • Exchange of information with peers, 54 percent
  • Professional networking, 45 percent
  • Personal professional development, 44 percent

Supercharge Student Engagement with Esports

Esports is best defined as competitive video games. Games that can be considered esports require skill and are usually played in teams, though some are also single player. When on a team, esports athletes fill certain roles much like traditional sports. Teams are usually formed by students or a staff member who has an interest in gaming or simply wants to see students working together using gaming.

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Scam Alert

How to Spot a Scam Grant

Editor’s Note: This blog was originally posted in October 2017. We are reposting it in light of recent grant scams. For example, the Joyce Foundation was recently the victim of a scam that involved Facebook accounts falsely claiming to be affiliated with the Joyce Foundation. The accounts were contacting individuals through Facebook Messenger and offering to provide them with cash grants from the foundation. Government grants have also been used as a front for fraudulent activity. Grants.gov has great information on avoiding government grant scams.

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