Grants-to-Educators

The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation offers Grants-to-Educators as part of its grantmaking work supporting outstanding classroom teachers in Ohio public schools. Beginning in 2026, the Foundation changed its grant periods and application process as part of its Visioning Forward process. Grants-to-Educators support the Foundation's objective of recognizing and encouraging outstanding classroom teachers in Ohio PK-12 public schools. Grants are available to teachers and administrators and are typically intended for classroom or school-wide projects. The maximum grant size is $3,000. The program focuses on Advancing Student Learning. The Foundation identifies student learning as the ultimate measure of success and seeks initiatives that foster active engagement, transferable skills, and academic growth for students in Ohio public schools. Projects should move beyond enrichment alone and create meaningful learning experiences grounded in strong content and instructional purpose. Applicants are expected to explain what students will learn and what students will be able to do differently as a result of the proposed project. Priority is given to projects that foster critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication; engage students in cognitively demanding, standards-aligned learning; prepare students for college, career, and life; demonstrate clear connections between activities and learning outcomes; and promote equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities. Grant reviewers consider the project's innovation or uniqueness within the classroom, school, or district and how effectively it advances student learning. Reviewers also consider whether requested budget items could be provided through community or local, state, or federal funds; whether activities are age appropriate; and whether the project addresses a critical student or teacher need. For projects involving books or equipment, the application should establish that the central purpose is achieving the prioritized learning objectives rather than simply obtaining materials. Reviewers assess whether the evaluation plan adequately measures project quality and impact on student learning, whether the district has supported the grant or teacher, and whether the application has been completed accurately and proofread for spelling and grammatical errors. Applicants must create an account in the Foundation's online application portal and use the district superintendent as the Head of the Organization rather than the building principal. The application must be completed fully and accurately and must include detailed budget documents and other required materials. Every application must also include a Letter of Endorsement signed by the applicant's principal on district letterhead. Applications must be submitted by one of the Foundation's quarterly Grants-to-Educators deadlines. As of January 2026, those deadlines are February 15, May 15, August 15, and October 15. The associated Grant Reviews occur at the end of March, June, September, and November, respectively. The Foundation's Grants Advisory Committee reviews applications using the published evaluation criteria. Notification of the Foundation's decision is typically sent two weeks after the applicable Grant Review. Decisions are available through the applicant's dashboard and are also communicated by email to the main contact provided by the organization. For an approved award, the grantee must upload a Letter of Endorsement signed by the superintendent on district letterhead. The grantee must also complete and submit the Proposal Terms and Conditions before funding is distributed. Grant funds must be used within one year. Grantees must submit the required final reporting through the online dashboard within one year of receiving funding. The source identifies the reporting requirements as the Final Education Project Report Form and Final Financial Report and also refers generally to the Final Reporting Requirements. No matching or cost-share requirement is stated in the provided information. No total program funding amount or number of available awards is provided. The quarterly schedule makes this a recurring funding opportunity. As of August 19, 2026, the August 15 Grants-to-Educators deadline has passed, and the next listed Grants-to-Educators deadline is October 15, 2026, with Grant Review at the end of November. The source does not state a separate application opening date or a pre-application requirement such as an LOI or concept paper for Grants-to-Educators. Questions or requests for help accessing the grants management system may be directed to grantsmanager@mhjf.org or to the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation at 216-589-5700. The Foundation is located at The Halle Building, 1228 Euclid Ave., Suite 240, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.

Center the proposal on measurable student learning rather than enrichment alone; show clear connections between activities and learning outcomes; demonstrate innovation and a critical student or teacher need; explain why books or equipment are necessary to achieve learning objectives rather than being the project's central purpose; provide an evaluation plan that measures quality and impact on student learning; demonstrate district support; ensure the application is complete accurate and carefully proofread