These awards acknowledge the critical role of child care teachers in providing quality early care and education. Fifty teachers are selected for their commitment and dedication to the children they serve. Of the top 10 recipients, one is selected to receive the Helene Marks Award.

Every year, the Character Education Partnership names approximately 10 public and private schools and districts (K-12) as National Schools of Character for their outstanding work in character education. The awards program honors these exemplars, showcases their work, and facilitates their leadership in the field of character education.

This annual program honors full-time undergraduates who not only excel academically but also extend their intellectual abilities beyond the classroom to benefit society. Students named to the USA TODAY All-USA College Academic First Team will be featured in USA TODAY in March 2009 and will receive trophies and cash awards of $2,500.  Students must be nominated by their schools and be willing to be presented in USA TODAY as a representative of all outstanding students.  Schools may nominate as many students as they consider appropriate candidates for this award.

The AP Test Fee program awards grants to eligible state educational agencies to enable them to pay all or a portion of advanced placement test fees on behalf of eligible low-income students who are enrolled in an advanced placement course and plan to take an advanced placement exam. The program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who take advanced placement tests and receive scores for which college academic credit is awarded.

The NAMM Foundation and Disney's The Music in You Grant Program invite public middle and high schools to apply for a grant to put on their own school stage production of Disney's High School Musical or High School Musical II. This initiative encourages kids to get involved in music and the arts.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites proposals from libraries, archives, and library agencies, associations, and consortia for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant program.

Teachers will receive a customized prize package, including a year's worth of classroom supplies; gift certificates to local restaurants and entertainment; and an NPH research-based intervention program.  Participants can enter the NPH "Teacher Appreciation Day" contest by answering a simple survey and writing a short essay describing why they or someone they know deserves their own personal appreciation day. 

Participants must make concrete efforts towards reducing the environmental impact of their school during the eight week competition. All initiatives must be youth designed and led. A representative from each group must submit an online report of the school or club's actions to save energy, reduce waste and raise awareness during the competition.

This grant aims to enhance curricula in agricultural education; increase faculty teaching competencies; interest young people in pursuing higher education in order to prepare for scientific and professional careers in the food and agricultural sciences; promote the incorporation of agriscience and agribusiness subject matter into other instructional programs, particularly classes in science, business, and consumer education; facilitate joint initiatives by the grant recipient with other secondary schools, institutions of higher education that award an associate's degree, institutions of higher education that award a bachelor's degree, and nonprofit organizations supporting agriscience and agribusiness education, to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve agriscience and agribusiness education; support other initiatives designed to meet local, state, regional, or national needs related to promoting excellence in agriscience and agribusiness education; and support current Agriculture in the Classroom programs for grades K-12.

DoSomething.org and the GRAMMY Foundation have teamed up to give out $25,000 in community action grants to fund teen-led projects that use music to make a difference. This can be a project that has already started or a developing idea. All projects should be around the theme of using music to make a difference in the local and/or global community.

The award is intended to encourage and support the improvement of public education by recognizing the importance of integrating teacher preparation, professional development, and related research with the work of public schools, classrooms, teachers, and students.

The annual Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards recognize outstanding educators, administrators, policymakers, and other leaders at the forefront of innovation in education.

Beginning Oct. 6, every Monday teachers in K-8 schools in the continental U. S. can test their knowledge by answering online Classroom Jeopardy! StandardsLink questions.  Hosted by ETA/Cuisenaire, the nation’s premier educational publisher and pioneer of manipulatives-based education, the contest allows teachers to go online and answer questions in math, science, and literacy.  Each time a teacher answers a question correctly, their name is entered into a prize drawing.  The more times a teacher plays, the greater the chance they have to win.  Prizes are awarded throughout the contest, and at the end of the contest, one grand prize winner will be announced.  The grand prize is a Classroom Jeopardy! StandardsLink Game Event held at the winner’s school. 

Teachers and educators who are members of AVerMedia’s Teacher forum now have an additional opportunity to win a document camera by referring others to the forum. Users are encouraged to refer interested parties to the site. At the end of every month, the forum user with the most referrals will win a new AVerVision document camera.  This contest will run along side AVerMedia’s Forum Contest, launched in June, where active forum participants are randomly chosen once a month to win a document camera. Current Forum member contestants are allowed to refer as many new forum users as they wish within the contest timeframe and all relevant referrals are valid for that month only. New registrants will be asked which forum user referred them to the AVerMedia site in their online registration form. The first Refer a Friend award will be announced on September 30, 2009. Each month the referral counts start from zero.

The Allstate Foundation supports national and local programs that fit within three focus areas. Proposals for program support must address needs within one of the three focus areas to be considered for funding: safe and vital communities, economic empowerment, and tolerance, inclusion and diversity.

This fund will provide grants to public schools whose school library program has been affected by a disaster, either suffering building damage or by absorbing displaced students. Grants are to replace or supplement books, media, and/or library equipment in the school library setting. The program also features a comprehensive web site devoted to disaster preparedness, with resources and a toolkit to help school library media specialists prepare for and deal with natural disasters and terrorist acts.

Canvastic LLC announces the search for school districts that are technology leaders nationwide. Districts will be awarded licenses of Canvastic version 3 valued from $10K to $200K or more. The company will make the award to any district that meets the qualification criteria. The company will award one unlimited building site license ($949 value) for every two elementary and middle schools in the district. This is a pure gift with no obligation beyond installation of the program. Canvastic LLC feels that these gifts will help the program become more widely known as a great choice in student publishing in K-8.

The EcoPhones Recycling Fundraiser pays up to $300 per item. There's nothing to buy and nothing to sell. Simply ask parents, neighbors, co-workers and local businesses to donate and recycle their used consumer electronics, such as cell phones, ink jet printer cartridges, DVD movies and videogames, portable DVD players, laptop computers, MP3 players, and digital cameras.

All projects must promote understanding of environmental issues; focus on hands-on involvement; involve children and young adults 6-18 (elementary through high school); promote interaction and cooperation within the group; help young people develop planning and problem solving skills; include adult supervision; and commit to follow-up communication with the foundation (specific requirements are explained once the grant has been awarded).

This grant gives educators the chance to create and implement a science classroom supported by technology.  The overall prize will award 20-30 Nova5000 machines, equipping an entire science and math computing classroom or laboratory. Through the "matching grant" program, half of the Nova5000s will be given to the winner, while the other half must be sold at retail cost.  As well as being able to equip an entire science and math computing classroom or lab, the recipient also will receive a $500 voucher for selection of any probeware offered by Fourier Systems. The three runners-up will each receive a $500 voucher for Fourier Systems probeware.

The National School Library Media Program of the Year Award honors school library media programs working to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information.  The award recognizes exemplary library media programs that are fully integrated into the host school's curriculum. Three winning programs will receive $10,000 each from Follett Library Resources.   One District Award and two Single School Awards will be made.

KSTF Teaching Fellows are young men and women who have received a bachelor's or advanced degree in science, engineering, or mathematics and are committed to teaching high school science and/or mathematics in U.S. schools. The fellowship supports them professionally and financially for up to five years through a teacher preparation program to eligibility for tenure.

