April 2009

Corporation for National & Community Service: Learn and Serve America School-Based Grants
Purpose: To involve school-age youth in service-learning projects that simultaneously support student development and address community problems.
Description: Proposals should address areas such as the environment, education, public safety, and other human needs. Key agency priorities for the 2009 competition include: (1) promoting the use of high-quality service-learning to address STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) objectives in middle schools with high percentages of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds; (2) expanding the use of service-learning as a teaching strategy to increase students’ motivation to learn, community problem-solving skills, and readiness for careers and post-secondary education; and (3) engaging young people in service-learning activities that address community needs in order to build healthier communities. Grants will be awarded to an estimated 8 to 10 eligible applicants, with awards ranging from approximately $300,000 to $450,000 annually for a project period of up to three years.
Eligibility: State governments, institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations may apply.
Deadline: April 14, 2009
Application and information available online at www.cns.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa_detail.asp?tbl_nofa_id=69.

Music Is Revolution Foundation: Mini-Grant Program
Purpose: To help teachers implement, support, and/or improve their ability to provide quality music education.
Description: Proposed projects must contain a clearly music education focus, and applicants are encouraged to include activities that expose students to genres and styles of music not likely to be experienced as part of their normal daily lives. If possible, projects should planned with input from students, parents, and school administrators to ensure that they will engage student interest and be relevant to the curriculum. Grants of up to $500 are available.
Eligibility: Public school teachers of children in grades K-12 may apply.
Deadline: April 15, 2009, and October 15, 2009
Application and information available online at www.musicisrevolution.org or by sending e-mail to info@svengirly.com.

Heifer International: Heifer University Scholarships
Purpose: To help teachers motivate a classroom or group to contribute to sustainable solutions to ending hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation.
Description: Held at the Heifer Learning Center in Perryville, Arkansas, July 15-19, 2009, the program is for teachers, librarians, school administrators, and others who are interested in knowing more about Heifer’s educational outreach. Special attention will be given to Heifer’s school programs as well as new educational initiatives. The program will focus on several topics, including educational missions and goals, exploration of global topics, and sharing of best practices. Grants cover the costs of accommodations, meals, programming, and resource materials. Continuing Education Credit is available.
Deadline: April 20, 2009
Application and information available online at www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.738149 or by contacting Sarah Tourville: e-mail heiferU@heifer.org, phone 800.422.0474.

American Association for the Advancement of Science: High School Leadership in Science Education Prize
Purpose: To recognize high school science teachers for developing and implementing innovative teaching methods and encouraging the next generation of scientists.
Description: Entries must be able to demonstrate the results of an inventive teaching strategy designed to encourage a diverse range of students to become successful learners of the ideas and skills that are critical to science literacy. Science teachers must be nominated by an administrator within their school (e.g., a principal), their district (e.g., the science curriculum specialist), or their state (e.g., the state science supervisor) who is in a position to know the nominee's work and to assess the extent of its impact on others. The recipient will receive a monetary gift in the amount of $1,000 to support the development and continuation of the strategy, activity, or program. Eligibility: The teacher must be currently employed as a science instructor in a public or private school for grades 9-12 in the United States or its territories.
Deadline: April 24, 2009
Application and information available online at www.aaas.org/aboutaaas/awards/hs_scied_leadership.

Project Learning Tree: GreenWorks!
Purpose: To make a difference in young people's sense of responsibility toward their communities, and in their understanding of their relationship to the environment.
Description: This national environmental education program for teachers and students blends service activities with academics to address real community needs. Projects must be planned and implemented by youth, and must include at least one community partner. The project must acquire 50% matching funds, and grants may range in size from $250 to $5,000 (most are between $250 and $1,000).
Deadline: April 30 and October 31, 2009
Application and information available online at www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_22_21.html or by contacting Al Stenstrup, astenstrup@forestfoundation.org, 202.463.2457.

IC Bus: America’s Greenest School
Purpose: To help preserve a green environment.
Description: To enter, write an essay of 500 words or less about an elementary or secondary education school, grades K-12, that is committed to going green. The essay should describe how the school shows its commitment to going green, how it teaches its students the value of green living, how it shows its dedication to green transportation, or how it embodies the spirit of a greener planet. Judges will select 10 finalists and they will be asked to submit photos of the schools described in their essays. These photos will be posted online for Web visitors to vote on, and the entrant whose photo receives the most votes will win $5,000 to be used for education and three $1,000 gift cards for educational materials. The school described in the winner’s essay will received a plug-in hybrid IC school bus.
Eligibility: Legal residents of the United States who are 13 years or older may enter.
Deadline: April 30, 2009
Application and information available online at www.americasgreenestschool.com.

