Grants & Funding Sources

Small requests can lead to major acquisitions. Size is irrelevant when it comes to seeking grant assistance. One has only to observe the success of the Olga Korbuts, Scott Hamiltons, and David Ecksteins of this world to realize that it is the “size of the fight in the dog” that determines outcomes. Small requests can lead to major acquisitions over time, and persistence is a hallmark of those who ultimately succeed. Some of the grant sources listed offer limited funds, but all are devoted to improving educational delivery systems.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a solicitation for grant applications under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant Program. The Labor Department will award approximately $500 million this year through the program and a total of $2 billion over the next four years. Grants will support the development and improvement of postsecondary programs of two years or less that use evidence-based or innovative strategies to prepare students for successful careers in growing and emerging industries. The program will be administered by the Labor Department in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education. 

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Toyota Tapestry Grants

These offerings open the way for a variety of science projects. More Information: www.nsta.org/pd/tapestry

Intel Schools of Distinction

Grants honor U.S. schools demonstrating excellence in math and science education through innovative teaching and learning environments. More Information: www.intel.com/education/schoolsofdistinction             

The Chisholm Foundation

Chisholm funds projects that have long-range possibilities. The foundation is eager to consider special projects such as “seed” or demonstration projects that, if successful, can be expanded and continued through the efforts of additional financial supporters. More Information: http://chisholmfoundation.org/

Build-A-Bear Foundation

The foundation provides direct support for children in literacy and education programs such as summer reading, early childhood education, and literacy for children with special needs. More Information: http://www.buildabear.com/shopping/contents/content.jsp?catId=400002&id=700013

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B Sec. 611 for Minnesota

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the nation’s special-education law. States receive federal funding through formula grants, but are required to provide free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Grants are provided to children from birth to 21 through either early intervention (age birth to 3) or a vast array of service for children age 3-21. Part B of the IDEA grant works to provide funding to local education agencies (LEAs) to supplement special-education programs for youths between the ages of 3-21. By enhancing professional development, performance goals, state assessments, programs and materials, integrated use of technology, and specialized personnel (social workers, psychologists, and physical therapists), IDEA Part B promotes an equal opportunity at education for students with disabilities. Contact: Mike Matlock, Mike.matlock@state.mn.us 651-582-8379.

Georgia-Pacific Foundation 

Georgia-Pacific Foundation funds opportunities that create a real impact and deliver tangible, sustainable results in those key areas that align with its philosophical principles and are the cornerstones of strong communities: education, the environment, entrepreneurship and community enrichment. More info: http://www.gp.com/gpfoundation/grantprocess.html

Braitmayer Foundation

This foundation supports curricular reform and professional development.
More info: http://www.braitmayerfoundation.org

Chevron Foundation

Chevron provides grants for partnerships between K-12 schools and local scientific organizations (museums, aquariums) to provide scientific exploration and discovery programs. More info: www.chevrontexaco.com/social_responsibility/community/annual_contributions.asp

Bechtel Foundation

The fund supports the notion that a nation’s strength is in the fields of engineering and science.
More info: http://www.sdbjrfoundation.org/

DuPont Community Outreach

DuPont supports an emphasis on developing strong science programs. More info: http://www2.dupont.com/Social_Commitment/en_US/educational/index.html

Halliburton Foundation

The Halliburton Foundation accepts grant proposals from U.S.-based nonprofit organizations that serve the following areas: education, health, and social services (health related). More info: http://www.halliburton.com/AboutUs/default.aspx?navid=992&pageid=2310

Office Depot Foundation

This foundation is pleased to work with organizations large and small to collaborate on programs and efforts that bring systemic change to the communities they serve. Grants range from $50 to $3,000. More info: http://www.officedepotfoundation.org/grant_guidelines.asp

Heineman Foundation

The purpose of the foundation is to provide seed money to start-up projects and new projects within existing organizations for a maximum of three to five years. Preference will be given to organizations that they have not previously funded. The average range of donations is $20,000 to $50,000 per year. More information: http://www.heinemanfoundation.org/

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

To ensure that all children get the development and education they need as a foundation for independence and success, Kellogg seeks opportunities to invest in early child development (ages 0-8). More information: http://www.wkkf.org/

