The NEA Foundation Invests $261K in Educators' Ideas

The NEA Foundation, a public charity founded by educators for educators to improve public education for all students, announced that it is awarding 72 grants to public school educators across 31 states for a total of $261,000.

"We understand the importance of educator-designed lessons and are eager to support teachers and support professionals who are driving new teaching and learning endeavors," said Harriet Sanford, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation. "By directly funding educator-conceived and led projects, the Foundation enables educators to chart their own course to solve teaching and learning challenges."

The NEA Foundation awards two levels of grant funding, $2,000 or $5,000, for two categories of grants to public education professionals. Student Achievement Grants fund projects to improve student learning by engaging them in critical thinking and problem solving that deepens knowledge. Learning and Leadership Grants fund effective, high-quality professional development, such as professional learning communities, collegial study, conference attendance, and action research.

A team of 15 educators, many former grantees, carefully reviewed hundreds of applications and evaluated each one against a set of criteria. Funded educator grants were selected for the quality of the grant proposal ideas and their potential for enhancing educator leadership and student achievement.

Since 2012, the NEA Foundation has awarded more than $2.4 million in grants reaching more than 35,000 educators and 512,000 students in 49 states. Each year, the Foundation awards approximately 120 Student Achievement and Learning and Leadership Grants.

The NEA Foundation awards its grants to educators three times a year: June 1, October 15, and February 1. Application forms and step-by-step instructions on how to apply can be found in the Grants to Educators section of the NEA Foundation website.

ABOUT THE NEA FOUNDATION

The NEA Foundation is a public charity founded by educators for educators to improve public education for all students. Since our beginning in 1969, the Foundation has served as a laboratory of learning, offering funding and other resources to public school educators, their schools, and districts to solve complex teaching and learning challenges. We believe that when educators unleash their own power, ideas, and voices, communities, schools, and students all benefit. Visit www.neafoundation.org for more information.