Norman Mailer Writers Colony and the National Council of Teachers of English: Norman Mailer High School and College Writing Awards.
Description: The inaugural awards will be for creative nonfiction and include cash awards of $5,000 for the high school winner and $10,000 for the college winner. The college winner also receives a scholarship to the Norman Mailer Writers Colony during the summer of 2010. Runners-up and honorable mention writers will also receive cash awards. National recognition will be extended to writers whose work earns top scores in early evaluation rounds. Students may submit one or more pieces of writing for a total of up to 10 single-spaced pages for high school writers, 15 for college, though quality is far more important than quantity.
Eligibility: The High School Competition is open to students who will be seniors in fall 2009. Each student’s entry must be no more than 10 single-spaced pages and will need to be endorsed by a teacher and released by a parent or guardian. The College Competition is open to students who will be seniors, juniors, or sophomores in fall 2009.
Deadline: May 1, 2009, for high school entries; May 15, 2009, for college entries
Application and information available online at www.ncte.org/awards/student/nmwa and by sending e-mail to nmw@ncte.org.

Dominion Foundation: Educational Grants
Purpose: To help elementary and secondary educators revitalize math and science programs.
Description: Grants of up to $10,000 can be used to develop new programs to strengthen math and science education through the study of energy or the environment. Proposals should be for programs that present innovative and promising ideas, teach math and/or science skills, reach a significant number of students and demonstrate broad-based community support. Proposals must align with one of the following target areas: (a) environmental education, which would develop math and/or science skills through the study of the environment; or (b) energy grants, which would increase students' awareness of energy efficiency and conservation, energy sources, or other energy-related topics.
Eligibility: Public and private elementary and secondary schools and public school divisions that are registered with the National Center for Educational Statistics, institutions of higher education, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in specified geographic areas are invited to apply (areas are in the states of Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia; see Web site for complete information).
Deadline: May 1, 2009
Application and information available online at www.dom.com/about/education/grants/grants.jsp, by phoning 800.730.7217, or by sending e-mail to Educational_Grants@dom.com.

Adobe Software: 2009 Adobe School Innovation Awards
Purpose: To honor high school students’ most innovative print, Web, and video projects created with Adobe software.
Description: Students can create entries using free trial versions of Adobe software, and can win full-featured education versions of Adobe software. The Best-of-Best winner will receive an award of Adobe® Creative Suite® 4 Master Collection software for use on up to 30 seats in a lab at the student's school (or home school). The theme of the competition is The World is Your Stage. Students can submit entries in three categories: Web Design and Development, Film and Video, and Graphic and Print Design. Category winners and finalists will be chosen, as well as the Best-of-Best Winner for the top overall submission. Winners will be announced at the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in June in Washington, DC.
Eligibility: The program is open to high school students (ages 14 to 19) in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (except Quebec). Qualifying individual and group entries will be accepted.
Deadline: May 8, 2009
Entry information available online at www.adobe.com/education/solutions/k12/awards/?trackingid=EITPN.

Microsoft: DigiGirlz High Technology Camps
Purpose: To educate and inspire girls by introducing them to the opportunities and career choices available in the high-tech industry.
Description: Camps are offered in various locations around the country during June, July, and August. In some places camps are two days long and in others they are five days. No fees are charged, but attendees must provide their own transportation and lodging. During the camp, the girls are exposed to executive speakers, technology tours and demonstrations, networking, and hands-on learning workshops.
Eligibility: All girls must be at least 13 years old; camps admit various grade levels, and attendees must be in the appropriate grades. Teachers may attend if they have students who are accepted.
Deadline: May and June deadlines vary by location; please visit Web site.
Application and information available online at www.microsoft.com/about/diversity/programs/digigirlz/ hightechcamp.aspx.

