School grants offer much-needed financial help for schools

^[1]School funding is a challenge even in the post prosperous of times, especially when it comes to ed tech–technology is always changing, and maintaining or upgrading initiatives, tools, or resources is not always free. Many educators and administrators rely on school grants to fund important projects and opportunities for students.

Each month, eSchool News compiles a list of new education grant opportunities. This month’s grants address learning environments, innovation, and more.

Check out these funding opportunities for teachers, students, parents, and administrators–there’s likely to be a grant that’s relevant to your needs.

(Next page: January’s funding opportunities)

Steelcase Education Active Learning Center Grants

Steelcase Education announced a new grant program to provide active learning spaces to schools across North America. The Active Learning Center (ALC) grant program enables educators to implement active learning initiatives by leveraging physical classroom space. A selection of schools will be chosen to receive a new classroom design based on active learning research with Steelcase furniture and technology. Applicants to the program will be asked to describe their approach to active learning and how a new classroom will positively impact teaching, learning and support active pedagogies. Grantees will be selected based on their commitment to active learning strategies, how they will measure success and how they will share their learnings with the broader education community. Steelcase Education is accepting grant proposals now through the end of February 2015. Grades six through twelve and college and university classrooms are eligible. Grantees will have the opportunity to install one of three Steelcase learning environments: a Verb classroom, a Node classroom or a Blended Learning classroom.
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2015
For more information and details on how to apply, visit our Grants & Funding page ^[2].

Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Mini-Grants

The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation created Mini-Grants: awards of up to $500 given to public schools and public libraries for projects that foster creative expression, working together and interaction with a diverse community. EJK Mini-Grants give educators, whose efforts are often inadequately funded or recognized, a opportunity to design and implement a great program—whether a special activity outside the standard curriculum or one that helps meet its goals.
Deadline: March 16, 2015
For more information and details on how to apply, visit our Grants & Funding page ^[2].

ALA Collaborative School Library Award

The Collaborative School Library Award recognizes and encourages collaboration and partnerships between school librarians and teachers in meeting goals outlined in Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Programs through joint planning of a program, unit or event in support of the curriculum and using school library resources. The applicants will be a school librarian and teacher(s) who have worked together to execute a project, event, or program to further information literacy, independent learning, and social responsibility using resources of the school library.
Deadline: Feb. 1, 2015
For more information and details on how to apply, visit our Grants & Funding page ^[2].

Henry Ford Foundation Teacher Innovator Awards

Do you know a teacher who has inspired others
to challenge the limits of what’s possible? Who
encourages others to create bold solutions? The Henry Ford Foundation is looking for teachers who demonstrate ingenuity and resourcefulness, who approach teaching and learning creatively, and who are using the classroom to inspire innovation, creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. The Teacher Innovator Awards recognize the nation’s most innovative educators.
Deadline: Feb. 6, 2015
For more information and details on how to apply, visit our Grants & Funding page ^[2].