A Guide to the NEA Foundation: Grants and Fellowships for Public Education

Are you a teacher in search of grant opportunities that will allow you to provide your students with a better education? The NEA Foundation is an excellent place to start your search, whether you’re looking for opportunities to implement a new program or immerse yourself in a professional development fellowship. Keep reading to learn more about the NEA Foundation’s mission and values, their programs and grants, and sources for other educational grants.

What is the NEA Foundation?

The National Education Association (NEA) Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting public education and educators. At their core, the Foundation works to ensure all children can benefit from quality public education. Though they are based in Washington, DC, the NEA Foundation operates throughout the nation to promote equal education access and advocate for education policy.

Examples of NEA Foundation programming include the Travelers Awards for Teaching Excellence and Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence, which recognize exceptional educators who demonstrate leadership in the community and embody values of equity and inclusion. Their site also hosts a Global Resource Learning Resource Library of resources developed by NEA fellows. The library includes lesson plans for each grade level as well as strategies and tools for educators in subjects like English, Science, Social Studies, Math, and more. Resources in the library are available for free for other educators to reference and utilize.

What types of grants does the NEA Foundation offer?

As the philanthropic branch of the National Education Association, the NEA Foundation offers a handful of grants and fellowship opportunities. For grants, you can apply for up to $5,000, and the application window opens through summer and early fall. Here’s a glance at some of their programs:

Envision Equity Grant

Envision Equity Grants are intended to support the implementation of projects or programs that equip students with greater cultural awareness, civic engagement knowledge, and anti-racism learnings.

Learning & Leadership Grant

Learning & Leadership Grants are awarded to educators who are seeking to learn new skills and strategies that will enhance the education they provide. These grants are awarded to individual educators or groups who are seeking funding to access professional development opportunities or conduct research.

Student Success Grant

Student Success Grants are awarded to projects and programs that target the development of key academic and life skills, such as communication, cultural learning, and problem-solving. Through these grants, the NEA foundation seeks to promote projects and programs that inspire passion and enthusiasm for learning in students.

Global Learning Fellowship

The Global Learning Fellowship is a year-long program that aims to immerse educators in collaboration with their contemporaries. With their cohort, fellows strategize methods for providing a more holistic, worldly education to their students. NEA Foundation fellows journey to another country for field study, meet with other teachers and community leaders, and participate in workshops. Fellows also contribute their findings to the aforementioned Global Learning Resource Library.

Who is eligible for NEA Foundation grants?

NEA Foundation grants are available to teachers, education support professionals (ESPs), and specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) who are NEA members. Qualifying applicants should be a part of a public education institution. ESPs are especially encouraged to apply. These applicants qualify as “Lead Applicants,” but they may partner with others to submit a proposal.

Where can I find other education grants?

The NEA Foundation recommends other grant opportunities related to education, including more specialized grants related to different educational subjects or accessibility in education.

Or, check out our free online directory of thousands of grant opportunities and in-kind donations for all your fundraising needs!

Final Thoughts

The NEA Foundation has a variety of opportunities and resources which support educators dedicated to making a difference, including awards, grants, fellowships, and a resource library. Given their clear commitment to improving public education, the NEA Foundation could be an ideal funder for your next curriculum-enhancing project.

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