Category Archives: Education

The Les Paul Foundation

The Les Paul Foundation upholds the legacy of legendary inventor and guitarist Les Paul by supporting music education, innovation in music production, and hearing related medical research.

Applications are due twice a year on January 15th and September 15th. First time grants are generally $1,500 – $2,000, but there is no maximum or minimum.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the United States, such as:

  • Music education organizations
  • Public and private schools
  • Museums

Program Types

Examples of programs eligibile for funding under this grant include:

  • STEM/STEAM programs that emphasize innovation and align with Les Paul’s work
  • After school science and music programs that align with Les Paul’s work
  • Music recording and music industry education programs
  • Museum exhibits about Les Paul with collaboration with Foundation
  • Medical research on hearing impairment and tinnitus

All applications must describe how their project will be used to share Les Paul’s story.

Submission

Completed applications can be emailed to info@lespaulfoundation.org or faxed to 212-687-4457. Please include a copy of your IRS determination letter.

TJX U.S. Foundation

TJX is the parent company of U.S. retailers T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Sierra, Home Goods, and Home Sense. Their U.S. Foundation supports projects that help children and families build a better future.

Letters of Inquiry may be submitted at any time to express interest in funding. Full applications are by invitation only.

Eligibility

This grant is open to organizations that:

  • Have been a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit for at least 1 year
  • Provide services within 15 miles of a TJX store, distribution center, or office
  • Have not received funding from TJX in the past year

Program Areas

  • Basic needs – food, clothing, and shelter
  • School success programs – opportunities for at-risk, pre-K through 12th grade youth to access programs
  • Workforce readiness training – for at-risk youth ages 16-24
  • Safety from domestic violence – shelter, prevention, and services

Ineligible Expenses

The TJX U.S. Foundation does not fund:

  • General operating funds
  • Capital campaigns
  • Salaries
  • Scholarships
  • Sponsorships

American Association of University Women: Community Action Grants

The American Association of University Women was founded in 1881 to assist women in higher education and encourage more women to pursue college degrees. They continue this legacy through their Community Action Grants, which support projects to promote education and equity for women and girls.

Awards of $3,000 – $10,000 are available for Project support or General operating support. Applications are accepted each year August 1 – December 1.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Individuals
  • 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
  • Universities
  • AAUW branches
  • AAUW state organizations

Grant Types

  • Project support – all eligible applicants may request project support to fund specific programming
  • General operating support – Nonprofits may request general operating support to fund indirect expenses to further their overall mission

Allowable Expenses

Project Support

Project support funds may be used for:

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  • Professional fees or honoraria
  • Temporary clerical assistance
  • Facility leases
  • Equipment
  • Transportation
  • Food and lodging
  • Postage and shipping
  • Office supplies and printing
  • Audiovisual materials
  • Advertising

Projects support funds may not be used for:

  • Salaries or stipends
  • Tuition
  • Scholarships
  • Construction or renovations
  • General operating expenses
  • Fundraising

General Operating Support

The use of general operating support is largely at the grantee’s discretion. Examples include:

  • Budgetary gaps
  • Supplementing salaries and benefits
  • Overhead expenses
  • Technology
  • Communications
  • Fundraising

Selection Criteria

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All submission will be reviewed based on:

  • Relevance to the AAUW mission
  • Strength of the applicant’s work and project rationale
  • Clarity and creativity of the work or project design
  • Sustainability and impact
  • Feasibility
  • Strength of the evaluation plan
  • Strength of the dissemination plan
  • Overall proposal quality
  • Potential to leverage additional funds and/or involve the community
  • Individual or organization’s leadership are from underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds

National Youth Leadership Council: Youth as Solutions

The National Youth Leadership Council has been supporting youth development through service learning for over 40 years. Their Youth as Solutions program provides funding and training for projects in Education Equity, Community Health, and Environmental Justice.

Awards of $250 – $1,000 are available for teams in the United States. Applications are due by September 13, 2023 at 11:59 PM CT.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Public K-12 schools
  • Public school districts
  • Not-for-profit private schools
  • 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations

All teams must have an adult leader and at least two youth leaders in grades 6-12.

