Grants, Awards & Freebies

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)’s English Language Arts Teacher Educators (ELATE), in conjunction with the National Writing Project, offers teacher grants of up to $1,000 to support research projects that further the spirit and scholarship of James Moffett, a champion of such ideas as student-centered curricula, writing across the curriculum and alternatives to standardized testing. Proposals must address a specific question or problem to be studied and provide a clear timeline for execution. 

DEADLINE: Sept. 15.
DETAILS: https://ncte.org/awards/elate-james-moffett-memorial-fund

The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) will award Experiential Learning Grants of $1,000 to two high school educators to support hands-on classroom projects that have real world applications. Registering as an NSHSS educator is required, and doing so is free and online. Applicants must respond to a written prompt and submit a principal’s recommendation, resume and color headshot to be considered. 

DEADLINE: Sept. 2.
DETAILS: https://www.nshss.org/educators/grants/grant-items/nshss-experiential-l…

A Social Emotional Learning Grant of $1,500 will be awarded to a high school educator by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). The grant is designed to create awareness of mental health issues and to effect change by promoting social-emotional curricula. Registering as an NSHSS educator is required, and doing so is free and online. Applicants must respond to a written prompt and submit a principal’s recommendation, resume and color headshot to be considered. 

DEADLINE: Aug. 19.
DETAILS: https://www.nshss.org/educators/grants/grant-items/nshss-social-emotion…

Classics for Kids Foundation provides funding to partially cover the purchase of violins, violas, cellos and/or double basses to schools that integrate classical instruments into their programs. Schools must be able to demonstrate a genuine need and a commitment to raise matching funds. Applications are accepted quarterly. 

DEADLINE: June 30 and Sept. 30.
DETAILS: https://classicsforkids.org/apply-for-a-grant

The ASM Materials Education Foundation’s Kishor M. Kulkarni Distinguished High School Teacher Award honors the accomplishments of a high school science teacher who has demonstrated a significant impact on students. Candidates must be actively employed full- or part-time high school teachers. Nominations must include two letters of recommendation. The award includes a cash grant of $2,000 plus reimbursement of travel costs up to $500 to attend the annual ASM Awards Luncheon. 

DEADLINE: June 30.
DETAILS: https://www.asmfoundation.org/awards/kulkarni

The Association of American Educators awards classroom grants of $500 biannually to full-time educators who work directly with students. Funding may be used for a variety of projects and materials, including books, software, manipulatives, art supplies, audio-visual gear and lab equipment. Funds must be used within one year of the application deadline. 

DEADLINE: Oct. 1.
DETAILS: https://form.jotform.com/242057235278155

Gravely & Paige Grants of up to $2,000 are awarded to middle school teachers to be used toward materials and resources to support STEM programs and activities. Schools with high economic need will be given priority consideration to support digital equity. Innovative distance and virtual learning projects and programs will be considered. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and a letter of recommendation from an applicant’s school principal is required.

DEADLINE: Ongoing.
DETAILS: https://www.afcea.org/gravely-and-paige-grants

The annual Sloan Public Service Awards honor six New York City civil servants who exhibit an extraordinary level of commitment to the public. They routinely step beyond the bounds of their job responsibilities to ensure New Yorkers’ needs are met. Members who are DOE employees are eligible. Award winners are thanked for their exemplary work through an official ceremony, a $10,000 prize and a commemorative video, portrait and brochure. You must be nominated to be considered. Nominations must include a description of the candidate, including significant career information, their particular achievements and the qualities the nominee embodies. If a nominee is not chosen in a particular year, names go into a reserve pool for future consideration.

DEADLINE: Ongoing.
DETAILS: https://www.fcny.org/sloan-public-service-awards

The Jan Stauber–Sherlock Holmes Literacy Grant provides grants of up to $1,000 for K–12 teachers and school librarians to encourage young people to read and to introduce them to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. Funding is given to design educational experiences and curricular materials related to Sherlock Holmes literature. While applications may be submitted at any time, once funds have been depleted for a particular school year, no additional grants will be considered until the following year.

DEADLINE: ongoing while funds are available.
DETAILS: https://www.beaconsociety.com/apply-for-a-grant.html

Materials for the Arts (MFTA) is a city-operated creative reuse center supporting the arts and sustainability and is open to Department of Education employees. Staff members at city schools may make an appointment to visit MFTA’s warehouse in Long Island City to choose from a wide array of free, donated materials such as paper, office supplies, craft items, beads, fabric and movie props to bring back to their schools or classrooms. Currently, 93% of DOE schools have MFTA accounts — you can check its website to see if your school has one. To make an appointment to “shop” at MFTA, ask your administrator to add you to your school’s authorized contact list and then access the MFTA portal using your DOE email and password. 

DEADLINE: Ongoing
DETAILS: https://www.nyc.gov/content/mfta/pages/receive-receiving-materials

The Awesome Foundation is a global community awarding $1,000 micro grants to people and groups working on awesome projects. These grants are not exclusively for teachers, but they may apply. The application deadline is the last day of each month. Tips for submissions are to be brief, unique and specific about how you would use the grant funds. If your project is not selected in a given month, you are free to reapply.

DEADLINE: ongoing, on a monthly basis
DETAILS: https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/nyc