This video contest gives K-12 classes nationwide the opportunity to win a new 3M SCP712 Projection System for their classroom. The student or class will need to produce and submit a video 1-3 minutes in length, illustrating why their classroom will benefit from a 3M SCP712 Projection System. Because teachers are encouraged to help students with this collaborative project, 3M has developed lesson plans to make it easier for teachers to incorporate this project into their everyday curriculum.

Community Action grants provide funds to individuals, AAUW branches and AAUW state organizations as well as local community-based nonprofit organizations for innovative programs or non-degree research projects that promote education and equity for women and girls. Special consideration is given to projects focused on K-12 and community college girls' and women's achievements in science, technology, engineering or math.

This year’s competition will focus on Climate Change: Our Challenge.  The children’s paintings can focus on concrete actions such as using renewable energy, introducing energy saving light bulbs at home, sharing vehicles and using public transport, planting trees, etc.

The Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award rewards excellence in the development and delivery of technology programs. Programs which focus on aerospace and/or aeronautics will be given priority to other programs. Applicants must demonstrate how their programs ultimately benefit the students in a school or district.

A partnership between Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and the National Science Teachers Association, the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program offers grants to K-12 science teachers for innovative projects that enhance science education in the school and/or school district. Fifty large grants and a minimum of 20 mini-grants, totaling $550,000 in all, will be awarded this year.

Note: Deadline for intent to apply is Dec. 15, 2008.  The Transition to Teaching program encourages the development and expansion of alternative routes to full state teacher certification, as well as the recruitment and retention of highly qualified mid-career professionals, recent college graduates who have not majored in education, and highly qualified paraprofessionals as teachers in high-need schools operated by high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools that operate as high-need LEAs.

The fellowship is designed to help fill a pressing need for research aimed at addressing some of the fundamental challenges facing urban school districts. Potential projects might fall into three broad categories: investigating and documenting important trends, developing and refining interventions, or examining the effects of a particular intervention on student achievement. The fellowship will place a particular emphasis on projects relevant to secondary school reform.

Using an innovative range of new and traditional means, this challenge hopes to inspire third to sixth graders to discover a well-kept secret: science is cool. The first 1,000 entries will receive free science activity kits. Downloadable entry forms are available online at kidsciencechallenge.com and Whyville.net, and online entries may be completed on imbee.com.

This grant revitalizes the role of literature in American popular culture. Grants are available to encourage local communities to inspire reading by developing and carrying out programming revolving around a single work of literature. Programming must be conducted between September 2009 and June 2010.  Big Read grants require the participation of a library as a lead applicant or a partner.

Music Matters Grants for 2009 will focus on educational reform in school music programs and independent music programs. Grants will be awarded in April 2009 to schools and music programs throughout the United States.

Every year, Intel honors U.S. schools that have demonstrated excellence in math and science education as Intel Schools of Distinction. Eighteen schools--three elementary, three middle and three high schools in each of two categories--math and science--will be selected as finalists, receiving a cash grant for $2,500 from the Intel Foundation. Six winners--one elementary, one middle, and one high school--in each of the two categories receive $10,000 cash grants and more than $100,000 in products and services from sponsors.  One of the six winning schools is chosen as the Star Innovator, and receives an additional $15,000 grant from the Intel Foundation as well as additional products and services.

This awards program will recognize 15 educators and their students for creatively using visual learning in their classrooms.

RGK Foundation awards grants in the broad areas of Education, Community, and Medicine/Health. The foundation's primary interests within Education include programs that focus on formal K-12 education (particularly mathematics, science, and reading), teacher development, literacy, and higher education.  Although there are no geographic restrictions to the foundation's grant-making program, the foundation no longer accepts unsolicited requests for international agencies or programs.

This grant encourages children and youth to share their creativity through a national call for visual art. The theme, "Celebrating Who I Am," invites young people with and without disabilities across the United States to create visual art about their interests, talents, and dreams. All artwork submitted before the deadline will be included in an online art gallery. One piece of art from each state and the District of Columbia will be displayed summer 2009 at Union Station in Washington, D.C., as part of a children's art exhibition. Ten representatives of the exhibition will be selected to travel to Washington to be honored at a reception on Capitol Hill.  New to the program this year, teachers who submit their students' artwork are eligible to receive one of five $1000 cash awards for use in their classroom.

This award will be given to a secondary school teacher who has successfully developed and demonstrated an innovative approach in the teaching of ecology/environmental science and has carried his/her commitment to the environment into the community. Vernier's sponsorship of this award includes $1,000 toward travel to the Professional Development Conference, and $500 of Vernier equipment. The recipient also receives a plaque to be presented at the NABT Professional Development Conference, and a one-year complimentary NABT membership.

The competition is open to all U.S. middle school students between grades 6-8. Teams will be made up of two to three students and a teacher or adult advisor. The initiative will expand to elementary schools in 2009 and to high schools in 2010. Teams will be judged by a panel of environmental experts and science educators on their ability to create a positive, measurable solution to a local environmental problem or issue using scientific methodology and how well they explain how the solution can be replicated by other communities.

This grant aims to excite high school students about science, math, engineering, entrepreneurship, and invention; empower students through problem solving; and encourage a sustainable culture of invention in schools and communities.

Teams are challenged to develop an educational web site on topics of their choosing.  Web site entries may use a variety of technologies and take a variety of creative forms. Participating students develop important 21st-century skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, self-direction, and technology skills.  Qualifying entries will be published in the ThinkQuest Library, an online repository of student-developed learning projects.  Prizes may include laptop computers, digital cameras, school grants, and a trip to the awards event in San Francisco, depending on placement.

Through this multimedia classroom grant program, recipients receive up to $1,200 toward the purchase and installation of Calypso's ezRoom Classroom Bundle.  In addition to providing teachers with the opportunity to experience an integrated classroom technology solution, the grant program gives districts the option of beta-testing a solution and then developing a strategy for deployment without risk or commitment.

Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000.

The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the highest recognition that a kindergarten through 12th-grade mathematics or science teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. This program authorizes the President to bestow up to 108 awards each year. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  The online application system will open for 2009 applications, for secondary teachers (grades 7-12), on or around Nov. 1, 2008.

The Gale/Library Media Connection TEAMS Award recognizes and encourages the critical collaboration between the teacher and media specialist to promote learning and increase student achievement.

Red Earth Software, developer of email security software for Microsoft Exchange Server, will give back to the community by donating a 25-user version of their Policy Patrol Enterprise software through TechSoup Stock, an online donation program of TechSoup Global.

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial support to college students preparing for teaching secondary school mathematics. For 2009-2010, one scholarship will be awarded to a person currently completing their sophomore year of college, scheduling for full-time study at a four- or five-year college or university in the next academic year, and pursuing a career goal of becoming a certified teacher of secondary school mathematics.

Microsoft Corp. plans to commit more than $1 billion over the next five years to Unlimited Potential (UP), a global initiative focused on providing technology skills to disadvantaged individuals through community-based technology and learning centers. In the first round of UP grants, Microsoft awarded $8.1 million in cash and software to 82 nonprofit organizations. Initially, UP will provide funding to help community-based technology and learning centers hire and train technology instructors. Subsequent phases of the initiative will offer an online global support network delivering technology curriculum, research, tools, and help-desk services. UP also will sponsor a global and regional awards program, which will invest in technology solutions that deliver a social benefit. The awards are designed to encourage innovation and provide the funding necessary to help the best technology solutions scale for broader use.