Allowable Expenses

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Grant funds may be spent on:

  • Direct project expenses
  • T-shirts and other swag
  • Food for meetings
  • A team celebration at the end of the project

Grant funds may not be used for:

  • Indirect expenses
  • Salaries

The Award

In addition to funding, grantees will receive:

Project Areas

Education Equity

Education in Action teams work with K-12 students and teachers to increase educational equity. They investigate their community’s needs and formulate actions to address them.

Community Health

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Project Ignition teams develop strategies for promoting teen-driver safety. They study the issues facing their communities and work with community partners to develop solutions to Distracted Driving or Seatbelt Use.

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice teams focus on issues surrounding climate change and how they impact their local communities. Example projects include creating a community garden, planning bike paths, or advocating for solar lights.

Hearst Foundations

Since their founding in 1946, the Hearst Foundations have awarded over $1.4 billion in grant funding to 6,300 organizations in the United States. Their focus areas are Culture, Education, Health, and Social Service.

Applications are accepted on a continual basis for awards of $100,000 or more. The Board meets to approve grants in March, June, September, and December

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations with annual operating expenses of more than $2 million.

Allowable Expenses

Allowable expenses vary by focus area. However, grant funds may not be used for:

  • Seed money or pilot programs
  • Advocacy or public policy research
  • Established programs without proven long-term impact
  • Festivals, tours, conferences, workshops, or seminars
  • Radio, film, or television production
  • Special events, tickets, tables, or advertising for fundraising events

Focus Areas

Culture

Image by Niki Dinov

Supported organizations under Culture include arts schools, ballets, museums, operas, performing arts centers, symphonies and theaters. Grant funding may be used for programming, capital expenses, and general and endowment support, on a limited basis.

Preferred projects include:

  • Arts education that fills the gaps in K-12 arts programming
  • Artist development and training
  • Projects that advance learning in science, technology, engineering, environment, arts, and math

Education

Support under Education is primarily directed to higher education, but exceptional projects in early childhood and K-12, as well as professional development, will also be considered. Grant funds may be spent on programming, scholarships, capital expenses, and general and endowment support, on a limited basis.

Preferred projects include:

  • College access and college success programming
  • Higher education programs and scholarships
  • Programs for the next generation of health professionals
  • Programs that develop career pathways in STEM
  • Professional development for educators

Health

Image by Stefan Schranz

Supported organizations under Health include top regional hospitals, medical centers, and specialized institutions serving high-needs communities. Programs that increase the number of healthcare educators, practitioners, and researchers are also eligibile. Grant funds may be used for programming, capital expenses, and endowment support, on a limited basis.

Preferred projects include:

  • Increasing healthcare access for low income and/or rural populations and veterans
  • Providing mental health care
  • Scaling more efficient healthcare delivery methods
  • Developing and providing specialized care for the elderly

Social Service

Supported organizations under Social Service are directly addressing the roots of chronic poverty. Priority will be given to programs that have proven effective at increasing economic independence and strengthening families and that can be scaled. Grant funds may be used for programming, capital expenses, and general operating costs.

Preferred projects include:

  • Affordable housing
  • Youth development
  • Job creation and training
  • Legal aid
  • Assistance to domestic violence survivors

Evaluation Process

  • Step 1 – Program staff will review each proposal and discuss which will be forwarded to the Board. This generally takes 4-6 weeks.
  • Step 2 – An in-person or virtual site visit will be conducted and relevant experts will be consulted.
  • Step 3 – The Board meets in March, June, September, and December for final approval
  • Step 4 – Grants are awarded

Applicants should expect the entire process to take approximately 6 months.

National Council on Problem Gambling Agility Grants

Agility Grants from the National Council on Problem Gambling provides support for problem gambling prevention programs. Grants are separated in two pillars – Prevention Innovation and Prevention Amplification

Awards are typically $20,000 – $40,000 for projects that will take place January 1 – December 31, 2024. Applications are due by August 22, 2023 and grantees will be announced in October.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations located and working in the United States.