Ashland Foundation

Ashland’s commitment to quality education is long-standing. They recognize the role education plays in developing a vital economy and the ways in which society as a whole benefits. Each year, approximately half of Ashland’s contributions target education-related issues.
More information: http://www.ashland.com/commitments/

Lilly Foundation

The Lilly Foundation seeks to strengthen public education in the United States, with an emphasis on science and math education.
More information: http://www.lilly.com/responsibility/foundation/

Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund

This foundation actively engages in conservation of land, water, and coastal resources and promotes environmental health.
More information: http://www.goldmanfund.org/html/home/home.html  

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Mott seeks to help appropriate models of development that protect the diversity and integrity of selected ecosystems in North America.
More information: http://www.mott.org/grantseeker.aspx

Turner Foundation

The goal of this program is to engage, organize, and empower new constituencies in order to ensure the future protection of our environment.
More information: http://www.turnerfoundation.org/about/index.asp 

Alcoa Foundation

Their grant-making focus centers on several distinct areas: conservation, safe and healthy children, and workplace skills. More information: http://www.alcoa.com/global/en/community/info_page/guidelines.asp  

Lattner Family Foundation

The foundation’s focus is on education, environment, health and social services, arts and humanities, and religion. More information: http://www.lattnerfoundation.org/  

National Environmental Education Foundation

Classroom Earth wants to help support teachers across the country who want to make environmental education part of their curriculum. Classroom Earth’s 2010 School Challenge provides grants up to $4,000 to help support innovative projects to incorporate environmental education into all subject areas. More information: http://classroomearth.org/challenge/2010

Dominion Foundation

The funding cycle is year-round and support is directed toward innovative educational curricula. Any of the Synergistic Learning Systems would fit the criteria described in this group’s brochure. More information: http://www.dom.com/about/community/foundation/index.jsp

Humana Foundation

The aim is to develop tools to improve literacy and increase the use of technology. More information: http://www.humanafoundation.org/

AT&T Foundation

The AT&T Foundation supports concepts that improve student achievement and increase the use of new technologies. Their belief is that math, science, and technology are the basic avenues to success in this emerging global economy. The passage of the Perkins Act opens a floodgate of requests to this foundation. Technology is the “paradigm” of this decade. More information: http://www.att.com/gen/corporate-citizenship?pid=7742

Abington Foundation

This foundation provides gifts for general development of educational programs. More information: www.fmscleveland.com/abington

OMNOVA Solutions Foundation

Special emphasis is placed on programs that develop skills for readiness that will contribute to future job success. More information: omnova.com/about/community/community.aspx

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

This foundation desires to provide grants for programs that have scientific impact. The group is primarily concerned with targeted results.
More information:www.moore.org

William T. Grant Foundation

Improving youth skills and relationships is the goal of this foundation. This is achieved through the implementation of quality systems and programs.
More information:wtgrantfoundation.org/

Carnegie Foundation

This foundation aims to stimulate scientific literacy and emphasizes the importance of coherent communication and eagerness to challenge students with advanced curricular materials. More information:http://www.carnegie.org/

Corning Foundation

Corning supports elementary and secondary education in 13 states and the District of Columbia. The foundation would be a great source as it is heavily concerned with instructional literacy projects. More information: http://www.corning.com/inside_corning/foundation.asp

Dekko Foundation

This foundation favors requests from the states of Alabama, Indiana, and Iowa. Dekko, too, favors early-learning and after-school programs. It is geared for preschool through age 18. The mission of any proposal must be strong and futuristic. Educational lexicon promotes robotics and early learning products as solutions to that end. More information: http://www.dekkofoundation.org

William & Flora Hewlett Foundation

Advancing technology and assisting Hispanic, disadvantaged, and underserved students are the primary aims of this foundation.
More information: http://www.hewlett.org

Motorola Innovation Generation Grants

As Motorola develops breakthrough technologies, The Innovation Generation Grants support breakthrough programs that use innovative approaches to develop interest in technology-related fields while strengthening leadership and problem-solving skills. More information: http://www.motorola.com/content.jsp?globalObjectID=8153