Staples Inc. will donate $1 to public schools for every eligible ink cartridge they collect. Staples created the "Staples Recycle for Education" program in July 2003 to encourage cartridge recycling at its 1,100 U.S. stores but has now expanded the program nationwide. Staples now provides prepaid postage for shipping the cartridges and an account number so schools can monitor the status of reimbursement checks and total collection counts. Parents or teachers can log on to the web site below to register their school and receive a welcome kit that includes flyers to announce the program.

The Reading Pen Group is offering two types of grants: the Readingpen K-12 Grant and the Readingpen Higher Education Grant. The K-12 Grant provides assistance to pioneering educators who want to use Readingpen in effective and creative ways to improve students' reading skills. The Higher Education Grant is designed to support innovative and valuable uses of Readingpen at the college and university level for teacher professional development or research. Proposed projects for both the K-12 and higher-education grants must focus on using Readingpen devices in daily instruction with K-12 students, whether in the classroom or during homework. Grant recipients get 10 Readingpen devices; teacher support materials that include a Teacher's Guide, student activities, and white papers; and guidance from a mentor or senior reading specialist with experience in integrating technology into the K-12 environment. The approximate value of each grant package is $1,000.

The Libri Foundation is a nationwide nonprofit organization that donates new, high-quality, hardcover children's books to small, rural public libraries in the United States through its Books for Children program. The books donated through the Books for Children program are used for storytelling; toddler, preschool, and after-school programs; summer reading programs; "book buddy" programs, in which older children read to younger children; holiday programs; teacher check-out and curriculum support; early childhood development programs; school projects; and to just provide children with a "good read." Applicants' Friends of Library programs or other local initiatives are expected to contribute up to $350 toward the project, which the Libri Foundation will match on a 2-to-1 ratio. The foundation awards grants three times a year. The application deadlines are March 15, July 15, and Dec. 15.

eProfessional Association, the nonprofit arm of Minnesota-based Distributed Website Corp., is providing $10 million in grants for web-based applications to help K-12 schools and districts add new features to their existing school web sites. For the grant process, eProfessional Association will conduct a needs assessment with the requesting organization's technology or administrative staff. Only schools that are found to benefit from reduced operational costs as a result of the technology will be provided with grants. Grants range from $500 to $100,000 depending upon the applicant's need. Applicants are required to contribute a portion of the cost, which will be determined based on the school's financial capability.

The Tellabs Foundation, created by telecommunications provider Tellabs Inc., supports local and national education programs with a particular focus on curricula for engineering, science, mathematics, and technology. The Foundation focuses its support on programs in areas in which Tellabs employees live and work. Unless invited by the Foundation Board to submit a full grant proposal, all new applicants or programs first must submit a letter of inquiry. The deadline for letters of inquiry or invited proposals is four weeks prior to every Tellabs Foundation Board meeting, which are held quarterly, usually in January, April, July and October. Proposals received after the deadline will be considered at the next meeting. It is recommended that letters of inquiry be submitted at least four months before funding is needed.

The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) has provided more than $4.5 million to fund more than 125 projects at more than 45 institutions since it was founded in 1983. GAERF awards two types of grants: full grants and mini-grants. Mini-grants are awarded for projects such as one-day workshops, specialized conferences, and the production of career and educational materials. Funding is limited to $2,500 per project and may be submitted at any time. Four mini-grants are awarded per year. Requests for mini-grant funding should be submitted in the same manner as other foundation proposals.

MainBrain Inc., which makes web-based software to improve parent-teacher communication, is giving grants of more than $10,000 to select schools in North Carolina so they can acquire the company's software at cost. The company's flagship product, MainBrain School, provides parents with access to information about the school, classes, and grades. The software reportedly can send alerts about school closings, grades, absences, or upcoming special events directly to a parent's eMail account or cell phone; allow parents to fill out and return permission slips online; easily update and manage the school's home page with current events and information; and enable users to create web pages for classes, sports, clubs, and other activities simply by pointing and clicking, putting everything from cafeteria schedules to homework assignments online.

The objective of the Conservation Trust is to support conservation activities around the world as they fit within the mission of the National Geographic Society. The trust will fund projects that contribute significantly to the preservation and sustainable use of the Earth's biological, cultural, and historical resources. The Conservation Trust's strength lies in supporting cutting edge programs that might be overlooked by other organizations, owing to the risk involved in working with new investigators and in new fields.

This multi-million dollar program was created in 2004 to provide funding to organizations that enhance teacher recruitment, development, support, and retention, with the goal of increasing student achievement. The program ultimately seeks to increase student achievement in preK-12 public education by building and supporting teachers and the teaching profession in scalable and sustainable ways.

Through its Advancing Student Achievement program, the Actuarial Foundation awards monetary grants to schools and nonprofit groups throughout the United States and Canada. The basic requirement for schools or groups seeking funding is that they develop a viable mentoring program involving actuaries in the teaching of mathematics to children in private or public schools. The program brings together actuaries and educators in local classroom environments with the belief that interaction with real-world mentors will boost students' interest and achievement in math. The Actuarial Foundation provides a local network of actuaries ready to participate, as well as suggestions on how to integrate math concepts from the workplace into the classroom. Groups applying for grants will be given wide latitude in designing programs that enhance learning and create a "love of math" in each student.

CyberLearning, a project of the National Education Foundation, aims to help bridge the digital divide by giving K-12 schools, colleges, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations the opportunity to receive matching grants to access more than 1,000 online courses in information technology (IT), management, and SAT preparation. Applicants must write a one-page proposal that describes their target population and how they would use the courses to improve the IT, management, or SAT skills of their target population, including students, teachers, and staff. One-year matching grants ranging from $30,000 to $10 million are awarded to applicants based on the poverty level of the target populations or communities. Recent awards include $50,000 to Seattle Shoreline Community College, $250,000 to the New Haven School District in Connecticut, and $4,000,000 to the New Jersey State Department of Education to train 75,000 disadvantaged high school students and teachers.

Rosie's For All Kids Foundation welcomes unsolicited requests for support in the Early Childhood Care and Education program area. Approximately 2,500 requests are received every year. Each inquiry receives personal attention and a timely response within 90 days. Awarded grants are issued only to nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping low-income children and their families through quality childcare and early childhood education curriculum. Grants are made in the form of tuition subsidies, small renovation projects, and playground renovations.

The Toshiba America Foundation is a nonprofit grant-making organization dedicated to supporting science and math education in the U.S. The foundation contributes to the quality of science and mathematics education by investing in projects designed by classroom teachers to improve instruction for students in grades 7-12. The foundation awards grants of $5,000 on a rolling basis. For grants of more than $5,000, applications are due Feb. 1 and Aug. 1 of each year.

The Texas Instruments Foundation requires no special application form. Grants usually range from $5,000 to $10,000, but the foundation has awarded some schools up to $100,000. Approximately 65 awards are granted each year. Applicants are encouraged to submit one- or two-page proposals that briefly outline the following: purpose of the organization, population served, amount requested, how the requested funds will be used, how the proposal matches funding interests of the foundation, and a copy of 501(c)(3) designation. Proposals are considered from civic, research, educational, health, welfare, charitable, and cultural organizations that have been ruled to be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that are not private foundations as defined by the code.