Target: Store Grants for Early Childhood Reading and for Arts Programs
Purpose: To support programs that encourage a love of reading and that make the arts more available.
Description: Arts programs should bring the arts to schools or make it affordable for youth and families to participate in cultural experiences, such as school touring programs, field trips to the theater or symphony, or artist residencies and workshops in schools. Programs that make the arts accessible to school children are of particular interest. Reading grants are awarded to schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations to support programs such as weekend book clubs and after-school reading programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children, from birth through age 9, to read together with their families. Grants generally range in size from $1,000 to $3,000.
Eligibility: Schools, libraries, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations may apply.
Deadline: May 31, 2009
Application and information available online at http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031821.

PTO Today: Parent Group of the Year
Purpose: To help parent groups showcase their hard work and win cash and prizes for their schools.
Description: Entrants can choose from eight categories, including Outstanding Family Event, Outstanding Community Service Project, and Outstanding New Group. Grand prize for the National Parent Group of the Year is $5,000 cash, plus $3,000 in school supplies. The runner-up will receive $1,000 cash, plus $1,000 in school supplies. The eight category winners will each receive a $250 cash prize, plus $300 in custom apparel.
Eligibility: All school parent groups are eligible to enter.
Deadline: June 1, 2009
Entry information available online at www.ptotoday.com/pgy.

The Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest 2009
Purpose: To share the love of nature with a child and others.
Description: The EPA, Generations United, the Dance Exchange, and the Rachel Carson Council invite two-person, intergenerational teams to create poetry, essays, dance, and/or photography that express the “Sense of Wonder that you feel for the sea, the night sky, forests, birds, wildlife, and all that is beautiful to your eyes." In 2009 communities across the United States will be celebrating the Year of Science, making this a good time to express how science has contributed to your sense of wonder and appreciation of the natural environment. Entries will be judged on creativity, originality, and ability to capture a "sense of wonder." Other criteria include how the intergenerational team describes what made this a special project and how this project brought the team in touch with the natural world.
Eligibility: Team members may be related or unrelated, but they must be at least one generation apart in age.
Deadline: June 10, 2009
Application and information available online at www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm.

National Association of Independent Schools: Challenge 20/20 Program
Purpose: To support an online international education program.
Description: The program is now accepting applications from schools that want to participate in the 2009-2010 challenge. The program pairs classes at any grade level (K-12) from schools in the U.S. with their counterpart classes in schools in other countries; together the teams (of two or three schools) tackle real global problems to find solutions that can be implemented at the local level and in their own communities. If your school does not have a partner school in mind, simply select the problems (up to five in order of preference) for which you would like to work toward a solution. NAIS will work to partner your school, based on the problem/s you have selected. There is no fee to participate and no travel required.
Eligibility: All elementary and secondary schools, public or private, located anywhere in the word, are invited to participate; NAIS membership is not required. At a school, the group of students may be part of a particular academic class, club, or after-school activity. More than one team from a particular school may participate if they wish to tackle multiple problems, provided the partner school agrees to form multiple teams or provided NAIS can locate multiple partner schools.
Deadline: Apply online by August 17, 2009
Application and information available online at www.nais.org/resources/index.cfm?ItemNumber=147262.

Foundation for the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology: FIRST Robotics Competitions, Tech Challenges, and LEGO Leagues
Purpose: To inspire young people to be science and technology leaders.
Description: FIRST competitions engage young people, their families, and their communities in programs that build skills and foster self-confidence, communication, and leadership. Programs are matched to age levels, beginning with Junior FIRST LEGO League (ages 6-9) and proceeding to FIRST LEGO League (9-14), FIRST Tech Challenge (high school), and FIRST Robotics Competition (high school). Families and community members get involved through team mentoring and sponsorships.
Deadline: Varies according to location, with local competitions feeding into the championship, which happens in the spring.
Registration and information available online at www.usfirst.org/who/content.aspx?id=956.

Pay It Forward Foundation: Service-Oriented Mini-Grants
Purpose: To fund one-time-only service-oriented projects identified by youth as activities they would like to perform to benefit their school, neighborhood, or greater community.
Description: Projects must contain a "pay it forward" focus—that is, they must be based on the concept of one person doing a favor for others, who in turn do favors for others, with the results growing exponentially. Maximum award amount is $500.
Eligibility: K-12 youth may apply.
Deadline: Ongoing, with October 15, January 15, and April 15 review cycles
Application and information available online at http://payitforwardfoundation.org/educators/mini-grant.html.

