Public education should stimulate students’ curiosity and excitement about learning. Student Success Grants supports educators who strive to implement innovative and effective forms of learning, helping students find joy in learning and achieve their potential.
Even during extraordinary times, educators remain dedicated to nurturing students’ knowledge and understanding of academic concepts and the world they live in, their communities, and the many opportunities they have to excel. Even in changing contexts, educators are inspiring and supporting students’ critical thinking, social and emotional learning, cultural understanding, and preparation for the future.
The NEA Foundation wants to support educators engaging students in project-based and deeper learning to support the development of skills and dispositions contributing to success and fulfillment in a changing world.
Application Timeline
Application Period
December 16, 2024 - February 17, 2025
Notification: April
Overview
Student Success Grants are available to public school educators, specialized instructional support personnel, and education support professionals who are interested in enhancing students’ learning experiences.
We invite applications from educators, specialized instructional support personnel, and education support professionals to:
- develop and implement a project that will enhance students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills;
- develop and implement a project supporting personalized and experiential learning;
- support students’ mastery of essential academic content;
- support students’ cultural understanding and appreciation;
- promote students’ communication and collaboration skills; or
- enable students to engage in learning experiences connected to real-world issues and challenges.
Application Registration
The NEA Foundation recently transitioned to a new grants application system to provide an upgraded experience for our applicants and grantees. To receive access to an application, follow the steps below!
If you have any questions, please contact GrantsAndPrograms@nea.org
Visit the registration link. If you’re new to our system, select “Create Account” on the right-hand side to start your registration.
Respond to the question “What is your purpose for registering?” by selecting: “I am applying for the Grants to Educators” Application
Fill in details about your workplace.
Enter your NEA membership information, including your NEA membership number. To be eligible, you must be an active NEA member.
After you submit your registration, our team will review your information and verify your NEA membership status. This process may take up to 3 business days.
Once approved, you will receive an email with your login information, granting you access to the portal and application forms.
If your NEA membership is not active, you will not be granted access to the application portal.
“The NEA Foundation’s Student Success Grant has been instrumental in shaping who I am as a teacher and educator. Further, it has created endless opportunities for children to see the role of math in their world every day."
Jennifer, New York
Funding
Grants up to $5,000 are available. Grants fund activities for 12 months from the date of the award.
Apply now using our grant application guidance.
Applicants must be teachers, education support professionals, or specialized instructional support personnel, and must be current members of the National Education Association. Current NEA Foundation grantees are ineligible for a concurrent funding opportunity. A successful proposal will also make an individual ineligible for other NEA Foundation funding opportunities until the grant is successfully completed and closed out.
*Education support professionals (ESPs) are defined as: paraeducators, school bus drivers or other transportation staff, custodial and maintenance staff, food services staff, school nurses, health aides and other health and student services staff, clerical staff, security staff, skilled trades staff, and technical services staff.
*Specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) include professionals such as school counselors, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, library media specialists, speech pathologists and others.
Grants are available to current members of the National Education Association who are educators in public schools or public institutions of higher education. We especially encourage education support professionals* to apply.
* Education support professionals can be classified as: para-educators, school bus drivers, maintenance and custodial staff, food services staff, school nurses and student services workers, clerical and office assistants, school security officers, and technicians.
Unfortunately, the following groups may not apply as either the lead or partner:
- Educators who are not members of the National Education Association
- Employees of the National Education Association
- Employees, members of the board of directors, and immediate family members of the staff and board of the NEA Foundation
- Administrators
Grant funds can be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, or technology. Although some funds may be used to support the professional development necessary to implement the project, the majority of grant funds must be spent on materials or educational experiences for students. If your budget includes materials, the application must demonstrate how they will play a central role in deepening student knowledge and habits of inquiry.
Grant funds cannot be used to pay indirect costs, grant administration fees, salaries, or for lobbying or religious purposes.
While we recognize there is a tremendous need for student devices, unfortunately, at this time, we are unable to fund proposals solely focusing on electronics such as laptops, Chromebooks or tablets.