Teachers who register at the Adopt-a-Classroom web site can be adopted by an individual, a business, or a foundation. Once adopted, teachers will receive $500 worth of credit to purchase items that enrich the learning environment, including classroom technology. Teachers help solicit their own sponsors by downloading and distributing fliers within their community or by sending out a personalized, pre-written eMail from the Adopt-a-Classroom web site. Every donor receives information about the classroom it has adopted, including an itemized list of what teachers bought so donors can see the impact of their donation.

The Sprint Foundation supports educational projects that foster school reform through the use of new technologies and through fresh approaches to the enhancement of teachers' skills. Although Sprint does not have an application form, the foundation recommends that applicants identify how their projects support Sprint's objectives: innovation and the use of technology in the classroom; enhanced education for minorities and/or the disadvantaged; and increased employee and public support of education. Because these grants are supported by employee contributions matched by foundation funds, grants are available primarily for projects in areas with a significant employee presence, such as Kansas City, Atlanta, Dallas, and Sacramento. Schools and other education-related nonprofit agencies can apply for grants totaling about $500,000 per year. The Sprint Foundation reviews unsolicited proposals on a continuous basis. Applicants typically will receive a response within four to six weeks.

LearningStation Inc., a provider of customized web-based desktops for teaching and learning, has initiated a grant program entitled "I Will LEARN Today!" Through this program, LearningStation will provide grants for schools to receive access to the company's Education Desktop. The Education Desktop gives students and teachers access to a comprehensive suite of instructional programs, software content, and professional development programs of their school's choice; schools can choose from more than 12,000 programs from 75 content publishers. This desktop portal also gives administrators tools to track and report on program use, features password-protected access to all content titles, and includes features for file storage, eMail, and many other functions. LearningStation will provide $500,000 worth of subscriptions to this web service to K-12 schools or districts chosen to receive the grant. The number of LearningStation subscriptions grant recipients will get varies according to their circumstances.

Part of a $100 million investment in early childhood education by the PNC Financial Services Group, the PNC Grow Up Great grant program offers $503,000 to better prepare children, from birth to age five, for school. Grants will be awarded to 12 early-education organizations, including Head Start centers. Nearly $50 million of PNC's overall investment will be devoted to grants to nonprofit early-education organizations over the next 10 years.

Intergraph Mapping and GIS Solutions will award GeoMedia Education Grants valued at more than $6 million. The grants will recognize innovative teaching that advances the use of geographic information sciences by educators and students in the classroom. Grants will be awarded on two levels: (1) community colleges, technical schools, and universities; and (2) K-12 primary and secondary schools. By taking advantage of these grants, students and teachers can use GeoMedia's leading-edge technology to explore new possibilities and impact the future of geographic information systems (GIS). They can learn GIS principles and methodology, spatial analysis techniques, GIS data construction, and a variety of other application capabilities. Products that will be part of the grant program are GeoMedia Professional, GeoMedia WebMap Professional, IntelliWhere OnDemand, and IntelliWhere LocationServer with Intergraph's powerful location-based services technology.

The Kinko's Educator Savings Program aims to provide relief for teachers who often dig deep into their own pockets to purchase supplies for their classrooms. Through this program, educators can save 20 percent on most Kinko's products and services. Teachers and administrators from kindergarten through college can now enjoy discount pricing on such offerings as black and white and color copying and finishing, oversized copies, posters, signs and banners, paper, and desk supplies. Educators may obtain their 20 percent discount card through a program brochure available at participating Kinko's locations nationwide. Free discount cards are also available online.

Students, schools, universities, and nonprofit organizations participating in the SUSE LINUX Education Program will receive 40-percent discounts on open-source Linux software through SUSE's partners CCV Software and RICIS Inc. This new program helps schools provide flexible, cost-efficient software solutions at a fraction of the cost of proprietary software. Applications available range from server software to text processing, spreadsheets, eMail clients, internet browsers, and more.

NASA is recruiting individuals with specific experience and expertise in K-12 education to become Educator Astronauts who will help the Agency develop new ways to connect space exploration with the classroom. Selected Educator Astronaut applicants will be designated astronaut candidates and assigned to the Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Educator Astronaut candidates must successfully complete a one-to-two year training and evaluation program prior to receiving a space flight assignment. Educator Astronaut candidates who successfully complete their training will be eligible for multiple flights aboard the Space Shuttle and, possibly, the International Space Station.

Teachers, whose ideas are selected by iScienceProject.com, will be loaned a classroom set of HOBO data logger equipment for up to two months to run their experiments. A HOBO data logger is a matchbox sized, battery-operated device that can measure air temperature (Fahrenheit and Celsius), water temperature, matter (solid, liquid, and gas) temperature, relative humidity, dew point, light, vibration, contact closure (open/closed), motor (on/off), AC sensors, and more. Once teachers return the sets and their experiment results, teachers are eligible to win HOBO gift certificates ranging from $40 to $300.

Each year the Dow Chemical Co. supports many school districts/school boards and efforts in and around communities in which Dow is located wit cash or product donations, research grants, in-kind services, or volunteered times. Dow prioritizes its areas for K-12 education funding to: math and science; teacher training; and parental involvement. Dow further categorizes the qualified K-12 programs to: national, state and local programs that benefit Dow communities; programs that promote systemic education reform in math and science; and school districts and school boards, rather than individual schools.

Troxell Communications, a supplier of audiovisual equipment to the scholastic market, and Hitachi America Ltd., a global electronics company, have partnered to offer cash rebates to schools that purchase audiovisual equipment from a comprehensive list of products made eligible for the program. With the intention of supplementing strained district budgets, the rebates return actual money to schools' general funds at the direction of district administrators. Educators can use the funds for school programs, books, supplies and equipment, fuel, and transportation costs, or any purpose deemed appropriate by the district. The program starts July 1, 2004.

The Comcast Foundation has given more than $43 million to nonprofitorganizations in Comcast communities nationwide. The goal of the ComcastFoundation is to maximize the impact of community investments so they yield tangible,measurable benefits to the neighborhoods Comcast serves and the people who livethere. Community partners are proactively identified by local Comcastersin the field.

The Allstate Foundation supports national and local programs that fit within three focus areas. Proposals for program support must address needs within one of the three focus areas to be considered for funding. Safe and vital communities programs should address catastrophe response, youth anti-violence, neighborhood revitalization, or teen safe driving. Economic empowerment programs should address financial and economic literacy, insurance education, or empowerment for victims of domestic violence. Tolerance, inclusion and diversity programs should address teaching tolerance to youth, ending hate crimes, and alleviating discrimination.

Intergraph Corp.'s Process, Power & Marine educational grant program is an initiative meant to train educators and send fully-equipped students into the process, power, and offshore industries. The program is designed to introduce and stimulate the use of Intergraph's plant lifecycle engineering software at educational institutions with strong plant-oriented engineering programs. Intergraph says its educational grant program puts cutting-edge engineering applications in the classroom. It includes Intergraph's engineering software, program options dependent on institution curriculum and expertise, maintenance for the life of the grant (which is renewable each year), training for instructors, technical assistance in on-site product installation, and one registration to Intergraph's annual user conference.

