Competitive Grants

  • A competitive grant awards funds on the basis of a competitive process. The applications go through a formal review process in light of the grant requirements and selection criteria established for a program. The review process allows for discretion to determine which applications best address the program requirements and are, therefore, most worthy of funding.

    If there is an external or competitive grant you are interested in applying for, you must first seek permission from the district to apply for the grant on behalf of Columbus City Schools.  

    NSHSS Advanced Placement Educator Grants

    Amount: Five grants of $1,000 are awarded

    Description: The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) offers Advanced Placement (AP) Educator Grants that support AP instruction in any subject area.  Grants may be used for supplies, materials, field trips, and other resources that enhance AP Courses.

    Eligible applicants are any educators teaching an AP course.  Applications must be submitted online.

    Eligibility: Public, Private, Charter

    Deadline(s): Applications are due September 15, 2023

    Grade Level(s): 9-12, Adult

    Themes and Skills: Information Literacy

    Website: https://www.nshss.org/educators/grants/nshss-advanced-placement-ap-educator-grant/

    Contact: National Society of High School Scholars, 1936 N. Druid Hills Road, Atlanta, GA  30319

    Phone: 866-343-1800

    Email: information@nshss.org

    School Bus Transportation Grant Program

    Description:  The program is designed to help schools defray bus transportation expenses to the Ohio Statehouse.  The grants are based on one-mileage from your school to Columbus.  Grants are limited to Ohio students in the 4th through 12th grades during the 2023/2024 school year.  Classes below 4th grade are not eligible.  Only one grant will be awarded to each school, regardless of the number of buses or students.  Grant applicants must have a minimum of 20 students in their tour group in order to receive transportation funding.

    Check the box on the online application that corresponds to the distance, one-way, from your school to the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.  Please note that the boxes indicate milage for one-way trips.

    Mileage for a one-way trip from your school to the Ohio Statehouse

    0 to 50 miles...............$200.00

    51 to 100 miles...........$300.00

    101+ miles..................$400.00

    Applications must be submitted, online by an authorized teacher or school administrator (click link below).  Only online applications are accepted September 11-18, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjK3QgUhk7pDeGkMSWJyw_FYv7d6mDGNQM2vnPFFBB_rSZDg/viewform

     

    ONGOING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES  (Rolling)

    American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation Grant

    Amount: Varies, but the average award is $10,000

    Description: Funds can be used for needs like meal programs or for learning initiatives like reading programs.

    Who Qualifies: Teachers and educators who work for nonprofit schools, libraries, community centers, or other nonprofit organizations

    Deadline: Applications are accepted in February of each year.

    Youth Career Exploration and Employment Skills Training Grants

    The Subaru Foundation of America awards grants to support two types of programs, Youth Career Exploration and Employment Skills Training. Career exploration programs should target students in middle school and high school from underserved communities with opportunities for relevant, experiential activities that address hard and soft skills for job and career success. Employment skills training programs should target individuals aged 16 to 26 in underserved communities with training in hard and soft work skills, support for internships that can lead to employment, and assistance in obtaining  industry-required certifications for employment. There are two grant cycles yearly and organizations are limited to one request per 12-month period. 

    Focus:  Career and College Readiness, Career and Technical Ed (CTE), Interning/Mentoring/Apprenticeship, Technology Equipment/Devices, Underserved Populations/At Risk Awards vary.    Applications are due March 30 and October 12, annually

    MicroGrant Program for Educators & Teachers

    • Sponsor: Educators of America
    • Award: Equipment (varies by request)
    • Number of Awards: Not specified
    • Application Deadline: Ongoing (twice per year, April and September)

    Regie Routman Teacher Recognition Grant

    Amount: $2,500

    Description: The International Literacy Association (ILA) awards this grant to help teachers improve writing and reading education in their classrooms.

    Who Qualifies: K-8 teachers who serve high-needs schools. The ILA defines a high-needs school as one where 60% or more of students receive free or reduced lunch. You’ll also need to be an ILA member to apply.         Deadline:  June 1 each year

    STEM + Computing Grant

    Amount: Varies, depending on your project

    Description: The STEM + Computing (STEM+C) grant is awarded by the National Science Foundation. The grant is designed to encourage integrated STEM+C learning for students. Teachers or schools who want to apply should propose a project integrating these areas with the goal of improving student learning.

    Who Qualifies: K-12 teachers              Deadline: July of each year, usually mid-month

    SCA Grants

    Description:  Sony Corporation of American and its operating companies offer funding to programs that support education and creative, artistic, technical, and scientific skills that are necessary for tomorrow's workforce.  Previous education grants have funded a wide range of environmental media teaching and research projects; meaningful environmental education events and programs; quality education programs for at-risk students; arts and arts education; equipment for educational nonprofits and academic institutions, including major colleges and universities across the country; youth mentoring educational program to teach students about workplace etiquette and various careers available in the technology and entertainment industries; and multiple other mentoring opportunities, including one-on-one, school-based, or in the workplace.

