Grants + Funding
Grants play an important role in bringing arts into the classroom. This list can help support educators in bringing CAL’s resources to their students. Please contact us at 216-561-5005, x15 for help in pursuing grants for your classroom.
The grant opportunities listed on this page are provided as a resource for educators and venues. Deadlines, eligibility criteria, and funding priorities may change at any time. We encourage users to verify all information directly with the grant provider before applying.
View By Grant Type
ARTS-INTEGRATION GRANTS
GPD Foundation grant
Their mission: to encourage the enrichment of the public education experience for K-12 students and to support at-risk children or those with medical and special needs in the communities we serve.
They award grants to K-12 public schools that enrich the educational experience of all students and to local non-profit organizations that support children who are at-risk or who live with special and medical needs.
Grant Requirements:
Supports a K-12 public school program or project. It can be from a teacher, a principal, a superintendent, a counselor, etc.
Supports a 501(c)(3) non-profit that works with children who are at-risk and/or who have special or medical needs.
Does Not Fund:
General funding
Teacher salaries/overtime pay
Religiously affiliated organizations/ schools
Charter schools and private schools separate from public school districts
School scholarships
Building maintenance
Training program for teachers
Large organizations with no local connections
Kickstarter programs for non-profits
Average grant size: $4,691
Grant Opens: October 2026
STEAM GRANTS
Toshiba America Foundation
Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) grants fund the projects, ideas and materials teachers need to innovate in their math and science classrooms. TAF is interested in funding projects designed by teachers or small teams of teachers for use in their own schools.
Applications must be for project-based learning. We do not consider requests for computers, laptops, or tablets.
Deadlines:
K-5 grade – 10/1 annually
6-12 grade less than $5,000– 3/1, 6/1, 9/1, 12/1
6-12 grade greater than $5,000 – 5/1, 11/1
Maximum Award:
K-5 grade – up to $1,000
6-12 grade – up to $5,000 March, June, September, and December
6-12 grade – over $5,000 May and November
National Education Association Student success Grants
Grants fund activities for 12 months from the date of the award. Grants are available to current members of the National Education Association who are educators in public schools or public institutions of higher education. We especially encourage education support professionals* to apply. Applicants must be teachers, education support professionals, or specialized instructional support personnel, and must be current members of the National Education Association. Current NEA Foundation grantees are ineligible for a concurrent funding opportunity. A successful proposal will also make an individual ineligible for other NEA Foundation funding opportunities until the grant is successfully completed and closed out.
Deadline: Annually in September
Maximum Award: Up to $5,000
FIRST ENGERY FOUNDATION GRANTS
FirstEnergy Grants are for 501(c)(3) Nonprofits, Public Schools, Colleges, or Universities.
Improving the quality of life in our communities and supporting key safety initiatives
Empowering our communities’ workforce development and educational initiatives
Promoting local and regional economic development
Supporting employee leadership and volunteer interests that align with our business interests
Deadline: Rolling Basis
Maximum Award: $25,000
asm mATERIALS EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The ASM Materials Education Foundation annually awards 30 grants of $500 each to help K-12 teachers bring the real world of materials science into their classrooms. “Living in a Material World” grants recognize creativity and enhance awareness of materials science and the role that materials play in society.
To Apply: Describe a hands-on, curriculum-based K-12 project that involves student observation, teamwork, mathematics, and science skills that enhance student awareness of the everyday materials around them
Award: $500
Deadline: September 30
Contact: Jeane Deatherage, Program Director, jeane.deatherage@asminternational.org
OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME GRANTS
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
FIELD TRIPS + EXPERIENCE GRANTS
OAC Big Yellow School Bus Program
The Ohio Arts Council’s Big Yellow School Bus program supports transportation costs for educational field trips to art galleries, museums, festivals, and exhibitions, as well as music, dance, or theatre performances. Applicants are responsible for making all transportation and destination arrangements.
Deadline: Accepted year-round, must be submitted 8 weeks prior to travel
Maximum Award: $500
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
National Education Association Learning and Leadership Grants
Educators frequently need outside resources to engage in meaningful professional development due to limited district funding. Through our Learning & Leadership grants, we support the professional development of NEA members by providing grants to:
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.
Grants are available to current members of the National Education Association who are educators in public schools or public institutions of higher education. We give preference to proposals that incorporate STEM and/or global competence in their projects.
Deadline: Annually in September
Maximum Award: $5,000
Association OF AMERICAN EDUCATORS
Apply for Professional Development Funding (for individual teachers) or Classroom Materials Funding
Teacher scholarships can be used for a wide variety of professional development opportunities and workshops. These include conferences, in services, workshops, certifications and materials for PLCs. The scholarship will cover all associated costs up to $500 with attending these events or obtaining these materials.