This project provides public schools with $400 million in "cyber scholarship" grants during the 2006-2007 academic year. Grants are provided in the form of online curriculum, and curriculum is provided at no charge. Schools must pay a $30 registration fee per student ID to cover the cost of hosting and tech support provided by the foundation.

Everyteacher has the power to earn funding at Digital Wish. Like a wedding registry, teachers make theirtechnology wishes public and tell their story, so that anyone can make adonation to their classroom's cart. Registered teachers will automaticallyqualify for 43 new technology grants from Olympusand Tool Factory, including a Mobile Digital Camera Lab. Grants are then awarded to the teachers withthe best all-around class profile and lesson plans. Regardless of whether teachers win a grant,their story will be available for any potential donor to read, and latercontribute to. The Digital Wish web sitealso features a library of grant links and fundraising resources to helpeducators find additional funding for technology. There is also an extensive library of lessonplans so that educators can find ideas for digital projects.

Classroom Classifieds, a new web-based business, gives school districts classified advertising web pages on which community members can sell unwanted goods in exchange for donating part of their proceeds to the school system. Classroom Classifieds works on the honor system. Those posting ads agree to donate anything from 1 percent (or less) to 100 percent of the sale to the education foundation. Participating schools are charged fees for creating the web pages and the amount of ads that run, but the company says schools can offset the costs with their donations. A basic site, with 100 classified ads a month, costs $20 per month.

The EcoPhones Drive is a cellular phone fund-raising and recycling program that pays organizations up to $100 for each used digital cell phone they turn in. No buying or selling is required to participate, just recycling. EcoPhones provides a free marketing kit to help launch community phone drives. Once you have collected a full box of cell phones, EcoPhones will pick them up for free. Within 60 days you'll receive a check.

With the help of its customers, Washington Mutual expects to drive millions of dollars in donations to K-12 schools through a new check-card program that will provide unrestricted funding to local schools for school supplies, computers, musical instruments, playground equipment, or whatever a school needs. The program, called Wamoola for Schools, ties support for local schools to check-card usage. Customers simply enroll by designating a local school to benefit and use their Washington Mutual check card. For each purchase, the school receives a point, which is worth approximately 5 cents. At the end of the year, points are converted to cash and schools are sent checks.

Since 2000, MissionFish has helped nonprofits raise hundreds of thousands of dollars through eBay's online auctions. Schools and districts can register for free to appear in MissionFish's database of benefiting organizations. When eBay sellers list their item for sale through MissionFish, they can then pick your school and indicate a percentage of the proceeds to donate, ranging from 10 to 100 percent.

Uno Chicago Grill offers a variety of programs that support school curriculum and help schools raise money. For the Uno fundraiser, schools distribute Uno Fundraising Tickets throughout their community and, for every person who dines at Uno's and presents a ticket during the agreed time period, Uno will donate 20 percent of their check plus tax and tip to your organization. Through Uno School Awards, the restaurant offers certificates and free meal coupons that teachers can use as incentives to motivate students. Uno's also throws Uno Pizza Maker Parties for elementary school classes. Students visit the restaurant, tour the kitchen, learn about cooking safely, and then make their own pizzas.

By taking advantage of Texas Instruments' Volume Purchase Program, educators can get free technology and classroom activities when they purchase qualifying TI educational handhelds. Under the program, K-12 educators collect proofs of purchase and earn points toward free TI handheld technology, and they can earn double points when they purchase the TI-83 Plus Silver Edition. For additional details, check the company's web site. Contact: (866) 848-7722 or ti-educators@ti.com

Parametric Technology Corp. is proud to offer technology teacher-led training workshops, free unlimited licenses of Pro/DESKTOP 3D design software, classroom materials, and projects. We also encourage teachers to allow students to install Pro/DESKTOP at home. The Design & Technology in Schools Program introduces students to 3D design technology as early as middle school, so they can become better problem solvers, critical thinkers, and collaborators. The program is about more than just free software--it teaches technological literacy, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.

Adobe Systems Inc. supports K-12 schools and nonprofits by donating up to four packages of its latest software. Eligible organizations have a core mission that focus on at least one of the following: improving K-12 student performance; developing curriculum for K-12 classrooms; developing and providing K-12 teacher training and development; and working to prevent hunger and homelessness. The program is managed by Gifts In Kind International. Requests are reviewed every other month based on the primary services the organization provides. Organizations may only apply once in a 12-month period.

For a limited time, with every purchase of a PLUS Vision U5 series projector, school administrators also will receive a free copy board with their order. The U5 series is PLUS Vision's newest value-based projector line geared for the education market. The PLUS Vision copy boards allow for text and drawings to be copied directly from the board's surface to a memory card, eliminating the need to connect to a PC. PLUS Vision said it paired these two products for education because recent studies indicate that students who are taught with interactive technology, like a copy board and a projector, tend to be more engaged in the classroom.

For the past 25 years, ConocoPhillips Co. has been producing high-quality educational videos and teachers' guides for math, science, and environmental topics. These materials have been offered to qualified teachers for free and have been seen by millions of junior high and high school students. These free teaching guides and videos cover topics ranging from math and science to problem solving and protecting wildlife. To order one of ConocoPhillips' educational films, visit the Teaching Tools web site or fax your request to (570) 822-8226.

The Google Grants program supports nonprofit organizations focused in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts. Google Grants harnesses the power of its flagship advertising product, Google AdWords, to nonprofits seeking to inform and engage their constituents online. Google Grant recipients use their award of three months of free AdWords advertising on Google.com to raise awareness and increase traffic. Google Grants has awarded AdWords advertising to hundreds of nonprofit groups whose missions range from animal welfare and literacy to supporting homeless children and promoting HIV education.

Lexmark's Print Art Education Program donates art-inspired lesson plans, CD-ROMs, and printers to schools across the country to help children learn history, language arts, math, and science. Through this program, Lexmark donates either a Lexmark Z53 or a Lexmark Z45 color art-quality inkjet printer to each elementary, middle, and high school in the district. The hardware comes with a warranty and the proper cabling. With this technology, Lexmark also donates a "Print Gallery" CD-ROM--the product of an exclusive collaboration between Lexmark and the largest consortium of art museums in Europe. The disc includes software and approximately 100 high-resolution works of art that allow the students to view, explore, and learn about art masterpieces from the great museums of Europe. Each school also receives a teacher's guide with sample lesson plans. This guide includes academic exercises that put the CD to use in virtually every discipline, from art, to language, to social studies, to math and science. In addition, program participants are eligible to receive one donated inkjet cartridge for every three inkjet cartridges purchased. Every order is shipped free of charge.

Nonprofit organizations, such as teachers' associations and school foundations, are eligible to apply for this free, four-week loan of the XPRESS Audience Response System from Genieve Systems. XPRESS enhances audience involvement by allowing instructors to take votes and receive instant feedback from up to 300 people. The system is capable of administering quizzes, tests, buzz-ins, games, and training, according to the company.

