It’s that time of year again. Classrooms are buzzing with activity, teachers are pouring their hearts into lesson plans, and budgets are stretched to the breaking point.

Teachers know all too well the cost of creating extraordinary learning experiences—books, technology, art supplies, STEM kits, classroom pets, professional development, and sometimes even the most basic essentials. Recent surveys continue to show just how much educators personally absorb those costs. AdoptAClassroom.org found that teachers spent an average of $895 out of pocket during the 2024–25 school year, while a nationally representative RAND survey of public-school teachers conducted in early 2026 found average spending of $665. Different surveys use different methodologies, but the message is the same: teachers are still spending hundreds of their own dollars every year to do their jobs.

The good news? There are plenty of grant programs designed specifically for teachers, classrooms, and schools.

Unlike large federal grants that are typically managed at the district or organizational level, many teacher-focused opportunities have relatively straightforward applications and award funding or resources that can make an immediate difference. Some provide a few hundred dollars for supplies. Others offer thousands for innovative projects, professional development, STEM programming, technology, or the arts.

We’ve rounded up some of the most promising teacher grants for the 2026–27 school year, organized by category so you can find the opportunities best suited to your classroom and your students.

One important note: Grant deadlines and program guidelines change. We’ve verified the information below as of September 2026, but always check the funder’s current guidelines before beginning an application.

Grants for Classroom Enrichment & Supplies

American Association of Educators (AAE) Classroom Grants

Eligibility: Educators

What it funds: Classroom materials and resources that support student learning

Deadline: October 1 and March 1

Amount: Up to $500

AAE’s national grant and scholarship program offers competitive classroom grants to educators for materials and resources. With two application cycles each year and a relatively modest request amount, this is a good opportunity for a clearly defined classroom need that doesn’t require a huge proposal.

Casey’s Cash for Classrooms

Eligibility: K–12 public and nonprofit private schools in Casey’s communities across 17 states

What it funds: Classroom materials, teacher support, physical improvements, and community engagement

Deadline: Applications typically open in October with a November deadline

Amount: Up to $50,000

This one has grown well beyond the typical classroom mini-grant. Casey’s has awarded millions of dollars to schools for projects ranging from classroom materials and educational equipment to playgrounds, facility improvements, and extracurricular initiatives.

The 2027 competition is expected to open in fall 2026. Check the program page for the current application window.

Dollar General Youth Literacy Grants

Eligibility: Schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations serving K–12 students who are reading below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading

What it funds: New or expanded literacy programs, books, materials, software, technology, and equipment supporting literacy

Deadline: The 2026 cycle has closed; watch for the 2027 cycle

Amount: Varies by funding cycle

One important distinction here: this is not technically a grant for an individual teacher. The applicant must be an eligible school, public library, or nonprofit organization.

Still, it can be an excellent funding source for a teacher working with school administration to expand a reading intervention, update literacy materials, purchase books, or introduce technology supporting struggling readers.

Snapdragon Book Foundation

Eligibility: School libraries serving children and young adults, particularly schools with demonstrated financial need

What it funds: Books and other eligible library materials

Deadline: Applications are generally accepted between November and February; check the 2027 application for the exact deadline

Amount: Typically $2,500–$10,000

If your school library desperately needs updating, bookmark this one. Snapdragon focuses specifically on helping school libraries build stronger collections.

Just read the guidelines carefully. The foundation does not fund everything vaguely related to literacy. Items such as computers, e-books, furniture, online databases, audiovisual equipment, staff time, and books for students to keep are excluded.

Pets in the Classroom

Eligibility: PreK–12 teachers in public and private schools

What it funds: Small classroom pets, habitats, supplies, and ongoing care

Deadline: April 30, 2027 for the 2026–27 school year

Amount: Varies by grant type; rebate and sustaining grants have different limits

Yes, there really is a grant for your classroom guinea pig.

Pets in the Classroom helps teachers introduce or maintain appropriate small animals in the classroom. Store coupon grants and reimbursement options are available depending on the pet.

The program changed its grant system for the 2026–27 school year, so returning applicants should review the current rules carefully. Once teachers have received an initial grant, they generally transition to the sustaining-grant program for future support.

