Education Grants

Billions of dollars are awarded each year for grants for education. Both the federal government and private foundations consider education a high priority for grant funding. Some of these federal awards are large and are given to an entire School District.

However, there are also grants from local government, foundations, and companies for individual teachers and classrooms. Any teacher who is connected with a school or non-profit education program is eligible to apply.

Education Grants for Classrooms

School teachers have become grant writers to access resources for their classrooms. There are hundreds of small grant programs to help teachers purchase curricula, supplies, or take their students on a field trip. There are dozens of web sites devoted to sharing grant opportunities with teachers.

Finding education grant opportunities is as simple as an Internet search. But it takes time to sort through the opportunities to find a good fit. Programs that teach science, mathematics, computer science, or technology have a number of grant programs. These grant opportunities are designed to help their students gain skills to be competitive in the workplace.

Applying for classroom grants is supposed to be a simple process. Usually applications are submitted via an online form. However, teachers are busy at work and usually do not have time reserved for grant writing. Therefore, teachers who are willing to put in extra hours are the ones who have the chance to win grants.

The best way to win a classroom grant is to have a compelling need and then tell a good story of how the education grant money will be used. Principals and school administrators can help with grant writing by providing statistics about the school.

Grants for Teacher Development

There are also education grants for teacher training and development. The National Education Association (NEA) has a grant competition for teaching excellence. These grants can fund teacher training and professional education development.

There are also federal tuition grants for students studying to be teachers. The TEACH grant is awarded to students who then must complete 4 years of teaching in a high need field (e.g., reading, math) in a school with low-income students. To apply, a student must talk to their financial aid office and fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Grants for Education Technology

There are several grant opportunities for technology such as computers and software. These grants are provided by government agencies, non-profits, and select corporations. Technology grants are among the most competitive because of the great demand. Therefore, entire schools, non-profits or School Districts have a better chance of funding than individual teachers. However, it the students are low-income, there is a better chance for funding.