Top 6 Professional Development Grants for Educators for the 2019–20 School Year

Professional development and continuing education opportunities are important to every educator’s career. These experiences help enrich, grow, and deepen your practice, and in turn, they benefit students. But, as budgets across districts become tighter, it can be hard to find the funds to provide educators with these opportunities. Never fear—grants are here to step in and solve that problem!

Here are six grants developed to provide amazing opportunities for you to grow in your craft.

Fund for Teachers

When to apply: Applications for the 2020 fund open on October 1, 2019

Award: Varies

Description from the Fund for Teachers:

Fund for Teachers invites you to design a summer learning experience that will transform your classroom. Craft an odyssey that brings out the scholar, explorer, scientist, or artist in you—and then, your students.

The NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship

When to apply: Exact dates to be announced—applications for the 2021 Global Learning Fellowship open in fall 2020

Award: Varies

Description from the NEA Foundation:

As part of the Fellowship program, Fellows complete the following over their 12-month professional development program:

• Fall in-person professional development workshop
• Online global education course
• Webinars by leading experts
• Summer international field study (past participants have traveled to places like China, Brazil, Peru, and South Africa)

Through the NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellowship, public school educators develop the knowledge and skills to integrate global competency into their daily classroom instruction, advocate for global competency in their schools and districts, and help students to thrive in our increasingly interconnected world. Fellows transform their classrooms to give students a global perspective.

NCTM Emerging Teacher-Leaders in Elementary School Mathematics Grants

When to apply: Applications are open—deadline to submit is November 1, 2019

Award: Up to $6,000

Description from NCTM:

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) grant recipient will be expected to provide ongoing professional development to teachers within the school or district to strengthen their mathematical understandings and instructional practices. The professional development must include sustained in-service programs focusing on improving the content knowledge of the elementary teachers within the school or district and working with teachers in their classrooms through demonstration teaching or coteaching. Activities are to be completed between June 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021.

The NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grants

When to Apply: Applications are open with three deadlines to submit throughout the 2019–20 school year—October 15, 2019; February 1, 2020; and June 1, 2020

Award: Grants awarded in the amount of $2,000 or $5,000

Description from the NEA Foundation:

 This grant is available to current members of the NEA and is intended to help fund learning experiences for educators to develop and improve their professional practice with participation in conferences, summer institutes, research, mentoring experiences, and more, with preference being given to proposals that incorporate STEM or global competence. Like NEA’s Student Achievement Grants, this award is also offered at two levels of funding—either $2,000 or $5,000.

The NEA’s Learning & Leadership Grants support the professional development of NEA members by providing grants to the following:

• Individuals to participate in high-quality professional development like summer institutes, conferences, seminars, travel abroad programs, or action research
• Groups to fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson plan development, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff

Special preference is given to proposals that incorporate STEM and/or global competence in their projects.

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Deadline: Applications open on November 1, 2019

Award: Varies; grants cover travel costs, lodging, and per diem allowance

Description from the NOAA:

The mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Teacher at Sea Program is to provide teachers hands-on, real-world research experience working at sea with world-renowned NOAA scientists, thereby giving them unique insight into oceanic and atmospheric research crucial to the nation. The program provides a unique opportunity for kindergarten through college-level teachers to sail aboard NOAA research ships to work under the tutelage of scientists and crew.

Participants are assigned a cruise aboard one of NOAA's ships or a partner charter ship. NOAA conducts three main types of cruises:

• Fisheries research cruises perform biological and physical surveys to ensure sustainable fisheries and healthy marine habitats.
• Oceanographic research cruises perform physical science studies to increase our understanding of the world's oceans and climate.
• Hydrographic survey cruises scan the coastal sea floor to locate submerged obstructions and navigational hazards for the creation and update of the nation's nautical charts.

McCarthey Dressman Teacher Development Grants

Deadline: Submissions accepted January 15, 2020 – April 15, 2020

Award: Varies

Description from the McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation:

The Teacher Development Grants support small teams of teachers in the formation and implementation of groundbreaking K–12 classroom instruction. The grants provide opportunities for teachers to integrate fresh strategies that encourage critical inquiry and to observe their effects on students. Teachers have the opportunity to reflect and write about their projects, as well as to share their results with other teachers. The Foundation awards grants to individuals in amounts up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $30,000 over three years, provided the eligibility requirements continue to be met.

Interested in more ways to grow in your professional development as an educator? Browse the professional development tag on our blog for more resources!