May 2012
American Psychological Foundation
The American Psychological Foundation will accept applications for grants of up to $20,000 under its Pre-College Psychology Grant Program. These grants support schools and organizations that encourage high-school students to study psychology and pursue careers in the field. Applicants must be educational institutions or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or affiliated with such an organization. Go to http://www.apa.org/apf/funding/pre-college.aspx.
Deadline: May 1, 2012
Youth Service-Learning Projects
The State Farm Youth Advisory Board National Grant Program funds student-led service-learning projects throughout the United States. Specific areas of interest include natural and societal disasters, driver safety, environmental responsibility, accessing higher education/closing the achievement gap, and financial literacy. Educators working in public K-12, charter, and higher education institutions are eligible to apply. Nonprofit organizations are also eligible if they are able to demonstrate how they plan to interact with students in public K-12 schools. Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000. Visit the Youth Advisory Board website for application guidelines.
Deadline: May 4, 2012
ING Invites Grant Applications for School-Based Running Programs
Working in partnership with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, ING will provide a minimum of fifty grants (up to $2,500 to each school) to establish a school-based running program or expand an existing one through the ING Run for Something Better program.
The program is open to elementary and middle schools (K-8) in the United States. Schools must have at least twenty-five students in grades 4- 8 committed to their running program to be eligible. Qualifying running programs must last for at least eight weeks. Programs can take place in physical education class, during recess, before school, after school, or any combination of these. Programs may be facilitated by a physical education teacher, coach, classroom teacher, or school administrator. Programs should culminate in a running event as a final test to help participants realize what they have accomplished.
Awards are available to schools in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, but will be limited to no more than seven recipients per state.
Complete program guidelines, eligibility requirements, and the online application form are available at the ING Run for Something Better Web site. Link to Complete RFP (External)
Deadline: May 15, 2012
Captain Planet Foundation Offers Grants for Environmental Education Activities
Seed grants of $500 or less are available to United States-based schools and nonprofit environmental and educational organizations for hands-on projects that engage children and youth in improving the environment. Preferential consideration is given to applicants who have secured at least 50 percent matching or in-kind funding for their projects. (Projects with matching funds or in-kind support are given priority because external funding is a good indicator of the potential for long-term sustainability of the activities.) The foundation will on occasion consider grants of up to $2,500. Visit the CPF Web site for complete program guidelines and the application form.
Deadline: May 31, 2012; and September 30, 2012
June 2012
Touching Lives Through Theatre Grants
As many schools face budget cuts and are forced to cut or reduce their drama programs, some teachers are seeking outside funding to alleviate the strain. The intent of the Touching Lives Through Theatre Grants program is to support theatre in middle and high schools across North America. Applicants may request an amount between $100 and $500 to be used toward the production of a play or musical. Additionally, these funds may be requested for other Pioneer Drama Service resources, such as texts, instructional DVDs or makeup.
Applicants must have a designated faculty member sponsor for their theatre program. The school’s drama program must receive $500 or less annually from the school or district. Schools with no prior drama program are also eligible to apply.
Deadline: June 30, 2012
July 2012
Funding from BJ's Wholesale Club
BJ's Charitable Foundation is dedicated to enhancing community programs that benefit children and families in the communities served by BJ's Clubs throughout the eastern U.S. The Foundation funds several community-based initiatives, including education. The Education category promotes organizations that provide academic and vocational opportunities for the disadvantaged. Visit the company’s website to take the eligibility quiz, and if approved, submit an online application.
Deadline: July 6, 2012
In addition to the Foundation program, BJ’s has an “Adopt a School” program. Schools participating in BJ’s Adopt-A-School Giving Program receive: a one-time donation to use toward discretionary programs, such as field trips and special events, reading enhancement programs or other educational needs; a complimentary BJ’s Membership, providing access to low-cost, high-quality supplies; and invitations to BJ’s-sponsored events that promote good citizenship or build learning skills. Download the application form and e-mail to school@bjs.com to get funding for your school.
