Professional Excellence Grants

The NEA Professional Excellence Grants aim to empower state and local affiliates by providing funding for innovative practices and resources that enhance the education profession. These grants support initiatives focused on student success, professional development, and the establishment of a quality educator workforce. Typical funding ranges from $3,000 to $25,000, enabling affiliates to implement programs that address specific learning needs and foster community partnerships.

NEA Professional Excellence Grants
For Affiliates to develop and support practices and resources that promote a quality education profession; that incubate sound practices and gather key learnings that aid student success; and that promote a system that establishes the value of a quality, professionalized educator workforce and the role of the Association in creating and sustaining a system of professional supports.
What are Professional Excellence Grants?
Professional Excellence Grants support NEA local and state Affiliates in implementing and/or developing resources and practices that meet professional learning needs and gaps identified by their members and students. The work funded through Professional Excellence Grants center student success, reinforce systems that recognize, value, and support a quality, professional educator workforce, while recognizing the role of the Association in creating and sustaining those systems of success.
Professional Excellence Grants fall under two categories:
Program Implementation Grant: Affiliates working with a NEA staffer can apply for a Program Implementation Grant that supports implementing an existing CPESL program. Examples may include:

• ESP Bill of Rights
• ESP Peer Mentoring Program
• ESP Professional Growth staff-facilitated PLCs
• Praxis training
• Induction Institute

Innovation Grant: Affiliates can apply for an Innovation Grant based on an affiliate’s need and implemented through the utilization of Professional Learning Theory. Examples may include:

• Family and community partnerships, such as Parent-Teacher-Home Visits and Community School initiatives
• National Board candidate support, such as Jump Start and year-round candidacy programs
• Entry into the teaching profession initiatives, such as Educators Rising
• Implementation of digital learning resources, such as micro-credentials implementation
• Funding
• Typical funded grant amounts range from $3,000 to $25,000.

Eligibility

Only State and Local Affiliates of NEA may apply for Professional Excellence Grants.All grantees will be expected to participate in a grant reporting and evaluation process during and at the close of the funding cycle.
All grantees receiving an Innovation Grant will participate in regularly scheduled facilitated collaborative learning sessions with fellow grantees.
All grantees receiving a Program Implementation Grant will be provided professional and technical assistance by an assigned NEA staff member.