Grants & Funding for Micro Schools

There are several grants available for educational entrepreneurs who are looking to start or expand their educational initiatives. Here are some examples of grants that you may consider applying for:

1. VELA Education Fund: This organization supports thousands of independent operators who facilitate learning outside the traditional bounds of ‘school.’
2. Yass Prize: This prize is awarded for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless education to find, reward, celebrate and expand best-in-class education organizations from every sector, in every state, and to create unprecedented partnerships.
3. The Walton Family Foundation: The Foundation aims to improve K-12 education outcomes among other things with goals to elevate community-driven change, diversity, equity and inclusion & collaborative and inclusive partnerships.
4. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: This organization supports schools in improving K-12 teaching and learning, with a focus on math as the cornerstone skill for academic success and greater opportunities in the workforce.
5. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: Grants may be provided for educational initiatives that focus on personalized learning, teacher training, and community engagement. They have also offered grants for research and development of new education technologies.
6. The National Science Foundation: This Foundation provides grants for educational initiatives that aim to improve STEM education at all levels, from K-12 to higher education. There are grant opportunities throughout the year.
7. Change Happens Foundation: If your proposal for funding is related to science, the environment, and education, your school may be a match for this family foundation.
8. The Toyota USA Foundation: The Toyota USA Foundation provides grants for educational initiatives that focus on STEM education, teacher development, and environmental education. They also offer grants for projects that aim to improve the quality of education for underserved communities.
9. Charles Lafitte Foundation: With SMART goals and impact, your school may be eligible for these charitable funds.
   This charitable organization funds projects of all kinds, including those in education. They prefer underwriting projects with specific goals, established budgets, and measurable impacts. The foundation accepts applications at any time through their website.
10. Education Innovation and Research Grants: These grants, also administered by the US Department of Education, provide funding to support the development and implementation of innovative education programs and practices.
11. The Mockingbird Foundation: Grants range in size from $100 to $10,000 for micro schools that have music as a core tenet of your teaching.
12. Verizon Small Business Grants: There are grants available for small businesses and school innovation and resources for social media, financial planning and more. Requirements often include completion of two courses, coaching events, and community events, to register for a small business grant.
13. Project Lead the Way (PLTW): It’s recommended to apply in the fall for grants to help with new STEM programs in schools.
14. Snapdragon: This grant may be applicable if your school provides support to children in disadvantaged communities specifically in book donation with awards from $2,500 to $10,000.
15. Saxena Family Foundation: These grants can be from $5,000 to $50,000, for girls STEM education.
16. Grant databases offer an extensive list of grant sources. This article explores the various grant database websites and what they offer.
17. Private Foundations: Many foundations provide funding to support educational initiatives and programs. Oftentimes there are many local foundations that seek to innovate regionally, so while the overall funding award might be less than national or international foundations the competition may be less on a local scale.

Grants depend on specific educational initiatives, location, and other factors. It’s essential to research and evaluate multiple grant opportunities and eligibility criteria before applying, as grant writing, application and reporting are a significant undertaking for any small business.