Through its Project Enhance Program, Computers for Youth (CFY) distributes working Pentium-level computers to New York City public schools for use within the school building. School administrators interested in being considered for Project Enhance should eMail the program. CFY fills requests for donations on a first-come, first-served basis, while also balancing requests to ensure equity among boroughs and districts. CFY is best known for its project, Take IT Home NY, that helps improve the educational, social, and economic prospects for low-income students and their families by providing them with home computers and the skills to use them. To distribute the computers through this program, CFY partners with local area schools.

The DIRECTV Goes to School program offers educators a free, nonviolent educational programming package and satellite equipment to reach students through auditory, kinesthetic, and visual means. The programming package, called SCHOOL CHOICE, is available to state-accredited public and private schools serving students in grades K-12. A free DIRECTV Multi-Satellite System also will be provided, although there is a limited quantity available. Installation costs are not included.

Since 1995, privately-funded Tech Corps has provided no-cost assistance in maintaining their technology systems to schools connected to the internet. The Tech4schools Online Mentoring Program provides online, volunteer technical assistance to educators and school technology coordinators. Typically, a team of as many as 10 volunteers (each with a specialty, such as software or networking) will support a single technology coordinator, who may represent an individual school or an entire district. Tech Corps volunteers are available in 43 states.

Since 2002, Premier Assistive Technology Inc. has been offering its full suite of Accessibility software products to educational and nonprofit organizations through its Breaking Down Barriers to Assistive Technology grant program, which has benefited more than 1,300 school districts nationwide. To help meet the accessibility needs of students with learning and/or visual disabilities, the program offers a range of software that reads printed text out loud. The software suite includes titles such as Scan and Read Pro, Talking Calculator, Talking Word Processor, Text to Audio, Ultimate Talking Dictionary, and more. Applicants have no obligation to buy, but after the grant period has expired, applicants will have the option to pay a nominal fee to continue the product maintenance, technical support, and upgrades. Grant applications take two to three weeks to process.

webEdition Software Ltd. is offering its web site content management system (CMS) software for free to schools throughout North America to help schools build current and informative web sites for teachers, administrators, students, and parents alike. North American primary and secondary schools who apply will receive full access to webEdition's Standard Version of their software at no cost. All other webEdition products and modules can be purchased for research and teaching purposes at a discount of 25 percent off of the regular purchase price.

The AOL Time Warner Foundation supports technology-related projects in four major areas of priority: Equipping Kids for the 21st Century, Extending Internet Benefits to All, Engaging Communities in the Arts, and Empowering Citizens and Civic Participation. Rather than simply providing grant monies, the foundation prefers to enter into sustainable, strategic partnerships with organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to pioneering innovative ways of meeting these priorities. As a general rule, the foundation does not fund unsolicited proposals except in very special circumstances. Proposals are reviewed throughout the year, and the foundation responds to requests within 8 to 12 weeks.

The Coca-Cola Foundation supports high-quality education and encourages new solutions to the problems that impede educational systems today. It also supports programs that have been proven to work. The foundation makes grants to public and private colleges and universities, elementary and secondary schools, teacher training programs, educational programs for minority students, and global educational programs. The Coca-Cola Foundation Board of Directors reviews funding proposals in quarterly meetings. All requests receive a written response when the review process is complete.

AMD's K-12 initiatives target programs that increase student interest and/or proficiency in literacy, math, science, and computer technology. Because great teachers are the key to successful learning, AMD also funds programs aimed at developing and supporting effective classroom instruction. Applications are due twice a year: May 1 and Dec. 1. Funding decisions are communicated no later than six months following the application deadline.

The State Farm Companies Foundation awards grants to K-12 public schools in the United States and Canada to support the following education initiatives: education reform or curriculum changes that improve student achievement; after-school programs; improving teacher quality; and school-to-work programs. Proposals are accepted year-round and are reviewed in a timely manner. However, approval time depends on the requested amount and completeness of the proposal. Requests exceeding $100,000 are considered quarterly. The foundation accepts one proposal per organization per year. See the foundation's web site for more details.

The AT&T Foundation awards grants to education projects that focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning through the effective use of technology; developing workforce skills for the information technology industry; and advancing diversity in education and the workplace, especially in the fields of science, math, engineering, and technology. Accredited public and private elementary and secondary schools, accredited public and private two- and four-year institutions of higher education, and educational nonprofit organizations are eligible for consideration. AT&T funds are typically distributed through invitational programs or through projects that it proactively develops with nonprofit organizations. Unsolicited applications are reviewed, but rarely are supported. Those who wish to submit an unsolicited proposal should send a brief letter of introduction and description of their organization and project to: Secretary, AT&T Foundation, 32 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10013.

The RGK Foundation awards grants in the broad areas of education, community, and medicine or health. The foundation's primary interests within education include programs that focus on formal K-12 education (particularly mathematics, science, and reading or literacy), after-school tutoring and enrichment, integrating technology into the curriculum, teacher development, and higher education. The foundation is particularly interested in programs that attract female and minority students into the fields of mathematics, science, and technology. The foundation does not consider unsolicited grant proposals; instead, applicants are required to submit an electronic Letter of Inquiry on the foundation's web site. Letters of Inquiry are reviewed on an ongoing basis, so there is no deadline for submission. The foundation will respond to letters by eMail within three weeks to let applicants know if they should submit a formal proposal.

The Wallace Foundation is a national foundation that supports programs in the United States. The foundation's mission is to support and share effective ideas and practices that allow institutions to expand learning and enrichment opportunities for all people. To achieve this, the program focuses on three major areas: strengthening educational leadership in ways that significantly improve student achievement, helping selected cities make high-quality out-of-school learning opportunities available to many more children, and making the arts a part of many more people's lives by working with arts organizations, schools and other providers of arts education and experience to build both present and future arts audiences.

The Broad Foundation's mission is to improve K-12 urban public education through better governance, management, and labor relations. The foundation seeks applications that aim to enlist talent, redefine roles and authorities, develop high-performing leaders and systems, provide incentives for results, and honor and showcase success. Organizations seeking funding should carefully review the foundation's web site to ensure that their proposals are consistent with its mission and that the focus of the work is located in one of the eligible districts. The foundation considers concept papers at the end of the month in which they are received. All concept papers will receive a response within 60 days, and applicants whose concept papers are of interest to the foundation may be asked to submit a full proposal. Note that the foundation funds less than five percent of unsolicited inquiries.

The Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, founded in 1957, funds large-scale education and community improvement projects that address issues of importance to local communities and are supported by the management of local Lowe's stores. The foundation has a long and proud history of contributing to grassroots community projects. Requests are processed within three to four weeks, and a written response will be sent via U.S. mail within eight to 10 weeks. Owing to the large volume of requests, the foundation is unable to fulfill every request. Unsolicited requests and proposals not aligned with Lowe's focus areas will not be funded.

The Ford Motor Co. Fund makes awards in six categories: education, environment, public policy, health and social programs, civic affairs and community development, and arts and humanities. Across these areas, Ford Fund grants to nonprofit organizations totaled $83.8 million in 2002 and $77.4 million in 2003.

Westinghouse actively contributes to programs that benefit nonprofit organizations. Areas of emphasis include health and welfare, education, and civic and social pursuits. Within each area, Westinghouse encourages programs that help to meet the needs of populations such as the disadvantaged, the young, the elderly, minorities, and people with disabilities. In the area of education, emphasis is given to elementary, secondary, and high school educational programs that emphasize math and science, although consideration will be given to other relevant, non-fine arts programs.

