NEA Federal Rescue Implementation Network
The NEA Network grant program provides funding to NEA state affiliates to hire a coordinator to support implementation of federal recovery initiatives to support public education. This opportunity is renewable for up to 2 years. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
NEA’s Read Across America State Affiliate Event Grant
NEA state affiliates may apply for a "Read Across America Grant" to enhance state affiliate coordinated Read Across America events and/or activities grounded in celebrating key ingredients in building a nation of diverse readers—books, reading, and the freedom to learn. This grant program encourages proposals that use funds as a way to get diverse books into the hands of students. Affiliates may apply for any amount up to a maximum of $7,500. A total of $50,000 will be awarded. While event(s) or activities may occur or launch on or about "NEA's Read Across America Day" 2024, proposals that increase awareness of Read Across America’s year-round focus on the importance, value, and fun of reading and sharing diverse books, are strongly encouraged.
For questions, please email [email protected].
Legislative Crisis
The Campaigns and Elections Department has resources available to assist state affiliates facing legislation that will create a significant crisis for the state affiliate and our members.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For questions, please contact your assigned NEA Campaigns and Elections field staff.
Ballot Measure
The Campaigns and Elections Department has resources available to assist state affiliates facing ballot measures that will impact our members.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For questions, please contact your assigned NEA Campaigns and Elections field staff.
Organizing
The Center for Organizing has resources available in support of strategic organizing projects that are developed collaboratively between state affiliate leadership, affected locals and NEA. The resources include training, coaching, convening or workshop costs, and direct resources. These resources are designed for projects that promote or advance the NEA Strategic Goals while building capacity to engage and recruit members to lead on issues affecting their professional practice and equity of resources and opportunities for all students.
Contact your Region Director with Questions
- Northeast (Region 1) - Mark Simon, [email protected]
- Southeast (Region 2) - Michelle Foisy, [email protected]
- Midwest (Region 3) - Jason Burns, [email protected]
- Pacific (Region 4) - Mary Jane Cobb (Interim), [email protected]
Professional Excellence Grants
- Professional Excellence Grants support NEA local and state Affiliates in implementing and/or developing resources and practices that meet professional learning needs and gaps identified by their members and students. The work funded through Professional Excellence Grants center student success, reinforce systems that recognize, value, and support a quality, professional educator workforce, while recognizing the role of the Association in creating and sustaining those systems of success.
- Professional Excellence Grants fall under two categories:
- Program Implementation Grant: Affiliates working with a NEA staffer can apply for a Program Implementation Grant that supports implementing an existing CPESL program. Examples may include:
- ESP Bill of Rights
- ESP Peer Mentoring Program
- ESP Professional Growth staff-facilitated PLCs
- Praxis training
- Induction Institute
- Innovation Grant: Affiliates can apply for an Innovation Grant based on an affiliate’s need and implemented through the utilization of Professional Learning Theory. Examples may include:
- Family and community partnerships, such as Parent-Teacher-Home Visits and Community School initiatives
- National Board candidate support, such as Jump Start and year-round candidacy programs
- Entry into the teaching profession initiatives, such as Educators Rising
- Implementation of digital learning resources, such as micro-credentials implementation
- Program Implementation Grant: Affiliates working with a NEA staffer can apply for a Program Implementation Grant that supports implementing an existing CPESL program. Examples may include:
- Typical funded grant amounts range from $3,000 to $25,000.
- Please e-mail [email protected] for additional resources to assist in completing an application.
Great Public Schools Fund (GPS Fund)
The NEA’s Great Public Schools Fund Grants (GPS Fund Grants) advance the goal of great public schools for every student. GPS Fund Grants are intended to help NEA State and Local Affiliates enhance the quality of public education by developing, implementing and leading an agenda that engages members with an emphasis on student-centered success and well-being through union-led efforts.
The annual deadline for a planning grant is September 15.
Local President Release Time Program (LPRTP)
The NEA established the Local President Release Time Program to encourage the growth and development of NEA’s local associations. The program’s objective has been to provide financial assistance towards the full-time or part-time release of local presidents to encourage growth and strength in our local associations. The presence of a full-time or part-time release local president will add to the effectiveness in which the locals can contribute to NEA’s Strategic Priorities.
Organizing in Urban Locals
NEA's C40 Urban Grant funding can be used to support your local's efforts to increase membership and build its power by identifying issues, strengthening worksite leader systems and structures, and implementing organizing campaigns.
For questions, email Nathan Allen at [email protected].
NEA Organizing Fellowship Academy (NOFA)
We are looking for a few good organizers. Looking to possibly change careers? Looking to support the labor movement and public education? The NEA Organizing Fellowship Academy seeks to train member leaders in the skills of organizing and advocating for members. This experience is open to members of a local NEA affiliate and subject to approval by the State Affiliate & NEA. Elected leaders that apply for the program must resign from their governance position if they are selected to participate in the program.