    *Requests for funding must be submitted using the online application portal, which requires an account to access

    Website:  https://www.sony.com/en_us/SCA/social-responsibility/giving-guidelines.html

    Eligibility:  Public, Private, Charter, Other (including homeschool, 501 (c)(3) organizations)

    Awards:  Awards vary

    Deadline:  Requests are accepted year-round

    Focus:  Environmental Education, General Education, Technology Education/Computer Science

    Grade Level:  6-8, 9-12, Higher Ed, 3-5, K-2, PreK

    Content Area:  Arts, Science

    Themes and Skills:  Environmental Literacy

    Education Grants, Savros Niarchos Foundation

    Description:  The Stavros Niarchos Foundation awards grants to fund projects in education as well as arts and culture, health and sports, and social welfare.  Previous education grants have been awarded to colleges, schools, mentoring programs, and "edible schoolyard" gardening programs.  Applications must be submitted online.

    Award(s):  Vary

    Deadline:  Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

    Focus:  Disaster Relief (COVID-19), Family/Social Services, General Education, Professional Development, Sports/Esports/Recreation, Technology Equipment/Devices, Underserved Populations/At Risk

    Grade Level:  PreK, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Adult, Higher Ed

    Classroom Technology Grants

    Amount: $250-$5,000

    Description: Educators of America offers these grants to help get updated technology to teachers and classrooms. Funding can be used for interactive whiteboards, laptops, or tablets for student use and more.

    Who Qualifies: K-12 teachers                      Deadline: Rolling. Applications are reviewed four times a year in January, April, July, and October

    Verizon Foundation Education Grants

    Amount: Varies

    Description: Verizon’s education grants are meant to be used to enhance STEM programming at schools throughout the country. This can include funds for extracurricular activities, integrated programming, and teaching education. Funds can’t be used to purchase classroom computers.

    Who Qualifies: K-12 teachers                      Deadline: Rolling

    Arts Fund

    Amount: Varies

    Description: The Arts Fund is one of five “Spotlight Funds” from Adopt a Classroom. Unlike Adopt a Classroom’s typical crowdfunding model, Spotlight Funds let teachers apply for grants and get funding for specific school needs. Money from the Arts Fund can be used toward art supplies, musical instruments, theater costumes, and more.

    Who Qualifies: K-12 teachers                     Deadline: Rolling

    Target Field Trip Grants

    The Target Field Trip Grants Program was designed to help teachers bring learning to life for students and enhance classroom studies. The grants can be used to cover the cost of transportation, entry fees, supplies, and classroom resource materials so that teachers may continue using the valuable experiential learning gained from math and science, language, social studies and arts-focused field trips. The maximum award is $700.

    Fender Music Foundation Grants [arts]

    Fender Music Foundation grants are awarded to music academies, schools, local music programs, and national music programs across America, particularly in-school music classes in which the students make music; after-school music programs that are not run by a school; and music therapy programs, in which the participants make the music. The foundation provides musical instruments and/or equipment.  Deadline:  Rolling 

    Safeway Foundation Grants

    The Safeway Foundation seeks to fund nonprofit organizations that have programs that align with its four priority areas: hunger relief, education, health and human services, and assisting people with disabilities. Maximum award: Grant amounts vary for organizations that are national in scope, but a first-time funded organization will typically receive a grant of $10,000 to $25,000. Eligibility: 501(C)(3) organization located in an area where there are Safeway stores.  Deadline:  Rolling

    Share Our Strength: No Kid Hungry Grants

    Share Our Strength awards grants to eligible organizations involved in increasing access to summer meals programs supported through the Summer Food Service Program or the National School Lunch "Seamless Summer" Program; educating and enrolling more eligible families in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program; increasing the availability of school breakfast through alternative models such as "in-classroom" breakfast and "grab-n-go" breakfasts; increasing access to afterschool snack and meal programs, as well as child care programs, supported through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP); and advocacy around any of the above anti-hunger issues. Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: nonprofit organizations and schools in the U.S.            Deadline:  Rolling

    Chef Ann Foundation and Healthy Skoop’s Project Produce: Fruit and Veggie Grants for Schools

    The Chef Ann Foundation and Healthy Skoop have teamed up to launch Project Produce: Fruit and Veggie Grants for Schools. These $2,500 grants will help schools increase kids’ access to fresh fruits and veggies and nutrition education. Proposed projects must be planned with the intention of offering activities to all students in the school building.  Deadline:  Rolling

    SC Johnson’s Education Grants

    SC Johnson foundation makes grants in the areas of arts, culture, and humanities; community and economic development; education; health and wellness; social services; and environment and sustainability. Education Grants include support for programs that emphasize student academic achievement, with a focus on academic enrichment and advancement, early childhood, and kindergarten through grade 12 education; postsecondary institutions; and technical and vocational schools.  Deadline:  Rolling

    Erie Insurance Giving Network

    Erie Insurance supports organizations in the communities where Erie Insurance has presences in these community areas of focus: community building, arts and culture, education, health and human services, safety, disaster relief, and environmental responsibility. Priority is given to organizations that ensure their governing bodies include representatives from the communities they serve. Applications must be submitted online.

