Oak Foundation: Learning Differences Grant Programme

The Oak Foundation's Learning Differences Grant Programme aims to foster equitable educational experiences for students with learning differences, particularly those marginalized by racism and poverty. Through strategic partnerships with not-for-profit organizations, the program enhances understanding of diverse learners' needs, translates knowledge into effective practices, and influences systemic changes to create supportive learning environments. The initiative emphasizes the importance of community involvement, ensuring that students' voices are heard and their educational needs are met.

NOTE: Oak Foundation has an invitation-only application process and we fund on a rolling basis. Not-for-profit organisations who have not been invited to apply by a programme officer can submit unsolicited requests for funding through our letter of enquiry process.
Overview
In the Learning Differences Programme, we believe that together we can build a world in which schools unlock the creativity and power of every young person and equip them to shape more just and equitable communities. We partner with and invest in not-for-profit organisations that improve education for all students, particularly those with learning differences who experience further marginalisation due to racism and poverty.You can read more about how we work in our programme strategy paper.
Our Strategy
The Learning Differences Programme promotes more equitable educational experiences and systems for students with learning differences who are furthest from opportunity.
Build knowledge and understanding of what works best for diverse learners
As schools, teachers and education systems recognize the variability of each learner and reimagine classrooms with a broader understanding of how students learn, we seek to better understand what is working, with an emphasis on how racism and poverty contribute to disproportionate outcomes.
Translate knowledge into practice to build more equitable learning environments and student experiences so that students with learning differences thrive.
As we learn what research and evidence-based strategies, practices, and conditions are most effective to help students with learning differences thrive, we seek to share that knowledge with educators and other leaders and to support approaches that work for all students, particularly students with learning differences who are furthest from opportunity.Influence systems to embrace and adopt enabling conditions necessary for schools to meet the needs of students with learning differences and those furthest from opportunityWe recognise that students and educators exist within a broader context and that the redesign of learning environments often requires changes in policy and systems more broadly. The voices of parents and families, students, and educators are essential to promote awareness of and strengthen demand for learning environments that are responsive to students with learning differences, particularly those who are furthest from opportunity.

Application Details

Unlocking the potential of all learners

Oak Foundation / Learning Differences Programme / Our Strategy
who have specific learning disabilities
learner to shape more just and equitable (such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and
Oak Foundation’s Learning Differences
Programme makes grants to not-for-profit sensory processing disorders, and
organisations that create learning environments
and promote educational equity to improve includes both those who have been
education for students with learning formally identified for special education
differences, particularly those who are furthest and related services as well as those who
from opportunity due to racism and poverty. do not meet diagnostic criteria but who
and instruction have typically been
designed.
race, income, language, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, gender, and religion.

Oak Foundation / Learning Differences Programme / Our strategy
Our view of the need Our strategic framework
Too often for too many students, the The Learning Differences Programme promotes
environments in which they learn do not more equitable educational experiences and
support their success. Years of research point systems for students with learning differences
to inequities in education for students with who are furthest from opportunity.
learning differences, students of colour, and strategic framework is comprised of three
students from low-income backgrounds. approaches.
Students with learning differences such as 1)Build knowledge and understanding
dyslexia or ADHD face many barriers to success, of what works best for students with
such as a lack of understanding about their learning differences
learning needs, inadequate accommodations
and support, and/or stigmas related to their As schools, teachers, and education systems
performance. Students with learning differences recognise the variability of each learner
are also more likely to fall far behind their peers and reimagine classrooms with a broader
in reading and mathematics and are more than understanding of how students learn, we
twice as likely to drop out of school. seek to better understand what is working,
particularly for students with learning
These challenges are often further exacerbated differences who experience racism and
for students of colour who also have learning poverty.
differences. Systemic inequities in education
can lead to compounded barriers for students We support organisations that:

• of colour with learning differences. They are
• more likely to be misidentified for special • Conduct research, with a priority on
• education services, and those who receive supporting more diverse perspectives,
• referrals to special education are more likely to understand how teaching and learning
• to be placed in restrictive settings and can be transformed to unlock the potential
• experience harsher discipline than their peers. of students with learning differences.
• • Analyse quantitative and qualitative data
• Advances in cognitive science and neuroscience related to student outcomes, resource
• have provided more understanding than ever allocation, and public policy to develop
• about human development – from the science policy- and system-level recommendations
• of reading to the link between academic for improving learning environments for
• mastery and social and emotional growth. students with learning differences.
• However, changes in school organisation and • Share research findings to improve
• instructional practice are often slow to respond. teaching and learning for students
• with learning differences.

Oak Foundation / Learning Differences Programme / Our strategy
Latest update December 2023
2)Translate knowledge into practice to build We recognise that students and educators exist
more equitable learning environments and within a broader context and that the redesign
student experiences so that students with of learning environments often requires
learning differences thrive. changes in policy and systems more broadly.
The voices of parents and families, students,
As we learn what research and evidence-based and educators are essential to promote
strategies, practices, and conditions are most awareness of and strengthen demand for
effective to help students with learning learning environments that are responsive to
differences thrive, we seek to share that students with learning differences, particularly
knowledge with educators and other leaders those who are furthest from opportunity.
and to support approaches that work for all
students, particularly students with learning We support organisations that:

• differences who are furthest from opportunity.
• • Build movements through grassroots and
• We support organisations that: policy advocacy to advance the needs of
• students with learning differences who
• • Connect research on the science of learning are furthest from opportunity.
• with the needs of students with learning • Develop broader measures of student
• differences, particularly to ensure the success and support their adoption in
• science of reading informs teacher education policy and practice.
• professional learning and practice in • Elevate the voices of students with
• literacy instruction. learning differences and their families
• • Strengthen the pipeline of talented and in transforming education by amplifying
• diverse educators who are equipped to their skills and agency as advocates.
• serve students with learning differences.
• • Support activities that engage students in
• developing social, emotional, and cognitive Our grantee partners
• competencies, with a priority on building
• relationships, developing youth leadership,
• Please see our grant database for a complete
• and engaging young people with learning
• list of our grants and their locations
• differences in the design of supportive
• (oakfnd.org/grant-database.html). Visit our
• learning environments.
• website page to learn more about our partners’
• • Support the curation and dissemination
• work. We publish stories on a regular basis that
• of tools and resources that provide
• explain our grant-making approaches.
• stakeholders with evidence-based strategies
• and frameworks for supporting students
• with learning differences.
• 3)Influence systems to embrace and adopt
• Where we fund
• enabling conditions necessary for schools
• to meet the needs of students with learning
• We support education not-for-profit
• differences and those furthest from
• organisations in the United States as well
• opportunity
• as a limited number of global networks and
• initiatives.

Oak Foundation / Learning Differences Programme / Our strategy
and environmental concern, particularly
website. We value and consider all submissions.
We also believe that our partners benefit from
40 countries worldwide.
having diverse funding sources to promote
resiliency and to achieve the impact they desire.
50 per cent of any project budget and no more
programmes are:

• than 20 per cent of organisational budgets.
• •Environment
• Requests to fund higher levels should be
• •Housing and Homelessness
• discussed with the programme officer. We
• •International Human Rights
• provide core support grants to organisations
• •Issues Affecting Women
• whose overall missions align fully with our
• •Learning Differences
• programme strategy.
• •Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
• •Special Interest
• We do not provide support for:
• The four country programmes are:
• • individuals •Brazil
• • scholarships or tuition assistance for •Oak Foundation Denmark
• undergraduate or postgraduate studies
• •India
• • religious organisations for religious purposes
• •Zimbabwe
• • election campaigns
• • programme grants under USD 25,000,
• except in special circumstances.
• More information can be found at:
• http://www.oakfnd.org
• Download this document to learn about the
• grant-making timeline and process.