Grants for Professional Development

Investing in teachers means investing in students. These grants support continuing education, professional learning, exploration, and renewal opportunities.

NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grants

Eligibility: Current NEA members who are teachers, education support professionals, or specialized instructional support personnel in public education

What it funds: High-quality professional development, conferences, institutes, seminars, action research, collegial study, mentoring, and similar learning experiences

Deadline: Annual application period runs June 15–September 15

Amount: Up to $5,000

NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grants can fund either individual professional learning or collaborative learning among groups of educators.

The grants can cover expenses such as registration, travel, meals, materials, substitute costs, and other eligible professional-learning expenses. They do not fund tuition or board certification.

Association of American Educators Foundation Teacher Scholarships

Eligibility: Educators

What it funds: Professional development and related expenses

Deadline: October 1 and March 1

Amount: Up to $500

AAE’s Teacher Scholarship program complements its classroom grants by supporting professional development rather than classroom materials.

A $500 scholarship isn’t going to fund a graduate degree, but it could make a conference, training, workshop, or certification opportunity considerably more affordable.

Fund for Teachers

Eligibility: Full-time PreK–12 educators with at least three years of teaching experience who meet current program requirements

What it funds: Self-designed professional learning fellowships, including domestic or international experiences

Deadline: Applications open October 1, 2026; deadline January 21, 2027

Amount: Up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for teams

This is one of the more exciting opportunities on the list because the teacher—not the funder—designs the learning experience.

Fund for Teachers wants educators to identify a genuine problem of practice and design a fellowship that helps them explore solutions, grow professionally, and bring what they learn back to students.

Travel can absolutely be part of the experience, including international travel, but the proposal needs to be about professional learning—not simply an interesting trip.

Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program — Indiana Only

Eligibility: Eligible full-time K–12 education professionals employed by Indiana public, charter, and private schools

What it funds: Meaningful personal and professional renewal experiences

Deadline: The 2027 fellowship deadline was September 8, 2026; watch for the next cycle

Amount: Up to $15,000

This program is different from most traditional professional-development grants—and that is intentional.

Lilly Endowment’s Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program encourages educators to pursue intellectually enriching and personally renewing experiences that restore energy, creativity, and enthusiasm for their work.

Eligibility is also broader than just classroom teachers. Principals, assistant principals, librarians, counselors, school psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, and instructional coaches may qualify.

Grants for STEM & Innovation

Science, technology, engineering, and math remain popular priorities for corporate and foundation funders. These opportunities support hands-on learning, equipment, classroom projects, and creative approaches to STEM education.

AIAA Foundation Classroom Grants

Eligibility: K–12 classroom teachers; applicants must meet current AIAA Educator Associate membership requirements

What it funds: STEM classroom projects with a clear emphasis on aerospace

Deadline: September 30, 2026

Amount: Up to $500

AIAA Classroom Grants can fund STEM demonstration kits, robotics supplies, math manipulatives, software, and materials for student projects—including parts and supplies for flying objects.

The important word here is aerospace. A generic STEM project isn’t enough; proposals must demonstrate a meaningful connection to aerospace education. Funds are paid to the school rather than directly to the teacher.

American Chemical Society — ACS-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grant

Eligibility: High school chemistry educators teaching in U.S. schools or U.S. territories

What it funds: Laboratory equipment and supplies, instructional materials, professional development, and student field studies

Deadline: June 1, 2027

Amount: Up to $1,800

Chemistry teachers, this is one to put on the calendar now.

Applications are accepted annually between February 1 and June 1. ACS specifically looks for projects that improve chemistry education and student learning, and the strongest applications demonstrate an impact that continues beyond the grant period.

Pitsco Educator Grant

Eligibility: PreK–college educators in traditional classrooms, homeschool settings, and out-of-school programs

What it funds: Pitsco products supporting hands-on learning and STEM education

Deadline: Monthly

Amount: $350 Pitsco voucher

Pitsco awards one educator grant each month. Applications are accepted throughout each calendar month.