    Focus:  Arts, Science

    Applications for requests up to $10,000 are accepted year-round

    https://www.erieinsurance.com/givingnetwork/

    Cornell Douglas Foundation Grants

    The Cornell Douglas Foundation offers small grants to non-profit organizations that work to advocate for environmental health and justice, promote stewardship, and encourage respect for sustainability. With grant amounts averaging $10,000, the Foundation supports programs in environmental health, sustainability, and education for elementary and high school students.  Deadline:  Rolling

    Teaching Tolerance Educator Grants

    Teaching Tolerance support projects that “create affirming school climates and educate young people how to thrive in a diverse democracy.” Ranging from $500 to $10,000, grants fund projects at the school, classroom, and district levels. Projects at the school and district levels should focus on improving school climate, responding to and preventing incidents of hate, and embracing principles of tolerance and inclusion. At the classroom level, grants should help teachers promote empathy and kindness, positive identity development, and critical thinking. Deadline: Rolling

    Amgen Foundation Science Education Grants

    With a mission to inspire future innovators and inventors, the Amgen Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations that advance scientific education at local and national levels. Two main funding priorities are professional development opportunities in math and science for teachers, and pivotal hands-on science experience for students. Award amounts range from $10,000 to multi-million dollar grants. Deadline:  Rolling

    Guitar Center Music Education Grants

    The Guitar Center believes that music “inspires creativity and personal expression, builds self-esteem and teaches cooperation.” To that end, Guitar Center considers requests from 501(c)(3) organizations that support music education for all young people. Deadline: Rolling

    Comprehensive School Safety Initiative Grants

    The Sidgmore Family Foundation offers grants to nonprofit organizations that work to improve the quality of education and develop creative solutions to social problems. Among others, previous projects have furthered gender equality in education, invested in early childhood education to close the achievement gap for underserved youth, worked to end teen dating violence and abuse, developed career and professional skills through internships and mentorship, and offered English language programs for immigrant families.              Deadline:  Rolling

    Farrell Family Foundation’s Education Grants

    The Farrell Family Foundation wants to create a better world by supporting initiatives in education, health, and the arts. The Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations with a proven history of purpose and impact. The Education Grants focus on technology and ideally will serve underprivileged children by giving them the support and resources they need in order to fulfill their potential.          Deadline:  Rolling

    Naiku Innovative Teacher Grant

    Deadline: Ongoing (approx. 10 awards per month)

    Sony Grants for Education

    Deadline: Ongoing (grants awarded on a rolling basis)

    Fund for Teachers: Grants

    The Fund for Teachers provides funds for direct grants to teachers to support summer learning opportunities of their own design. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: teachers who work with students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, with a minimum of three years teaching experience, full-time, spending at least 50 percent of the time in the classroom at the time grants are approved and made.   Deadline:  Varies by State

    Adobe: ConnectED software grants

    As part of the White House's ConnectEd initiative, Adobe is offering creative tools and teacher professional development to schools across the United States. Maximum award: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Presenter, Adobe Captivate, Adobe Echosign, and a range of teacher training resources. Eligibility: public, state-operated, county-operated school, or BIA schools at the elementary or secondary school level that receive Title I funds. Deadline:  Rolling

    Wish You Well Foundation: Grants for Literacy

    The Wish You Well Foundation's mission is to foster and promote the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs. Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline:  Rolling

    US Department of Education’s Carol M. White Physical Education Program

    The Carol M. White Physical Education Program provides grants to local educational agencies and community-based organizations to initiate, expand, or enhance physical education programs, including after-school programs, for students in kindergarten through grade 12. Grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting state standards. Projects must be designed to help students meet the state’s physical education standards by undertaking instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition and at least one of the authorized physical fitness activities.      Deadline:  Rolling

    Tina B. Carver Fund

    Established in memory of a longtime English as a Second Language (ESL) educator, Tina B. Carver Fund provides grants to teachers for funding student classroom learning materials and teacher materials. Grants are available to members of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or its affiliates. The grants must be submitted on behalf of community-based organizations, charitable institutions, or non-profits with 501©(3) status. Awards are based on itemized expenses for materials to be purchased with the grant. Applications must be submitted online.    Deadline:  Rolling