The Allstate Foundation: Program Grants
Purpose: To support national and local programs in three focus areas.
Description: Safe and Vital Communities programs address catastrophe response, youth anti-violence, neighborhood revitalization, or teen safe driving. Economic Empowerment programs address financial and economic literacy, insurance education, or empowerment for victims of domestic violence. Tolerance, Inclusion, and Diversity programs address teaching tolerance to youth, ending hate crimes, or alleviating discrimination. Award size vary according to program requests.
Eligibility: Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations.
Deadline: Ongoing
Application and information available online at www.allstate.com/foundation/funding-guidelines.aspx.

Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation and National Geographic: Outdoor Classroom Grants
Purpose: To provide outdoor, hands-on science education to students in grades K-12 and assist schools in enhancing their core curriculum in all subjects.
Description: The program will award grants of up to $2,000 to at least 100 schools. In some cases, grants for up to $20,000 may be awarded to schools or school districts with major outdoor classroom projects. The grants can be used to build a new outdoor classroom or to enhance a current outdoor classroom at the school.
Eligibility: All K-12 public schools in the United States are welcome to apply.
Deadline: June 30 and December 31, 2008
Application and information available online at www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=pg&p=AboutLowes/outdoor/apply2.html.

Open Meadows Foundation: Grants
Purpose: To support projects that are led by and benefit women and girls.
Description: Proposed projects should not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or ability. Grant amounts of up to $2,000 are available to projects that are designed and implemented by women and girls; reflect the diversity of the community served; promote building community power; promote racial, social, economic, and environmental justice; have limited financial access or have encountered obstacles in their search for funding. Organizational budget should not exceed $150,000. Small and start-up organizations are encouraged to apply.
Deadline: August 15, 2008, and February 15, 2009
Application and information available online at www.openmeadows.org or by sending e-mail to openmeadows@igc.org.

American Honda Foundation: Grant Program
Purpose: To support worthy national nonprofit causes, programs, and organizations that directly benefit the people of the United States.
Description: Funded projects focus on youth and scientific education. Proposals should reflect the basic tenets, beliefs, and philosophies of the Honda companies, which are characterized by the following qualities: imaginative, creative, youthful, forward-thinking, scientific, humanistic, and innovative.
Eligibility: The Foundation provides grants in the fields of youth education and scientific education to the following: education institutions, K-12; accredited higher education institutions (colleges and universities); community colleges and vocational or trade schools; scholarship and fellowship programs at selected colleges and/or universities or through selected nonprofit organizations; other scientific and education-related, nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations; gifted student programs; media concerning youth education and/or scientific education; private, nonprofit scientific and/or youth education projects; other nonprofit, tax-exempt institutions in the fields of youth education and scientific education; and programs pertaining to academic or curriculum development that emphasize innovative educational methods and techniques.
Deadline: Ongoing
Application and information available online at http://corporate.honda.com/america/philanthropy.aspx?id=ahf or from American Honda Foundation, P.O. Box 2205, Torrance, CA 90509-2205, telephone 310.781.4090; fax 310.781.4270.

Live Monarch Foundation: Educator Award Program
Purpose: To assist the Monarch butterfly and native animals across North America.
Description: Help us spread the word, while teaching your students the importance of taking a personal interest in our world. The program provides funding for K-12 teachers and home-schooling parents to bring Monarch butterflies into the classroom. This program provides education and materials to strengthen the Monarch’s 3,000 mile migratory route by creating self-sustaining butterfly gardens and refuges.
Deadline: Ongoing
Application and information available online at MA www.lmf-educator-award.com/index.html.

The Mt. Vernon Ladies Association: George Washington Portraits
Purpose: To increase interest in our first president, his life, and his presidency by placing his picture in schools across the country.
Description: Many of today's children have limited factual knowledge of George Washington and his presidency. This portrait, known as a "porthole portrait," is free and will be sent to schools upon request. Accompanying the framed portrait will be a George Washington Celebration Kit with suggested activities to commemorate the dedication of the portrait, as well as suggested lesson plans for classroom use. To request a portrait for your school, have your principal send a letter on the school's letterhead to Ann Bay, Associate Director for Education, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, P.O. Box 110, Mount Vernon, VA 22121. Your letter should include a description of the place you plan to hang the portrait and the school's street address for UPS deliveries.
Deadline: As long as supplies last
Information available online at www.mountvernon.org.