Membership in the National Council on Problem Gambling is not requried.

Pillars

Prevention Innovation

Prevention Innovation focuses on developing inventive new prevention programming, expanding established programs that have shown positive results, and conducting research to support those programs.

Prevention Amplification

Prevention Amplification focuses on finding and supporting new leaders and partnerships in the field of gambling prevention. Strenghtening the voices of youth and people of color is a priority.

Target Audience

Programs supported by an Agility Grant should concentrate on one or more of the following audiences.

  • Middle school students
  • High school and college athletes
  • Marginalized communities, particularly communities of color

The target audience is also separated into primary and secondary levels.

  • Primary level – individuals who have never gambled
  • Secondary level – individuals who have limited experience with gambling

More Information

Office hours will be available by appointment August 1-21. Register for your 30 minute consultation.

Sam and Mary Lawrence Foundation Sea2Earth Fund

The Sam and Mary Lawrence Foundation was founded in 1986 to build a culturally rich society and environmentally sustainable world through education, advocacy, and direct support. They established the Sea2Earth Fund in 2023 to assist others doing this work.

Awards of up to $25,000 are available for an 18 month period; most grants will be $2,500 – $10,000. Letters of interest are due via email by September 10, 2023. Organizations selected to submit a full proposal will be notified on October 10th and proposals will be due by November 10, 2023.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations.

Allowable Expenses

Expense Types

Grant funds may be used for:

  • Operating support
  • Capital expenses

Activities

Grant funds may be used for:

  • Environmental education
  • Youth development
  • Habitat restoration
  • Conservation activities
  • Community gardens
  • Activities that connect people of all ages with nature

Submission

Letters of interest should be sent to sea2earthfund@gmail.com.

NEA Foundation: Student Success Grants

Student Success Grants from the NEA Foundation fund educators helping their students develop the skills to succeed in a changing world. Awards of $1,500 – $5,000 are available for a performance period of 12 months.

Applications for the current cycle will close on September 15 and applicants will be notified on November 15.

Eligibility

Applicants for this grant must be:

A partner must be designated to take over the project from the lead applicant if necessary.

Non-NEA members can participate in the project, but can not be the lead applicant or partner.

Allowable Expenses

Grant funds may be spent on:

  • Technology
  • Supplies
  • Equipment
  • Resource materials
  • Transportation
  • Professional development

Grant funds may not be spent on:

  • Indirect costs
  • Salaries
  • Grant administration
  • Lobbying
  • Religion activities

Note: Although a portion of the grant may be spent on professional development, the majority of funds must be spent on resources and supplies to directly benefit students. If you’re looking for support for professional development, try the NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grant.

Selection Criteria

All applications will be assessed for:

  • Challenging and rigorous goals for student learning
  • Student engagement in (A) critical thinking and problem solving, (B) mastery of essential academic content, (C) developing communication and collaboration skills, and/or (D) project-based learning based on real world issues
  • Alignment between goals, activities, budget, and assessment
  • Level of collaboration
  • Sustainability (either by project team or other educators)
  • Methods for addressing inequity

Climate Smart Humanities Organizations Grant

The Climate Smart Humanities Organizations Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities supports strategic planning by humanities organizations to adapt to climate change and minimize their own impacts on the climate. Activities are divided into Mitigation and Adaptation, but applicants are encouraged to address both areas in their project.

The NEH anticipates awarding 20-30 grants of up to $300,000 each for a period of up to 24 months. Recipients are required to provide a 1:1 match in non-federal, third party funds, which must be raised by March 31, 2025. Applicants have the option to submit a draft by August 9, 2023; final versions are due by September 14, 2023 through Grants.gov.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
  • State and local governments
  • Federally recognized Tribal governments
  • Institutions of higher education

The applicant or one of its subunits must work primarily in the humanities and support research, education, preservation, or public programming.

Two or more organizations may also apply as a consortium.