The American Express Foundation makes grants under three program themes that reflect its funding priorities: Community Service, Cultural Heritage, and Economic Independence. The third category, Economic Independence, supports initiatives that encourage, develop, and sustain economic self-reliance through programs that: Serve youth, emphasize school-to-work efforts, and work experiences; Build awareness about career and employment options for individuals facing significant barriers to employment; and provide education, training and workplace experiences so they may actively pursue these options. The American Express Foundation also targets its grants in cities where American Express has significant business and/or employee presence.

The Foundation awards several grants each year for research or education in topics pertaining with any aspect of solid waste management. Project topics could deal with any aspect of the following, but are not limited to: waste generation rates and composition; waste minimization; collection and transport; sorting, recycling, and remanufacture; disposal options (e.g. landfilling or incineration); waste or energy recovery (e.g. composting, landfill gas to energy); innovations in collection and transportation equipment development; employee health and safety; and sustainability or resources.

The Educational Foundation of America (EFA) makes grants to qualifying non-profit organizations provides grants for specific projects related to the environment, the crisis of human overpopulation and reproductive freedom, Native Americans, arts, education, medicine, and human services. The Educational Foundation of America was established in 1959 to preserve the lifelong altruistic commitment of its founders, Richard Prentice Ettinger and his wife, Elsie P. Ettinger. Applicants are required to send a Letter of Inquiry as the first step. Check foundation's the web site for more details.

The Citigroup Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Citibank Corp., dedicates approximately 75 percent of its charitable contributions to community development and education programs. The foundation's K-12 giving focuses on strengthening education in low-income neighborhoods. Its grants emphasize the creation of "smarter schools" and "smarter classrooms." The "smarter schools" initiative supports improvements in the governance of public schools and higher standards for student performance. It also funds alternative schools that offer more individual attention to students, as well as mentoring and tutoring programs. The "smarter classrooms" initiative supports innovative classroom technologies and successful school-to-work programs. The Citigroup Foundation prefers to solicit proposals from grantees with demonstrated successes. Unsolicited proposals will be accepted, but a favorable decision is less likely. For guidelines, see the foundation's web site.

Intel Corp. offers a wide range of support for many technology- and science-related initiatives. On a national level, Intel funds programs that advance math, science, or technology education, promote science careers among women and underrepresented minorities, or increase public understanding of technology and its impact. National grants are made either to national projects or to local projects that serve as pilots for national programs. Community grants are viewed with the same priorities and are subject to the same rules as national grants, but they are limited to communities where Intel has a major facility: Chandler, Ariz.; Folston and Santa Clara, Calif.; Rio Rancho, N.M.; Hillsboro, Ore.; Fort Worth, Texas; and DuPont, Wash. Finally, Intel's Teach to the Future program aims to train two million teachers worldwide. Combined with software and equipment discounts from companies such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Premio, and Toshiba, Teach to the Future represents approximately a half-billion dollars invested by leading U.S. computer firms in bringing technology to the classroom. Applications for all these programs can be found on Intel's web site.

The Tiger Woods Foundation provides grants that focus on providing opportunities to underserved children and families in the four program areas: education, youth development, parenting, and family health and welfare. In the education area, the foundation funds school programs and projects that enhance the learning process for children and transitional school programs for young adults to become productive adults. The foundation considers and awards grants four times each year: Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1, and Nov. 1. Applications submitted after one cycle has closed will be considered during the next cycle. Organizations may apply for a grant only one time during a calendar year.

The Mockingbird Foundation Inc., which generates charitable proceeds from fans of the rock band Phish, funds music education programs for children. The foundation looks for projects that encourage creative expression in all musical forms (including composition, instrumentation, vocalization, and improvisation), but also support more basic needs within conventional instruction. The foundation is particularly, though not exclusively, interested in funding programs that benefit disenfranchised groups. Interested parties should review the funding guidelines available at the Mockingbird Foundation web site. In its first three rounds of funding, the foundation contributed more than $250,000 to music education.

Through Partners in Education, Symbol Technologies supports a number of educational institutions locally and nationally, but is particularly eager to assist students pursuing technical careers. Symbol prides itself upon its scientific and entrepreneurial innovations; therefore, the company is dedicated to supporting a number of initiatives that propel the continuation of research and innovation within universities and colleges, as well as other venues.

The Allstate Foundation supports national and local programs that fit within three focus areas. Proposals for program support must address needs within one of the three focus areas to be considered for funding. Safe and vital communities programs should address catastrophe response, youth anti-violence, neighborhood revitalization, or teen safe driving. Economic empowerment programs should address financial and economic literacy, insurance education, or empowerment for victims of domestic violence. Tolerance, inclusion and diversity programs should address teaching tolerance to youth, ending hate crimes, and alleviating discrimination.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation seeks to achieve greater quality and equality of educational opportunity in the United States and throughout the world through grants that support increased student achievement, improved access to exemplary educational content, and other goals as outlined on its web site. The foundation will not consider requests to fund student aid, individual scholarships, construction, equipment and computer purchases, health research, or health education programs. Applicants should submit a brief letter of intent for initial review, after which proposals may or may not be requested. Full proposals will not be accepted unless they are requested. Check the foundation's web site for details before sending a letter of intent.

In 2000, Merrill Lynch adopted children and youth as its global cause for 2000 to 2005. The foundation supports programs that meet the educational needs and interests of underserved children and youth, and it gives priority to specific programs and projects that are innovative, sustainable, easily expanded from a local to a global perspective, and have a measurable impact. Technology skills in particular were cited by the foundation as one of several elements a project can address. The Merrill Lynch Foundation gives priority to grant requests from New York City and national organizations that reflect its focus, but the foundation does consider a small number of unsolicited requests from nonprofit organizations, including school districts. All requests outside of New York City should be submitted to the branch managers of local offices. When making a grant decision, the foundation considers other type of support an organization already might be receiving (e.g., matching gifts, United Way funds, etc.).

The Teammates for Kids Foundation accepts proposals for grants from nonprofit organizations that specialize in working with children. Grants support the ongoing work of operating organizations that help needy children in the areas of health, education, and inner-city services. The foundation's priorities focus on educational achievement in areas of documented weakness; advanced learning opportunities to gifted children who would otherwise lack the resources necessary to pursue dreams and talents; and exposing children to learning opportunities they would otherwise not experience because of insufficient financial resources. The foundation will accept applications twice in 2005: Feb. 1 and July 31.

The International Academy of Science developed the Acellus Matching Program to help qualified schools purchase Acellus Learning Systems so they can raise students' math scores. The Acellus Learning System is a video-based interactive education tool that is helping students master Mathematics. Approved schools will be required to cover the remaining cost of the software. The eligible software programs and their full prices are listed on the grant application.

Through its Computers for Learning program, the federal government has placed hundreds of thousands of surplus computers in schools across the country on a needs-first basis. Schools register and request equipment on the Computers for Learning web site, and federal agencies match their surplus equipment to schools with those needs. Most, but not all, of the available computers are Windows-based PCs rather than computers made by Apple. Most of the donated machines are older models, but as the government continues to upgrade its computer systems, the number of surplus Pentium computers will sharply increase. Computers and equipment are not refurbished by the government before being shipped to schools, nor are they covered by warranty.

