Learning and Leadership Grants - The NEA Foundation

Grant Name: Learning and Leadership Grants

Funding Organization: The NEA Foundation

Grant Cycle: February 1, June 1, October 15

Website: http://www.neafoundation.org/pages/educators/grant-programs/learning-and-leadership/

How to Apply: Online Application

Application Materials:

Please consult our Grant Writing Tutorial. The narrative must address the following items:

• Provide a summary of 100 words or less describing your proposed work. Please write in a manner in which you would be comfortable allowing the NEA Foundation to use on its website to describe your project. (For examples of how to write an abstract/summary, please click here for descriptions of our recently funded grants.)
• Describe the professional development plan. What are your goals in this learning? What learning resources do you plan to use?
• How, when, and where will the learning be accomplished? (Please be aware of the date of grant announcement. Any project taking place prior to the announcement will automatically be removed from consideration. Grant announcement dates can be found here.)
• How does the proposed professional development advance your professional goals? How does it advance your workplace goals?
• What is the need for this professional development? How did you and your colleagues assess the need? Please define need in terms of both student need and professional need by the applicant(s).
• How will this project continue beyond the grand period? How will you continue sharing the knowledge gained in this project? Describe sharing in relation to your colleagues, students, and administrators.

Provide a line item budget for the proposed work. Your request must total either $2,000 for an individual project or $5,000 for a group project. Identify any additional support (cash or in-kind) that will be provided by other sources, including those provided by your school/district/college/university. Your budget must be in the form of a Word, Excel, or .PDF document. (Note: The NEA Foundation suggests that your budget be as cost-efficient as possible. Please ensure that all items are directly related to your proposed work, as your budget will be assessed by how realistic, clear, and frugal it is.)

Eligibility:

Applicants must be practicing U.S:

• public school teachers in grades PreK–12;
• public school education support professionals, or;
• faculty and staff at public higher education institutions.

Administrators may not apply for Learning & Leadership grants, nor may they act as the partner applicant. Preference will be given to members of the National Education Association. The NEA Foundation also encourages grant applications from education support professionals.*

*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.  

Employees, members of the board of directors, and immediate family members of the staff and board of the NEA Foundation are not eligible to receive grants. Employees of the National Education Association are not eligible to receive grants.

Applicant Information:

Lead Applicant: The lead applicant will be the NEA Foundation’s contact person for award notification, reporting, publicity, and other grant-related activities. Administrators may not serve as either the lead or partner applicant. Applications missing lead applicant data will not be considered.

Partner Data: All $5,000 group grant proposals must include partner information. The partner should be prepared to assume leadership of the project should the lead applicant be unable to complete the work. Administrators may not serve as either the lead or partner applicant. Applications for group grants without partner data will not be considered. Applications submitted for individual grants do not need partner data.

Fiscal Agent Note: The information for the fiscal agent should be entered in this section. Some of the information may already be entered based on the information used during the registration process. If no fiscal agent is being utilized the information contained below should be that of the lead applicant. Grant funds will be made payable to the lead applicant and reported to the Internal Revenue Service. The grant funds may be considered taxable income, so the lead applicant may wish to consult with his or her tax advisor before submitting the application. For frequently asked questions regarding fiscal agent designation, please click here.

Background:

• Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; or
• Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment.

All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement. "One-shot" professional growth experiences, such as attending a national conference or engaging a professional speaker, are discouraged. Decisions regarding the content of the professional growth activities must be based upon an assessment of student work undertaken with colleagues, and must be integrated into the institutional planning process. Grant funds may be used for fees, travel expenses, books, or other materials that enable applicants to learn subject matter, instructional approaches, and skills. Recipients are required to exercise professional leadership by sharing their new learning with their colleagues.

Amount: The grant amount is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study. All $5,000 group grant applicants must include partner information.

Restrictions: Grant funds may not be used to:

• pursue degrees;
• pay indirect costs, grant administration fees, or salaries; or
• support travel costs or conference fees for more than one person.

With the exception of study groups, applicants may not use grant funds to pay themselves stipends. Funds may not be used for lobbying or religious purposes. Identical applications will not be considered.

Selection Criteria:

• Proposed learning is high quality 
• Proposed learning is directly related to a clear and compelling student need.
• Proposed collegial sharing is interactive and sustained over time.
• Proposed learning is likely to improve student achievement.
• Budget is appropriate to the proposed learning and sharing.

The NEA Foundation may allocate a number of grants based in part on geographic considerations.