Allowable Expenses

Grant funds may be spent on:

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  • Salaries for key personnel and others
  • Consultants
  • Participant/trainee support costs
  • Equipment
  • Equipment or facility rental/user fees
  • Materials and supplies
  • Travel
  • Publication costs
  • Automated Data Processing (ADP)/Computer services

Grant Activities

Mitigation

Funded mitigation activities may include:

  • Comprehensive energy audits
  • Calculating the organization’s carbon footprint
  • Testing HVAC, natural gas, water, and other systems to improve efficiency
  • Installing equipment to measure consumption

Adaptation

Funded adaptation activities may include:

  • Examining location specific risks such as sea level rise or wildfire
  • Assessing building and grounds’ ability to withstand current and future climate events
  • Data collection on weather, temperature, etc. to model future conditions
  • Evaluating the impact of climate change on programs, i.e. location, time of year, etc.

Review Criteria

All applications will be reviewed based on:

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  • Humanities significance and impact
  • Institutional commitment
  • Quality of the plan
  • Work plan and budget
  • Quality of the project team
  • Plan assessment, dissemination, and next steps

The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations

Since 1952, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations have awarded over $300 million in grants to more than 3,800 organizations in the United States. They give in five different program areas, two of which – Interfaith Leadership and Religious Literacy and Private Higher Education – accept funding requests.

Letters of Intent are due by 5:00 PM ET on August 25, 2023. Invitations to submit a full proposal will be issued on October 6 and full proposals will be due November 9. Funding is typically for a 1-2 year time period, but longer grant periods may also be approved.

Eligibility

This grant is open to

  • 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
  • Institutions of higher education

Allowable Expenses

Funding is generally for specific projects and not general operating support. Grant money may not be used for:

  • Scholarships
  • Endowments
  • Direct service
  • Capital projects
  • Indirect costs more than 5% of request

Program Areas

Interfaith Leadership and Religious Literacy

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The United States is one of the most religiously diverse countries in history, which can be seen as a challenge or an opportunity. This program area funds projects that promote religious literacy as well as conversations and collaborations across different faiths. Awards are typically $100,000-$300,000, but there is no cap on requests.

Applicants may submit proposals for any project that advances these goals. However, they are particularly interested in the following topic areas.

Interfaith Leadership and Religious Literacy on Faith-Based Campuses

Projects under this topic should focus on increasing religious literacy, which the Harvard Divinity School defines as:

  1. A basic understanding of the history, central texts (where applicable), beliefs, practices, and contemporary manifestations of several of the world’s religious traditions as they arose out of and continue to be shaped by particular social, historical, and cultural contexts. 
  2. The ability to discern and explore the religious dimensions of political, social and cultural expressions across time and place.  

They should also encourage interfaith engagement with the goal of producing future leaders who pursue such partnerships during their careers.

Collaborations between Campus Student Groups

Partisanship and polarization are an unfortunate fact of life in the United States. The college years are among the most important for learning about other points of view, because students are naturally surrounded by a diverse group of people. Projects under this topic should promote bringing diverse members of the student population to engage with and learn from each other.

Religious Inter-Group Dialogue on Campus

Projects under this topic should bring students of different and/or no religious affiliations together for moderated, face-to-face dialogues. These can be curricular or extracurricular.

 Private Higher Education

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Arthur Davis’s time at Amherst College taught him the importance of a liberal arts education. The breadth of his learning there helped him succeed in many different roles in life and to support organizations that make a liberal arts education possible for more students. Awards are typically $25,000-$300,000, but there is no cap on requests.

Applicants may submit proposals for any project that advances these goals. However, they are particularly interested in the following topic areas.

Advocacy for the Liberal Arts

The PVD Foundations welcome projects that present opportunities for more students to participate in the liberal arts, regardless of their major. They also encourage programs for educating on the benefits of the liberal arts.

Civil Discourse on Campus

Projects under this topic should create opportunities for respectful conversations across social, political, and religious groups. These can be curricular or extracurricular.

Purpose-Oriented Education

Projects under this topic should develop programs and courses that help students develop a sense of purpose. This purpose may be related to their future job, but can also focus on social roles, such as their place in the community.