Southern Poverty Law Center: Teaching Tolerance Grants
Purpose: To equalize students' experience in schools.
Description: Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded for programs that engage collaboration between educators, researchers, parents/guardians and student groups. Such programs might include: equitable discipline policies and practices; consistent educational experience for migrant, homeless, or foster-care students; special education advocacy, with emphasis on parent and students' rights; prejudice reduction efforts in racially isolated schools; or equitable school assignment plans. These grants require a two-stage application procedure, beginning with a Letter of Inquiry and, on invitation, followed by the submission of a full proposal.
Deadline: Ongoing for Letters of Inquiry
Application information available online at www.tolerance.org/teach/grants/schoolgrants.jsp.

Internet Science and Technology Fair (ISTF)
Purpose: To (a) challenge students to use information technology tools to discover and explore the future of science and engineering; (b) provide science, math, and computer teachers with a means to integrate the Internet and research methods into their curricula; and (c) offer scientists and engineers working within corporations, federal/state agencies, and academic research centers an opportunity to invest their time on-line as technical advisors who become "digital mentors."
Description: From October through February each year, student teams apply technology to real-world problems when they participate in the ISTF. As a team, students use guidelines that are based on national science content standards developed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Students work with a practicing scientist or engineer who acts as the team's online technical advisor. Teams publish their final research reports in a Web page format that is then judged against other teams from the United States and other participating countries. Top teams receive certificates of award from the National Medal of Technology Program at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Deadline: December 2008 for enrollment; project must be complete by February 27, 2009 Enrollment and other information available online at http://istf.ucf.edu.

Guitar Center Music Foundation: Grants
Purpose: To help nonprofit music instruction programs across America so that more people can experience the joys of making music. Maximum award amount is $5,000.
Eligibility: Qualifying applicants are established, ongoing, and sustainable 501(c)(3) music programs across the United States that provide music instruction for people of any age who would not otherwise have the opportunity to make music.
Deadline: Ongoing
Application and information available online at www.guitarcentermusicfoundation.org/grants/index.cfm?sec=info.

C-SPAN: Archives Grants for Teachers
Purpose: To make video from the C-SPAN archives available to teachers for classroom use. Description: Applicants apply by writing a one-page summary of how they intend to use videotape(s) from the C-SPAN Archives in the classroom. The teacher should include a resume or cv and the ID# of the tape(s) and price(s) from the Web site.
Eligibility: K-12 and college/university educators may apply.
Deadline: Ongoing (allow at least 30 days for processing)
Application and information available online at www.c-span.org/classroom/grants.asp.

The Dirksen Congressional Center: Robert H. Michel Special Project Grants
Purpose: To enhance understanding of the U.S. Congress through research and teaching.
Description: The Center serves two primary audiences: scholars who conduct research about Congress and teachers who teach social studies, history, political science, and other subjects that relate to Congress. Examples of eligible projects include conferences that bring together congressional scholars, the collection or publication of resources useful for research, efforts by teachers to develop creative ways to teach about Congress, and publications, especially those with appeal beyond academia. The following would not qualify for a grant: the development of teaching materials for a single classroom or school, field trips for students, service-learning projects, travel to conferences, the costs of professional development courses or workshops, and basic research projects. Individual awards will fall generally in the $2,500 to $5,000 range. The projects must have as their central focus the U.S. Congress. The Center particularly values innovative endeavors that have the potential to reach a broad audience.
Eligibility: Individuals and organizations may apply.
Deadline: Ongoing for submitting proposals by e-mail
Information available online at www.dirksencenter.org/print_grants_specialprojects.htm.

National Park Service: Teacher to Ranger to Teacher Program
Purpose: To provide opportunities for all Americans to connect to our national heritage through the national parks.
Description: A variety of social and economic factors often make it difficult for some Americans to take full advantage of our national parks. This program offers a solution, by linking National Park units with teachers from underserved urban and rural school districts. Selected teachers spend the summer working as park rangers, often living in the park. They perform various duties, including developing and presenting interpretive programs for the general public, staffing the visitor center desk, developing curriculum-based materials for the park, or taking on special projects. Then, during the school year, these teacher-rangers bring the parks into the classroom by developing and presenting curriculum-based lesson plans that draw on their summer’s experience. In April, during National Park Week, teacher-rangers wear their NPS uniforms to school, discuss their summer as a park ranger, and engage students and other teachers in activities that relate to America’s national parks.
Deadline: Ongoing
Information available online at www.nps.gov/wupa/forteachers/trt.htm or by contacting Linda Lutz-Ryan, 303.969.2638, or Diana Truman Wiggam, 303.969.2404.