Deadline: Ongoing
Grants with Multiple Deadlines
Flextronics Foundation Grants
The Flextronics Foundation sponsors educational programs and other charitable activities where Flextronics employees volunteer their time, especially those organizations and programs that benefit students with socioeconomic issues, learning disabilities or handicaps. Applications are evaluated on a quarterly basis at the end of March, June, September, and December of each year. www.flextronics.com/about/flexfoundation
Deadline: Ongoing - Quarterly
National Education Association
The NEA Foundation has an extensive grant making program. Read about the various opportunities (.pdf)
Deadline: Ongoing
Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA's Explorer Schools Project offers free online resources to help science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators inspire and engage future scientists, engineers, and technicians. The Project gives educators of grades 4-12 access to NASA’s people, missions, research, and facilities. Free materials include online videos, training materials, lessons, live chats, and collaboration tools. Go to: Explorer Schools Project: Free Resources
Deadline: Ongoing
Free Baseball and SoftballEquipment
Batters Up USA provides free baseball and softball equipment (including bats, balls, tee ball sets, helmets, catcher’s gear, and bases) to local organizations. The company serves boys and girls recreational programs up to age 13. Priority will be given to programs serving a high percentage of youth in need, and after-school programs. Equipment will be provided on a first come, first served basis. Go to Equipment Grants at Batters Up USA.
Deadline: Ongoing
WaysToHelp.org Grants WaysToHelp.org invites teens in the United States to apply for grants to fund their community service ideas across any one of 16 issue areas. Students can design programs that focus on: the environment, such as recycling and clean water; democracy and equality, such as dropout prevention and gender equality; health, such as physical fitness or smoking cessation; and community issues such as crime prevention and drug abuse. You can apply for a grant, by visiting www.waystohelp.org and for any issue area, selecting “See Ways to Help” followed by “Apply for a Grant.” Applications are short – just 5,000 words or less – and should summarize how the project will involve others, who it will help, what effect it’s expected to have, when it will start and how the funds will be used. Grant requests are reviewed and responded to on a monthly basis. www.waystohelp.org
Deadline: Ongoing
Fender Music Foundation
The Fender Music Foundation selects music education programs from across the United States to receive packages of instruments and equipment valued at $500 to $5,000. Qualifying applicants are established, ongoing and sustainable music programs in the United States that provide music instruction for people of any age who would not otherwise have the opportunity to make music. The intent of the program must be music instruction, not music appreciation or entertainment, and the participants/students cannot be professional or career musicians. In order to be eligible for a grant, the instruments and/or equipment must stay in the program for the life of the instrument/equipment and must be played/used by the participants. Almost all of the programs to which grants are awarded fall into the following categories:
- In-school music classes, in which the students make music
- After-school music programs that are not run by the school
- Music therapy programs, in which the participants make the music
The first step in applying for a grant is the completion of the online Grant Candidate Form. If the program is selected, it will receive a link to the online grant application by email, and has one month to complete it. (Please note: It may take five months to receive notification that the program is selected, and programs that are not selected will receive no correspondence.) All programs that complete the grant application will be notified whether or not they are selected, once a decision is made.
Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps
The Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Grant Program is now accepting applications from aerospace science teachers for grants of up to $250 to support any aerospace education-related activity, from purchasing textbooks or videotapes to going on a field trip to an aerospace museum, Air Force base or other aerospace facility. Funds may not be used for purchasing uniforms, honor guard or color guard activities, etc. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
First Book
First Book is a nonprofit organization that annually provides millions of books to schools and programs serving children from low-income families. By providing new books to children in preschools and after-school programs, mentoring and tutoring programs, shelters and day care centers and beyond, First Book provides resources to empower teachers and administrators. The First Book National Book Bank distributes free books to programs that serve at least 80% children from low-income families, and makes books available at reduced cost (50–90% off retail price) to programs that serve at least 50% children from low-income families. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Robert H. Michel Special Project
The Dirksen Congressional Center has announced the resumption of its special project funding, now named the Robert H. Michel Special Project Grants. Through these financial awards, The Center will support work to enhance understanding of the U.S. Congress. Examples of eligible projects include efforts by teachers to develop creative ways to teach about Congress, conferences that bring together congressional scholars, the collection or publication of resources useful for research, and publications, especially those with appeal beyond academia. The projects must have as their central focus the U.S. Congress. Priority will be given to innovative endeavors that have the potential to reach a broad audience. As important and worthwhile as they may be, the following would not qualify for a Special Projects Grant: the development of teaching materials for a single classroom or school, field trips for students, service-learning projects, travel to conferences, the costs of professional development courses or workshops, and basic research projects. Individual awards will fall generally in the $2,500 to $5,000 range. Proposals are accepted at any time. A committee meets monthly to review proposals and make awards.
Annie's Homegrown
Annie's Homegrown offers up to $250 to community gardens, school gardens, and other educational programs that connect children directly to gardening. Funds may be used to buy gardening tools, seeds, or other needed supplies. Eligible applicants include K-12 schools and nonprofits. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.