Teacher Development Grants

Teacher Development Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation
Amount: Up to US $30,000
Last Updated: March 29, 2026

Summary

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation offers Teacher Development Grants to support K-12 educators in enhancing their classroom instruction. With grants up to $10,000 per year, individuals or small teams can implement innovative teaching strategies that foster critical inquiry and improve student engagement. This initiative aims to boost educational experiences for diverse learners, encouraging teachers to document and share their methods, ultimately promoting a culture of continuous professional growth.

Overview

NOTE: Apply early! The application system closes when we reach 200 submissions. Submissions accepted JANUARY 15 – APRIL 15. About Us The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation was founded by Sarah McCarthey and Mark Dressman, professors at the University of Illinois Champaign, in recognition of the struggle educators too often face in bringing truly exceptional teaching to their students. Ever-tightening budgets and skyrocketing technology and supply costs now make it more difficult than ever for educators in all areas—k-12, after school and advanced study—to introduce new programs and projects to children who needed them most. To that end, the McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation awards grants and scholarships to those projects and/or initiatives with significant potential to augment the educational experiences for youth of all backgrounds, beliefs, and national origins. Teacher Development Grants The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation believes that continuous, insightful and innovative professional training and growth is crucial to the effectiveness of educators. It is the Foundation’s goal to promote best practices through cooperative and sustained commitment to increased efficacy, improved teaching and active learning. As such, the Foundation values proposals aimed at concurrently boosting student understanding and proficiency and instilling a passion for lifelong learning. The Teacher Development Grants support small teams of teachers in the formation and implementation of groundbreaking k-12 classroom instruction. The grants provide opportunities for teachers to integrate fresh strategies that encourage critical inquiry and to observe their effects on students. Teachers have the opportunity to reflect and write about their projects, as well as to share their results with other teachers. The Foundation awards grants to individuals in amounts up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $30,000 over three years, provided the eligibility requirements continue to be met. Consider applying for a grant if you and/or a small group of your colleagues... are eager to improve your classroom instructionare willing to document your new approach in detailhave an imaginative and well-considered plan for enriching classroom instruction

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation considers applications for financial support from educators who... …are licensed k-12 teachers employed in public or private schoolshave the background and experience to complete the project successfullyhave the background and experience to complete the project successfullyare willing to work in collaboration with the Foundation