    Educational Assistance and Training Programs

    The Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF) encourages the creation and expansion of learning experiences and opportunities at the primary, secondary, and higher education levels, particularly for minority and disadvantaged students. Areas of special interest to CICF include educational and training programs designed to improve literacy, teach basic life skills, promote good citizenship and public services, and increase reading, mathematics, and science proficiencies.       Deadline:  Rolling

    PPG Industries Foundation Education and Community Grants

    The PPG Industries Foundation favors projects that promote academic excellence and prepare the next generation of leaders in business, science, and technology. Support for students of high academic achievement and programs that attract young people to the study of science remain priorities for the foundation. PPG’s strategy for support of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives is defined by the emerging macro trends that predict core markets, product offerings, and technology needs.             Deadline:  Rolling

    CVS/Caremark Community Grants

    CVS/Caremark Community Grants fund programs for children with disabilities under age 21; academic and enrichment programs at public schools; and programs that provide access to quality health care services and health education for at-risk and underserved populations of all ages. The maximum award is $5,000.  Deadline:  Rolling

    Webb Family Foundation Education and Youth Grants

    The Webb Family Foundation supports programs and projects that target underserved children and youth and provides grants related to education, youth development, career and workforce readiness, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, STEM, digital and blended learning, and youth mentorship. Recent grants have funded a college success program and support of charter schools working to close the achievement gap for low-income students.            Deadline:  Rolling

    Emeril Lagasse Foundation Youth Education Grants

    The Emeril Lagasse Foundation provides grants related to nutrition and culinary education, life skills development, childhood hunger, and arts education. The grant-making focus is on mentorship and opening employment opportunities for underserved, undereducated, and at-risk youth; healthy living through nutrition; access to nutritious food for at-risk children; and creative teaching in and out of school. Eligible applicants are nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and kindergarten through grade 12 schools.              Deadline:  Rolling   

    American Honda Foundation's Youth Education Grants

    Honda aims to help meet the needs of American society in the areas of youth and scientific education by awarding grants to nonprofits, while strategically assisting communities in deriving long-term benefits. Honda supports youth education with a specific focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in addition to the environment. Maximum award: $75,000. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) public charity or a public school district, private/public elementary or secondary school as listed by the NCES.            Deadline:  Rolling

    Corning Foundation

    Description: Selected elementary and secondary schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions of higher learning are the consistent beneficiaries of Corning Foundation support. Corning's areas of involvement have included community service programs for students, curriculum enrichment, student scholarships, facility improvement, and instructional technology projects for the classroom.

    Application Form Required? Yes   No          Detailed proposal required

    Funding Amount: Varies.

    Deadline: Contact for deadline.

    corning.com/inside_corning/foundation.asp

    Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.

    Description of Grant: Toyota sponsors the Toyota TAPESTRY program that offers grants to k-12 science teachers for innovative projects that enhance science education in the school and/or school district. Projects are funded in the environmental science education category that emphasize the efficient use of natural resources and protection of the environment. Students participating in these projects should gain an increased awareness of the terrestrial, aquatic, and/or atmospheric environment and an understanding of their own interdependence with the natural world.

    Funding Amount: Up to $2,500 for mini-grants, $10,000 for larger grants.

    Deadline: Contact for deadline.

    https://www.toyota.com/usa/community/index.html#!/grant-guidelines-and-applications

    Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Grants 

    Award:  No more than 10% of an organization's annual operating expenses or 25% of the total budget for the project being funded; awards have ranged from the hundreds to the millions of dollars.
    Number of Awards:  Varies 
    Qualification:  Project should "directly serve or impact children living in urban poverty, particularly in the areas of education, family economic stability (including micro finance) and childhood health."              Deadline:  Ongoing

    https://www.msdf.org/apply/ 

    Toshiba America Foundation Grant

    Amount: Varies

    Description: Sponsored by technology company Toshiba, these grants are designed to help teachers bring their STEM learning ideas from concept to classroom. Funds are designed to be used for a specific goal or project and not for classroom supplies.

    Who Qualifies: Middle and high school teachers

    American Honda Foundation STEM Grants

    Sponsor:  American Honda Foundation
    Award:  $20,000 to $75,000
    Number of Awards: Not specified
    Application Deadline:  Feb. 1 and Aug. 1 for new organizations; May 1 for returning organizations 

    Mobile Beacon Connect for Success 

    Sponsor:  National Education Association Foundation
    Award: Up to 25 laptops and 4G LTE hotspots with free 4G LTE high-speed internet service for 12 months
    Application Deadline:  Ongoing (quarterly) 
     

    MicroGrant Program for Educators & Teachers

    Sponsor:  Educators of America
    Award:  Equipment (varies by request)
    Number of Awards:  Not specified
    Application Deadline:  Ongoing (quarterly: January, April, July, October) 
     

  • In order to apply for any external, competitive grants on behalf of Columbus City Schools or as a CCS employee you must first go through the grant approval process.