Funding Your Wireless Initiatives for Education, Healthcare, and Communities
Check out these tips and resources for finding technology grants for schools and other industries.
How do I pay for technology?
Technology funding is one of the biggest roadblocks to getting your program off the ground. Funding is available. Did you know there are over 900 federal tech funding programs that can be used to purchase and develop new or existing tech programs? Here are a few technology grants for schools and other funding sources that you can use to jump-start or sustain your school’s technology initiatives and move forward into the modern classroom.
Emergency Connectivity Fund
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, was signed into law on March 11, 2021. Included in the legislation is the creation of the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) for broadband internet service and equipment to support remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new funding source consisting of $7.1 billion to be distributed through the federal E-rate program.
For more information, please visit:
ARP: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund
On Thursday, March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law. It is an unprecedented $1.9 trillion package of assistance measures, including $122 billion for the ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund. Funds are provided to State educational agencies and school districts to help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Nation’s students.
For more information: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
ARP: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III
The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III) is authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARP), Public Law 117-2, signed into law on March 11, 2021, providing $39.6 billion in support to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ARP funds are in addition to funds authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), Public Law 116-260 and the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136. Emergency funds available to institutions and their students under all emergency funds total $76.2 billion.
For more information: U.S. Department of Education – Programs and Initiatives
AAUW Grant
Amount: One-Year Grant: $2,000–$7,000; Two-Year Grant: $5,000–$10,000
Deadline: Open August 1 – January 15
Guidelines: Topic areas are unrestricted but should include a clearly defined activity that advances equity for women and girls. Applicants for this technology grant for schools must be individuals, AAUW branches, AAUW state organizations, or local community-based nonprofit organizations (including universities).More
American Honda Foundation
Amount: One-Year Grant: $20,000–$75,000
Deadline: Varies
Mission: Help meet the needs of American society in the areas of youth and scientific education by awarding grants to nonprofits, while strategically assisting communities in deriving long-term benefits.
Guidelines: The American Honda Foundation engages in grant making that reflects the basic tenets, beliefs and philosophies of Honda companies, which are characterized by the following qualities: imaginative, creative, youthful, forward-thinking, scientific, humanistic and innovative. We support youth education with a specific focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in addition to the environment.
Funding Priority: Youth education, specifically in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the environment, job training and literacy
Information: http://www.honda.com/community/applying-for-a-grant
Applied Materials Education Grant
Amount: Varies
Deadline: January 15 and June 15 annually
Applied Materials is a technology grant for schools that has a special interest in funding proposals that: Benefit students in grades K-12; Focus on traditional skills such as reading, writing, math, science and technology, and other subjects that prepare young people for college and career; Address critical education needs through innovative approaches to learning; Expand existing efforts in order to reach more students or a wider geographic area; Actively partner with other nonprofit groups to create, implement or evaluate shared programs; Offer opportunities for employee engagement.
Information: http://www.appliedmaterials.com/company/corporate-responsibility/community
Bank of America Educational Grants
Amount: Varies
Deadline: February
Mission: We are committed to creating meaningful change in the communities we serve through our philanthropic efforts, associate volunteerism, community development activities and investing support of arts and culture programming, and environmental initiatives. Working in partnership with community leaders, Bank of America’s local market leadership directs the majority of our giving through local grants that address pressing social, economic, and cultural needs of communities across our global footprint.
Brown Foundation
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Ongoing
Mission: The Brown Foundation, Inc. supports charitable purposes that encourage and assist programs and projects in education, arts and humanities, health and human services, and community service. In the area of education, funding for this technology grant for schools is focused on the primary and secondary school levels.
Funding Priority: Initiatives that support nontraditional and innovative approaches designed to improve public education within the State of Texas are ideal. Also of interest to the foundation are community service projects serving the needs of children and families.
Information: http://www.brownfoundation.org/faqs
CarMax Foundation
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Ongoing
Mission: The Home Office Giving Program is designed to make the Greater Richmond, Virginia-area a positive place for families to live and work.
Guidelines: Promote educational opportunities for children, youth leadership or children’ s healthy living; and show a demonstrable need based upon the demand for the program or population served by the program
Funding Priority: Serve youth in the Virginia counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, or Henrico, or the city of Richmond
Information: http://foundation.carmax.com/home-office-giving.html
Corporation for National & Community Service
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Ongoing
Mission: The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is an independent, federal grant-making government agency whose mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through service and volunteering.
Funding Priority: There are a number of funding priorities including: Economic Opportunity – increasing economic opportunities for communities by engaging opportunity youth, either as the population served and/or as AmeriCorps members, to prepare them for the workforce.
Information: https://www.nationalservice.gov/grants-funding/funding-resources
Educators of America
Amount: Varies
Deadline: applications reviewed quarterly (January, April, July, October)
Mission: Educators of America are driven to not only supply teachers and educators with the classroom technology they need, but also train them to use it in the most effective ways possible.
Funding Priority: If you are a teacher that is in need of an effective technological tool that will assist in bettering student achievement, not only in your classroom, but throughout your entire institution, this technology grant for schools may be right for you.
Information: https://educatorsusa.org/our-programs/
Global Teachers Prize
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Nominations for the Spring open in the previous Fall
Mission: The Global Teacher Prize is a US $1 million award presented annually to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession. The prize serves to underline the importance of educators and the fact that, throughout the world, their efforts deserve to be recognized and celebrated. It seeks to acknowledge the impacts of the very best teachers – not only on their students but on the communities around them.
Information: http://www.globalteacherprize.org/about
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Annual
Mission: The Principles to Actions Tools and Technology Guiding Principle states that “an excellent mathematics program integrates the use of mathematical tools and technology as essential resources to help students learn and make sense of mathematical ideas, reason mathematically, and communicate their mathematical thinking.”
Guidelines: The purpose of this technology grant for schools is to encourage the innovative use of technology and other tools to ” help teachers and students visualize and concretize mathematics abstractions…” (Principles to Actions ).
Helping to Close the Digital Divide: Funding Student Mobile Broadband
Technology funding continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing districts and schools today. Currently, there are more than 900 federal technology funding programs available that can be used to purchase and develop new or existing technologies, enhance students’ computer skills, provide teacher training, increase parent involvement in schools, and compile critical data to improve schools’ overall academic achievement. This document highlights 14 technology grants for schools and other such funding opportunities.