Student-Centered Bargaining and Advocacy
NEA’s Collective Bargaining and Member Advocacy Department (CBMA) will be awarding grants to affiliates to design and implement student-centered initiatives through collective bargaining or other forms of advocacy. Affiliates have used these grants to:
- Unite educators with parents, communities, and students to advocate and bargain for the schools that students deserve.
- Open up negotiations and make collective bargaining a more transparent process.
- Advocate for students away from the bargaining table.
- Join the Red for Ed movement to improve educator pay, preserve health care and pensions, increase education funding, and achieve student-centered victories through collective bargaining and other forms advocacy.
- Bargain for the Common Good.
For questions, please email [email protected].
Aspiring Educators CREATE Grants
State Aspiring Educators (AE) organizations and campus chapters are eligible to apply for CREATE grants. These grants of up to $2000 should strengthen the AE Program and build stronger partnerships. Grants should also have a primary focus in one of the areas aligned with AE Core Values:
- EDUCATOR QUALITY – Projects involving preparation for professional practice, strengthening educator preparation programs, and/or support for career preparation and advancement
- COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – Projects involving partnerships with P-12 schools, local organizations, and other community-based involvement
- POLITICAL ACTION – Projects involving advocacy for policies, legislation, and political issues with an impact on education
- SOCIAL JUSTICE – Projects involving social justice issues activism and/or that contribute to the development of aspiring educator knowledge, skills, and dispositions as culturally responsive educators.
Submission deadlines occur three times each year: February 1, June 15, and October 15.
For assistance with grant applications, contact [email protected].
State Media Assistance Program
State Association Media Grants are intended to advance the cause of public education and publicize the role of the Association and its Affiliates in improving the quality of public education. The State Media Grants proactively advance the Association’s mission through image and reputation campaigns that strengthen the Association’s image among key audiences and the public.
For questions, please email [email protected]
Community Advocacy and Partnership Engagement Grant
The NEA Community Advocacy & Partnership Engagement (CAPE) Department provides state and local partnership funding grants that are intended to assist state/local affiliates to identify, engage, and mobilize community organizations and community leaders around increasing student achievement (specifically for students of color), engaging members who have participated in leadership trainings, and creating union roles to build capacity to engage community partners.
Grant considerations are made on the following strategic priorities:
- Initiatives to improve student achievement, particularly in communities of color;
- Engaging NEA members who have been trained in NEA’s leadership trainings or those who have a demonstrated record of activism for the purpose of furthering social justice activism and/or professional issues activism;
- Establishing or institutionalizing new union roles related to parent and/or community engagement;
- Focus on advancing NEA’s priority on racial justice in education.
For questions, please email [email protected]
Center for Racial and Social Justice—Racial Justice in Education Grant
The NEA Human and Civil Rights (HCR) Department coordinates and administers the Center for Social Justice (CSJ) funding grants to state and local affiliates to further drive the core strategies of the racial justice in education work: Awareness, Capacity-Building, and Action. The CRSJ Racial Justice in Education Grants allow us to partner with affiliates to test our theory of change that If we advance awareness of what is possible and who/what is getting in the way of that possibility, and if we build capacity to address those factors, then together we can accelerate action-taking to advance racial and social justice.
Racial Justice in Education Grant considerations are made inclusive of the following strategic outcomes:
- Explicitly addresses racial equity and justice (fairness and justice across racial groups) and the elimination of racism (racial inequities, disparities and bias) in its goals and plans.
- Deliberate strategies to develop and expand the leadership of people of color, including Aspiring Educators, early career educators of color, students, families, parents, and other stakeholders of color.
- Specific activities that build connections and solidarity across different racial groups—internally and externally—to build multiracial unity and power.
- Organizational change, development and transformation strategies and activities that result in the development and implementation of equitable policies and practices.
For questions, please email [email protected].
Disability Rights and Inclusion (DRI) Coalition Grant
To support the formation of an alliance of NEA local affiliates that will advocate on behalf of educators and students with disabilities, the NEA has created the Disability Rights and Inclusion (DRI) Coalition Grant Program. DRI coalition affiliates will receive a one-time grant of up to $25,000 to implement initiatives that build member advocacy and action. In 2024, up to four grants will be awarded to local affiliates. Recipients will need to identify a problem or challenge affecting educators and/or students with disabilities and commit to an action plan, led by a disability rights and inclusion expert.
- APPLICATION LIVE: April 1, 2024
- APPLICATION CLOSES: May 15, 2024 at 11:59PM PST