One important distinction: this is not a $350 cash award. Winners receive a $350 Pitsco voucher that can be used across multiple purchases until the balance is depleted.

Still, for a teacher already eyeing Pitsco robotics, coding, makerspace, engineering, or STEM materials, it can be a useful opportunity with a much simpler application cycle than many traditional grants.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Mathematics Education Trust Grants

Eligibility: Varies by individual grant; many opportunities require NCTM membership

What it funds: Classroom innovation, mathematics instruction, professional development, research, leadership development, and other mathematics-education priorities

Deadline: Multiple application windows; check the current grant listings

Amount: Varies by grant

Rather than offering one generic teacher grant, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics operates a portfolio of grants through its Mathematics Education Trust.

That means teachers should browse the current opportunities instead of assuming every grant has the same eligibility or award amount. Some are designed for particular grade levels or career stages; others support classroom projects, research, professional learning, or leadership.

Toshiba America Foundation Grants

Eligibility: K–12 teachers proposing innovative, project-based STEM learning

What it funds: Teacher-designed STEM projects

Deadline: K–5: October 1; grades 6–12 have multiple annual deadlines depending on request size

Amount: K–5 grants up to $1,000; grades 6–12 grants may be up to $5,000 or more than $5,000

Toshiba America Foundation remains one of the strongest direct classroom-funding opportunities for teachers with a creative STEM idea.

The foundation is particularly interested in project-based learning with measurable outcomes. It generally does not fund simple requests for computers, tablets, textbooks, general operations, salaries, or ordinary audiovisual equipment.

In other words: don’t just ask for stuff. Show what your students are going to do with it.

Sol Hirsch Education Fund Grants

Eligibility: K–12 teachers, educators, program directors, and others proposing qualifying meteorology education projects in the United States

What it funds: Weather and meteorology equipment, classroom materials, outreach programs, and qualifying teacher training

Deadline: Closed until spring 2027

Amount: Up to $750

If you’re teaching weather, climate, atmospheric science, or meteorology, this small but highly targeted grant is worth knowing about.

Funds can support scientific equipment and classroom materials, new or expanded education and outreach activities, and some accredited courses, workshops, or conferences that strengthen meteorology instruction.

Grants for Arts & Creativity

Voya Unsung Heroes

Eligibility: K–12 education professionals with innovative ideas that can positively affect students

What it funds: Creative and innovative educational projects

Deadline: The current cycle has closed; watch for the next application period

Amount: 50 finalists receive $2,000; three top winners receive additional awards of $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000

Voya Unsung Heroes has been around for decades and remains one of the better-known national classroom innovation programs.

Fifty educators are selected for $2,000 awards. From that group, three receive additional top awards. Projects are judged on innovation, creativity, and their ability to positively influence students.

The Music Matters Challenge

Eligibility: Schools and individual entrants nationwide, subject to the program’s rules

What it funds: Music education and expanded access to school music programs

Deadline: Returns February 2027

Amount: $25,000 school grant; $10,000 individual prize; plus up to $300,000 to support a full-time music teacher at a selected school

The Music Matters Challenge is returning in February 2027, and it is definitely not your typical grant application.

Participants submit a short video featuring their interpretation of the chorus of “Let Music Fill My World” and share how music has shaped their lives, school, or community.

Schools can compete for a $25,000 grant for music education, while an individual winner receives $10,000 and helps select a U.S. school without an existing full-time music teacher to receive up to three years of salary support totaling as much as $300,000.

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation

Eligibility: Qualifying U.S. public and public-charter schools with established music programs

What it funds: Musical instruments and equipment

Deadline: Pre-qualification is required; check the current application portal for availability

Amount: In-kind instrument award; no cash grants

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation helps under-resourced public schools strengthen established music programs by donating instruments.

Schools must meet fairly specific requirements, including economic-need and established-program criteria. Only music teachers may initiate the pre-qualification process, and awards consist of instruments and equipment—not cash.