Award: $500
Deadline: October 1 and March 1
OHIO ART EDUCATION FOUNDATION - TEACHER ENRICHMENT GRANTS
The Teacher Enrichment program was developed to support professional enrichment or development opportunities and specialized activities that advance or re-focus the development of skills by assisting with costs such as:
Expenses for participation in seminars, workshops, conferences, training programs, or meetings.
Books, software, or materials required for the proposed professional development activity.
Equipment that broadens or deepens skills or advances an applicant’s professional development.
Eligibility: must be an active teaching member of the Ohio Art Education Association
Award: Up to $1,500
Deadline: September 15 Annually
Application: Need to submit a proposal, an itemized budget, a letter of support, a program brochure and online application cover page.
MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS + OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
HONDA USA FOUNDATION FUNDING
Honda and the Honda USA Foundation provide funding to nonprofit organizations and schools to support programs that align with our pillar award categories.
Year-over-year certain pillar award categories may not always be open for funding and are subject to change. Full details of the pillar award categories will be made available each fall when the program application opens.
Eligibility: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit or Public School/Public School District
Award: $25,000-$100,000
Deadline: Open September 1-October 31 annually
VOYA UNSUNG HEROES
The Voya Unsung Heroes program has helped more than a thousand K-12 educators and their schools fund innovative classroom projects through awards totaling more than $6 million. Do you or does someone you know have a creative, unique educational program that is helping students reach new heights? Or is there a program you’d like to implement, if only you had the proper funding? Visit our online application and apply for an award today.
Award: $2,000
Eligibility: Any K-12 Education Professionals
Deadline: This grant typically accepts applications around April 1. Please check the funder's website for current deadlines, eligibility requirements, and application details.
Application: Need Program Description, Benefits to Students, and Use of Funds
FRANCES R. DEWING FOUNDATION
The Frances R. Dewing Foundation prefers to fund projects or programs with a broad reach and demonstrable direct benefits to children. Applications are not accepted for projects and programs that do not directly benefit children, such as parent education, staff recruitment and endowments.
Eligibility: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit or Public School/Public School District
Award: Based on Proposal
Deadline: April 1 and October 1 annually
Application: Need Cover Letter Summarizing Request, Project Budget, Organization Budget
OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
Local Community Development Corporations, city council, private businesses, banks, law firms, fundraisers, and more!
DonorsChoose.org
While not a traditional grant, DonorsChoose.org provides a viable means of securing funds for your classroom. Public school teachers submit proposals for classroom projects on the website. These proposals specify the exact items needed, ranging from basic school supplies to microscopes, laboratory equipment, and computer software. Visitors to the site can browse proposals across the country and donate to support the teacher’s cause.
Founded in 2000 by a high school teacher in the Bronx, DonorsChoose.org empowers public school teachers from across the country to request much-needed materials and experiences for their students.
In accordance with our mission, DonorsChoose is focused on providing resources to U.S. public schools (located within the 50 states and D.C.) serving PreK-12 students. These include:
Public schools run by a local education agency (LEA)
Charter schools
Head Start centers
Bureau of Indian Education schools.
Public programs administered by other public entities such as juvenile court/correctional schools, and intermediate service districts/educational service agencies.
Schools that we do not serve:
Private schools.
Parochial or religiously affiliated schools.
Non-profit, non-public, or independent schools.
Early Head Start classrooms.
Schools outside the 50 states and the District of Columbia. We do not serve schools in Puerto Rico or in other overseas territories, even if run by the DODEA.
Daycares, summer camps, or afterschool programs.
Educational programs at public facilities like libraries or museums.
Adult education, colleges, or universities.
Homeschools.
Teachers must be full-time employees of the district or other eligible school listed above in order to create an account. As an eligible teacher, you’ll have a chance to find your school during the registration process. If your school is a brand new school or a unique program, you may need to request to add your school during the registration process.
Amount: N/A
WRITE AN AWESOME APPLICATION
How do I write a grant proposal? Candid Learning features tons of useful online grant-writing courses. Many of the courses are free and self-paced, and they’re designed to help anyone write more effective proposals. Great, free courses for beginners include Introduction to Proposal Writing and Proposal Budgeting Basics.
Three top tips for writing grant proposals.
10 Key Ingredients of Winning Proposals: Looking for ways to make your application stand out? Mathilda Harris, the director of the Grant Training Center, provides tips and ideas on what to include in your grant proposal.