U.S. Department of Education: Digital Workshops for Teachers of Native American Students
Purpose: To provide professional development to teachers of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Description: The workshops were produced by the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative in collaboration with the Office of Indian Education, and they support mastery of academic content and application by modeling teaching methods that have been successful in the classroom and providing a classroom application component. The first workshops focus on literature, community outreach, and reading.
Eligibility: Teachers of Native American students in all grade levels and content areas.
Deadline: Ongoing
To participate, go online to www.t2tweb.us/nativeamerican.

Verizon Foundation: Education Grants
Purpose: To support initiatives that focus on one or more of these priority areas: literacy, domestic violence, and technology for healthcare and healthcare accessibility.
Description: Grants tend to average between $5,000 and $10,000. Programs that receive support will not duplicate or significantly overlap the work of public agencies on the federal, state, or local level. Funded programs will serve the community without discrimination on the basis of age, color, citizenship, disability, disabled veteran status, gender, race, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, military service or status, or Vietnam-era veteran status. (Verizon also offers support in the form of volunteers; information on this program is available at http://foundation.verizon.com/employee/.)
Eligibility: Grants may be given to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the United States.
Deadline: Ongoing
Application and information available online at http://foundation.verizon.com/grant/index.shtml.

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics: Classroom Grants for Science and Math
Purpose: To help teachers make science, mathematics, and technology come alive in their classrooms.
Description: Grants can be used for classroom demonstration kits and science supplies, including math and science software, graphing calculators, supplies for making flying objects (what kid can resist the chance to build and launch a rocket?), supplies for robotic programs, and other materials. Grant awards are for up to $200 per individual request; each school is limited to up to $1,000 per calendar year.
Eligibility: K-12 teachers who develop or apply science, mathematics, and technology in the curriculum may apply.
Deadline: Grants awards are ongoing, and the amount of available funds fluctuates.
Application and information available online at www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=216.

Do Something: GameStop Grants
Description: These grants award $500 to individuals to help them get things going in their neighborhoods.
Eligibility: Youth grants are available for anyone in the United States or Canada, 25 or under, who has a great idea for a community action project.
Deadline: Ongoing. GameStop grants are given out weekly.
Application and information available online at www.dosomething.org/grants.

Do Something: Plum Grants
Purpose: To help young people make changes in the world.
Description: Plum TV and Do Something give $500 grants to young social entrepreneurs who create sustainable projects, programs, or organizations.
Eligibility: Social entrepreneurs ages 25 and under from the United States are eligible to enter.
Deadline: Ongoing. Plum awards are given out weekly.
Application and information available online at www.dosomething.org/grants.

The Milagro Foundation: Grants for Arts, Education, and Health Projects
Purpose: To support creative and unique programs from community-based, grassroots organizations that work with underprivileged children and youth in the areas of arts, education, and health.
Description: The foundation gives priority to programs that can prove to make a lasting impact on children (those that work with the children for 2 or more years) and programs or projects that show collaboration between and among more than one agency. Most grant amounts are between $2,500 and $5,000.
Eligibility: Organizations that have 501(c)3 status in the United States are eligible to apply.
Deadline: Ongoing
Application and information available online at www.milagrofoundation.org/apply.asp.

Charles Lafitte Foundation: Education Grants
Purpose: To encourage the attainment of knowledge and skills and the practice of responsible citizenship.
Description: Proposals should be for innovative programs aimed at resolving social service issues, assisting students with learning disabilities, providing technology and computer-based education, creating access to education of the arts, supporting at-risk children, and providing learning enhancement. Grants may also support research and conferences, as well as support for programs that promote academic excellence in institutions of higher learning.
Eligibility: Organizations with 501(c)(3) status may apply.
Deadline: Ongoing; letters of inquiry may be sent at any time.
Information available online at www.charleslafitte.org/education.html.