Grants, Awards & Freebies

Fermilab is looking for applications for the Teacher Research Associates program. The program provides outstanding science, mathematics, computer science and technology teachers with professional summer research experiences in science, engineering or technology. Associates receive a salary of $1,040 weekly. Eligibility: Full-time 7th- through 12th-grade public, private and parochial schoolteachers with primary teaching assignments in science, math, computer science or technology education. Teachers must be assigned a full-time teaching load during the academic years prior to and following the appointment.

DEADLINE: Feb. 16. You will be notified in March of your acceptance. Program dates June-August.
CONTACT: tainternships@fnal.gov; Fermilab.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History seeks nominations for the National History Teacher of the Year award program. The program recognizes exceptional K–12 American history teachers across the country. The national winner chosen from among state winners receives a $10,000 prize presented at an award ceremony in their honor in New York City. State winners receive a $1,000 prize, an archive of classroom resources, and recognition at a ceremony in their state. Eligibility: Any full-time educator of grades K–12 who teaches American history (including state and local history). The nominated teacher must have at least three years of classroom teaching experience and be planning to teach for at least one year following the award year.

DEADLINE: March 31.
CONTACT: info@gilderlehrman.org; Gilder Lehrman.

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators requests applications for the Amber Brown Grant program. The program commemorates author and school speaker Paula Danziger by providing a school with an author or illustrator visit and new books to continue Paula’s love of connecting children with creative influences. Funds: One school will receive an all-expenses-paid visit by a well-respected children’s author or illustrator. The chosen school will also receive a $250 stipend to create a memorable day and $250 worth of books by the visiting author/illustrator. Eligibility: K–12 schools.

DEADLINE: April 15.
CONTACT: Amber Brown Grant.

The English Speaking Union will be offering two scholarships for the Teachers Learning Abroad program this summer in the United Kingdom. TLab scholarships are for New York middle and high school teachers to attend summer courses at Shakespeare’s Globe, the University of Oxford or the University of Edinburgh. Courses are geared toward teachers of English, humanities and theater/drama. The first scholarship will cover the recipient’s tuition fee, accommodations and most meals. The second scholarship is for $1,000 and will go toward the recipient’s tuition.

DEADLINE: Feb. 6.
CONTACT: English Speaking Union.

Fund for Teachers is seeking applications for its 2020 grant program. The program supports self-designed fellowships for teachers to enrich their practice, support student success and strengthen schools and communities. Funds: $5,000 grants for individuals and $10,000 grants for teams. Eligibility: Full-time pre-K–12 teachers who spend at least 50 percent of their work week in direct classroom instruction, will return to the classroom in the consecutive school year and have at least three years of experience.

DEADLINE: Jan. 30
CONTACT: Fund for Teachers

Evergreen Packaging and KidsGardening.org are accepting entries for the annual Carton 2 Garden Contest. The contest awards $1,000 to $5,000 prizes to K–12 schools for garden creations featuring creative and sustainable uses for repurposed milk and juice cartons. Schools must collect and use at least 100 cartons for their creations. Schools with the most unique carton creations will be selected as winners. Your school does not need a garden to participate.

DEADLINE: Entries due April 1; winners announced April 30.
CONTACT: Carton 2 Garden

The L.I.F.T. Foundation is accepting applications for its minigrants program, which seeks to support educators in underserved and often underpaid communities with the purchase of classroom supplies and books. Grants range from $100 to $500. Eligibility: K–12 educators.

DEADLINE: Applications accepted throughout the academic year.
CONTACT: rsklift@gmail.com; L.I.F.T. Teacher Grants.

Educators are invited to an introduction of The Constitution Works program. TCW curriculum provides age-appropriate (grades 5–12) case materials, aligned with new DOE learning standards, developed around each of the three branches of government. Students are introduced to constitutional issues as they take on a role of attorney or Supreme Court justice in a First Amendment Supreme Court case, or as a senator applying the 14th Amendment to debate a bill in a Senate hearing. Students will study landmark Supreme Court cases and learn to apply the rules and laws established by the precedent cases to hypothetical fact patterns provided. In the culminating “role play” activity, at the U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Court in downtown Brooklyn, students will apply what they have learned in front of their teachers, family and friends. The professional development session will be held during the fall and spring semesters of this school year. A $765 fee includes professional development training, one class set of textbooks, one teacher’s manual and one role play at the bankruptcy court.

CONTACT: The Justice Resource Center at 212-580-5905; theconstitutionworks1989@gmail.com or the Justice Resource Center

Rakuten OverDrive announced that library patrons and students of participating public libraries and schools can borrow and read digital versions of Pokémon Adventures and Pokémon movie adaptations of manga titles published in English by VIZ Media. Public library patrons can access the titles via the Libby app or access them on a computer browser. Students of participating schools can use Sora, the student reading app, or obtain access via a computer browser.

CONTACT: OverDrive.

The Earthwatch Institute’s Teach Earth Fellowship program offers teachers the opportunity to step out of the classroom for an outdoor environmental learning experience. Fellows will embark on a fully funded seven- to 14-day science learning and professional development experience in natural landscapes on an Earthwatch Expedition. Eligibility: K–12 teachers. Fellows will also participate in five workshops led by an experienced senior fellow on transitioning the field experience to the classroom and will become part of the Teach Earth Alumni Network.

DEADLINE: 2020 deadline TBA; check the website and sign up to be notified when the application goes live.
CONTACT: info@earthwatch.org; Earthwatch.