American Express Foundation

Serve youth, emphasize school-to-work efforts, and work experiences; build awareness about career and employment options for individuals facing significant barriers to employment; and provide education, training, and workplace experiences so they may actively pursue these options.
More information: http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/philanthropy/

AMD Corporate Foundation

AMD’s K-12 initiatives target programs that increase student interest and/or proficiency in literacy, math, science, and computer technology supporting effective classroom instruction. LEGO and Hearlihy offerings will produce results in most of these instructional areas. Applications are due twice a year: May 1 and Dec. 1. Funding decisions are communicated no later than six months following the application deadline. More information: http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/AboutAMD/0,,51_52_7697_7702,00.html

Coca-Cola Foundation

The Coca-Cola Foundation supports high-quality education and encourages new solutions to the problems that impede educational systems today. It also supports programs that have been proven to work such as Synergistic Learning Systems. More information: http://www2.coca-cola.com/citizenship/foundation.html

A.C Ratshesky Foundation

This foundation supports early education and after-school programs that utilize a variety of educational materials. Early education is a byword for many of the funding sources because of the apparent lack of readiness in too many children. More information: http://www.grantsmanagement.com/ratshesky.html

Adobe Philanthropy Council

Disadvantaged, education, and literacy programs benefit from this organization. More information: http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/philanthropy/index.html

American Honda Foundation Grant

Honda offers unique approaches to teaching and developing youth in minority and underserved communities. Deadline for application is November 1.
More information: http://corporate.honda.com/america

Amgen Foundation

Amgen is committed to raising the level of science literacy and attracting bright new minds to the study of science. More information: http://www.amgen.com/citizenship/corporate_philanthropy.html

Donors Choose

Teachers post their needs and donors donate to the projects they find worthwhile. More information: http://www.donorschoose.org/

Gilbert Foundation

Promotion of math and reading skills are priorities for this foundation. More information: http://www.gilbertfoundation.org/mission.php

RGK Foundation

RGK’s grants focus primarily on math, science, reading, teacher development, and literacy. Deadline is September 17. More information: http://www.rgkfoundation.org/public/guidelines

UPS Foundation

The UPS Foundation seeks to support programs that provide literacy skills. More information: http://www.responsibility.ups.com/Education

Dreyers Large Grant Foundation

Grants will be given to K-12 public education and programs that help students to succeed in core academic subjects and graduate to postsecondary education and/or vocational training. More information:: http://www.dreyersinc.com/dreyersfoundation/large_grants.asp

Kettering Foundation

The Kettering Foundation studies the relationship between the public and the education system, exploring practices that can help regain a sense of growth in the public schools. More information: http://www.kettering.org/

W. M. Keck Foundation      

Support is for organizations providing civic and community services, health care, early childhood, and pre-college education. More Information: http://www.wmkeck.org/

Alcatel-Lucent Foundation

The focus here is on education and volunteerism. More information:: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/foundation

Deluxe Corporation Foundation

Deluxe Corporation supports after-school academic enrichment programs in their areas across the U.S. More information:: http://www.deluxe.com/dlxab/deluxe-foundation.jsp

American Honda Foundation

http://corporate.honda.com/america/philanthropy.aspx?id=ahf    

Best Buy Children’s Foundation

Best Buy supports and strengthens communities by contributing to a variety of organizations and programs that foster engaged, fun learning experiences for children through the use of interactive technology. The deadline is November 1, 2011 More Information: http://www.bestbuycommunityrelations.com/our_foundation.htm  

Shell Science Lab Challenge

An NSTA competition for middle and high school teachers, the challenge provides needed science laboratory equipment to schools. More information: http://www.nsta.org/shellsciencelab/

LEGO^® Smart Creativity Contest

The contest is all about creativity, innovation, and hands-on learning requiring thinking beyond the books and focusing on the power of the brick. More information: http://aux.legoeducation.us/Forms/LEGOSmartContest.aspx  

Monsanto Fund

They seek the improvement of education in farming communities. It is aimed primarily at the St.Louis area but they do accept requests from across the country. More information: http://www.monsantofund.org/