Tech & Access Grants

Mobile Beacon — Connect for Success

Eligibility: Eligible schools, colleges, and universities located in participating cities and within Mobile Beacon’s service area

What it funds: Technology and internet connectivity supporting students and school communities experiencing digital inequities

Deadline: Rolling

Amount: Up to 25 laptops and 4G devices, plus 12 months of free mobile high-speed internet service

Connect for Success can help schools establish mobile learning labs, hotspot-lending programs, teacher professional-development initiatives, and other projects addressing the digital divide.

There is one big catch: the program is geographically limited. Check your school’s location before investing time in an application. Applications are accepted year-round and awarded on a rolling basis.

ExploreLearning Reflex & Frax Math Grants

Eligibility: Elementary classroom educators; grade eligibility differs slightly between Reflex and Frax

What it funds: School-year access to ExploreLearning’s Reflex math-fact-fluency program or Frax fractions program, including training and professional-development resources

Deadline: October 23, 2026 for U.S. educators

Amount: Full school-year program access valued at more than $2,100

This opportunity has expanded beyond the old Reflex-only grant.

Teachers can apply for access to Reflex, which focuses on math fact fluency, or Frax, which focuses on fractions. Selected educators receive access for one classroom of students for the school year along with related training and resources.

For U.S. teachers, the current application window runs July 13–October 23, 2026.

Other Places to Find Teacher Grants

National grant programs are only part of the picture.

Don’t overlook local opportunities, which are often less competitive and surprisingly generous. Community foundations, banks, credit unions, utility companies, hospitals, civic clubs, education foundations, local businesses, PTAs, and PTOs frequently operate classroom mini-grant programs.

Start with your own school district. If it has an education foundation, check there first. Then search for terms such as “[your city] teacher grants,” “[your county] classroom grants,” or “[your state] education foundation teacher grants.”

You may find a $500 local grant with 40 applicants is a much better use of your time than a $5,000 national grant with thousands.

Quick Tips for Applying

1. Keep a running wish list. Don’t wait for a grant deadline to decide what your classroom needs. Keep notes throughout the year about projects, materials, equipment, and professional-development ideas.

2. Check eligibility before writing anything. Some “teacher grants” are actually awarded to the school, school district, or another nonprofit entity. Others require membership in a professional association. Know who has to apply before you invest your time.

3. Check district policies. Your school may require administrative approval before you apply for outside funding, accept equipment, introduce a classroom pet, or commit to grant reporting requirements.

4. Start with the students—not the shopping list. “I need 12 robotics kits” isn’t nearly as compelling as explaining what your students will build, investigate, learn, and accomplish because those kits are available.

5. Be specific. A small grant is often easier to win when the funder can clearly see the connection between the need, the purchase, and the outcome.

6. Read the exclusions. Many teacher grants tell you exactly what they will not fund. Don’t waste precious application time trying to convince a funder to make an exception to a clearly stated rule.

7. Track recurring deadlines. Many of these programs return every year. If you’ve just missed one, put next year’s approximate opening date on your calendar now.

8. Don’t ignore small grants. A $500 grant with a short application may deliver a much better return on your time than a complicated $10,000 competition.

9. Lean on support. Join our LinkedIn group to connect with grant writers and educators for quick answers, shared opportunities, and encouragement.

Final Thoughts

Teacher grants may be modest compared with multimillion-dollar federal awards, but they can make a very real difference where it matters most—inside classrooms.

A few hundred dollars can restock a classroom library. A STEM grant can put equipment in students’ hands that a school budget couldn’t cover. A fellowship can send an educator somewhere that completely changes how they teach a subject. A technology grant can connect students who otherwise go home without reliable internet access.

And sometimes a successful $500 project becomes proof of concept for something much bigger.

So bookmark the programs that fit your classroom, put the deadlines on your calendar, and apply. Don’t assume a grant is too competitive before giving yourself the chance to win it.

Your students—and your wallet—may thank you.

One last tip: get to know your students’ parents.

Most of the grants on this list are too small to justify hiring a professional grant writer. But you never know when there might be one sitting across the desk from you at a parent-teacher conference if you don’t ask.

As a rule, we don’t do pro bono grant writing.

But when it’s our child’s classroom, school, team, club, or extracurricular activity?

We’ve been known to make an exception or two.