Friday, March 30, 2012

Pay It Forward: Grant

We've come to learn that those of you who visit See Beautiful are natural givers. You've joined us on our mission to make this world a more beautiful place and we are always learning from you. Every Friday we feature a way to pay it forward through the weekend and beyond and we love the feedback we receive from you.

Being that the future of our world is inextricably bound to the education of our children, it makes perfect sense that we're committed to extraordinary, empowering, socially just learning environments and opportunities for youngsters. Supporting teachers and children is seminal to the work we do. Teachers are under-paid and over-stressed. The ridiculous, unprecedented over-use of standardized testing in the United States alone is a phenomenon that's left both educators and students belittled, questioned, and silenced; the problem is more pervasive in schools and school systems that serve under-represented children and their families.

In an effort to support these wonderful teachers and children, we've culled various organizations that offer grants for teacher, or provide those of us interested in making a difference in the classroom ways to do that. Below, you can dive into various ways you can pay it forward in education. If you're a teacher, or know a teacher you'd like to send this to, there are wonderful resources below to support the creative, hands-on, engaging learning environments you know children deserve.

Pay It Forward: GRANT

For those See Beautifuler's wanting to GRANT a teacher/school's needs:
  • Adopt-A-Classroom partners with teachers across the country who share their need for critical resources and materials. You can find a classroom and "grant" their wish. Adopt-A-Classroom here.
  • Donor's Choose is an online charitable organization that connects you to classroom teachers' needs. Like Adopt-a-classroom, you can locate the classroom, school, or specific need of your choice and pay it forward. Learn more here

For Teachers & Educational Stakeholders:
  • Adopt-A-Classroom partners donors with teachers so teachers can have funds to purchase critical resources and materials for your classroom. Learn more here
  • Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy funds various literacy initiatives yearly. Learn more here.
  • Donor's Choose is an online charitable organization that connects those interested in giving to schools with your classroom needs. Learn more here.
  • NEA Foundation Grants offer two wonderful categories of grants to which you may apply: 1) Student Achievement Grants; and 2) Leadership and Learning grants. Partnering with the NEA and receiving thousands in terms of professional development or creating classrooms fostering critical thinking can transform an entire culture of learning in a school. Go for it. Learn more here.
  • Grants 4 Teachers is a database that filters various grants depending on your location and needs. It's a free resource for teachers and offers wonderful ideas for grant-seeking educators (ex. Start a Grant Committee at your school). Learn more here
  • Lowe's Toolbox for Education awards grants across the country to various schools. Learn more here.
  • Target School Grants provide three different categories of support for teachers: 1) field trip grants; 2) early childhood reading grants; & 3) art, culture, & design in schools grants. Learn more here.
  • Teacher's Count is an online database of grants with funding opportunities separated by content area. Learn more here.
  • The School Funding Center is a hub for various grant opportunities. There is a yearly subscription, but you can sign-up for their free newsletter and receive some wonderful tips. Learn more here.
  • The Grant Wrangler is a wonderful resource showcasing revolving grants for teachers. Sign up for their bi-weekly newsletter with hot-off-the-press grant opportunities. Learn more here.
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2 comments:

  1. I am passing this on to my good friend Jenni.  She is a teacher and what a teacher she is.  Holy dog does she do a good job with what little she has, and she is always giving, giving giving.  She is one of the most beautful people me and MOM know.  AND she calls me Gooseberry.  And I like that a lot.
    Blessings,
    Goose

    ReplyDelete
  2. On my way to send to LOTS and LOTS of teacher/parent friends out there..... thanks for organizing all these sites into one....  

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for sharing your thoughts & helping others see beautiful too!