Share the Technology is a web site that provides a way for donors and potential recipients to connect no matter where they are in the country. Schools, nonprofit organizations, and individuals can search message boards and databases on the site to find computers and equipment available for free in their region. The web site warns schools and other donation seekers that while some of the equipment is in excellent condition, not all equipment is in good working condition. Therefore, recipients should carefully evaluate the donated items before accepting them.

Intel Corp.'s Model School Program gives every school in the United States the chance to apply for potential seeding of equipment. To apply, schools must submit an innovative proposal for using technology to enhance instruction, and if Intel likes what it sees, it will match grant recipients with companies that can provide the equipment necessary to meet their needs. Whitney High School in Cerritos, Calif., and Miami Carol City Senior High School in Miami are the program's first two recipients.

Register online to participate inthe NASA Engineering Design Challenge: Lunar Plant Growth Chamber. During the2007-2008 school year, K-12 students will design, analyze, build and assessplant growth chambers that could be used on the moon. Registrants will receivea packet of cinnamon basil seeds that flew on the STS-118 space shuttle missionand a control packet of seeds that have not flown. The two sets of seeds willbe used to evaluate the student-designed plant growth chamber. Sign up for theNASA Express listserv to receive eMail messages about the challenge, updates tothe challenge web site, and announcements about NASA education activities. The seeds will be available to the first100,000 registrants.

On March 9, Lawson Software launched www.ImpactSchools.org, an online giving tool that allows donors to provide direct funding to the elementary or secondary school of their choice within a participating district. This tool allows school advocates to choose to donate to a specific program within each school, such as music, computers, sports, or field trips. In total, 97 percent of every tax-deductible donation goes directly to the school and program of choice. St. Paul Public Schools is the first district, with 68 participating schools, to benefit from this program. In the coming year, St. Paul-based Lawson plans to roll out ImpactSchools.org to districts across the nation. To get more information or to sign up, send an eMail to the address listed below.

Education is one of the Boeing Co.'s four areas of support. The largest single block of company contributions goes to education, including K-12 and college and university programs across the nation and in the countries where Boeing has operations. Boeing is a major supporter of systemic reform in public education. The company works in partnership with public school districts located near major Boeing facilities and encourages employees to become active volunteers engaged in sharing their knowledge and skills with K-12 students.

The Upward Bound Math and Science Program is designed to prepare high school students for postsecondary education programs that lead to careers in the fields of math and science. Secondary schools are eligible for this grant if there are no other applicants capable of providing an Upward Bound project in the area. The grant is targeted for institutions of higher education, public and private agencies and organizations, including community and faith-based organizations.

Epson America, in partnership with FundingFactory, allows schools and nonprofits nationwide to return ink cartridges for rewards that can boost fundraising efforts and help the environment. Educational and nonprofit organizations can earn points by collecting genuine Epson ink cartridges and sending them to FundingFactory for recycling. The cartridges will be converted to energy through an environmentally sound incineration process at a licensed waste-to-energy recycling facility. Participation in FundingFactory is completely free to all schools and nonprofit organizations. Once an organization registers at FundingFactory's web site, materials are sent to help them launch the program and start earning points in an easy-to-use online account. Their account is credited with points for every eligible Epson cartridge sent in; those points can be redeemed by the organization for cash and/or equipment.

The GLOBE program, which stands for Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, is a hands-on, school-based science and education program. It was formed through a partnership between several organizations including the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The program teaches students how to research environmental topics while encouraging them to share their findings via the web. Specifically, the program provides resources for students to monitor the environment through the use of soil samples, atmospheric readings, land cover, and phenology. Teachers also benefit from this program through free training at GLOBE workshops, complementary educational videos, and continuous access to a teacher's help desk.

Cartridges 4 Kids, an environmentally smart fundraising program, is giving away $50 every two months to one lucky winner. To enter, participants must return an Easy Return Collection Box of qualifying printer cartridges and/or cell phones during the contest period. Every qualifying box returned will increase an applicant's chances of winning. For its fundraising program, Cartridges 4 Kids pays up to $10 for empty printer cartridges and up to $25 for cell phones. The company estimates that organizations can earn up to $1,500 per year by recycling.

CyberLearning, a project of the National Education Foundation, aims to help bridge the digital divide by giving K-12 schools, colleges, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations the opportunity to receive matching grants to access more than 1,000 online courses in information technology (IT), management, and SAT preparation. Applicants must write a one-page proposal that describes their target population and how they would use the courses to improve the IT, management, or SAT skills of this population, including students, teachers, and staff. One-year matching grants ranging from $30,000 to $10 million are awarded to applicants based on the poverty level of the target populations or communities. Recent awards include $50,000 to Seattle Shoreline Community College, $250,000 to the New Haven School District in Connecticut, and $4,000,000 to the New Jersey State Department of Education to train 75,000 disadvantaged high school students and teachers.

The Allstate Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations, including public K-12 schools, for projects that are related to automobile and highway safety, homes and neighborhoods, and personal safety and security. Under the personal safety and security initiative, programs that raise awareness of poverty, child abuse, drugs, and violence prevention are eligible for consideration. Applicants should offer safeguards against gangs, guns, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $10,000. There are no deadlines.

The Corning Inc. Foundation, established in 1952, develops and administers projects in support of educational, cultural, and community organizations. Over the years, the foundation has contributed more than $83 million through its grant programs. Each year, the foundation fulfills approximately 225 grants totaling some $2.25 million. Corning's areas of involvement have included community service programs for students, curriculum enrichment, student scholarships, facility improvement, and instructional technology projects for the classroom. The foundation also supports youth centers, YMCAs, and local chapters of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America. All requests for support must be made in writing.

The Waksman Foundation supports projects that enhance teachers' use of microorganisms to teach science in the K-12 classroom. Eligible projects are designed to enhance K-12 education through teacher training, course or curriculum development, construction of laboratory exercises, or innovative use of electronic media. There are no fixed application deadlines, but proposals submitted by the end of September or January can be assured of action within a month or two. Applicants are encouraged to contact the foundation by telephone or eMail before submitting a proposal.

The Prudential Foundation's Ready to Learn grant program provides support to innovative direct-service education programs that address the needs of communities the company serves. Ready to Learn funds initiatives that strengthen public education at the elementary school level. The program supports education reform efforts that strengthen public education at the elementary school level. Within this framework, the Foundation will emphasize systemic school reform meant to improve the quality of teachers, principals, and other school leaders, and arts education. The program funds early childhood care and education initiatives, focusing on programs that support professional development for pre-kindergarten through third-grade teachers or create model classrooms. Funds are also provided for strategies to improve literacy that address professional development for teachers, family literacy programs, or literacy in the early years. The Prudential Foundation serves the Newark and surrounding New Jersey urban centers. It also funds programs in cities where Prudential has a significant presence. These cities include Atlanta, Chicago, Hartford, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Phoenix. The Foundation may also fund national programs that further their objectives and can be implemented or replicated in cities where Prudential has a substantial presence. The Foundation receives and reviews proposals throughout the year. Grants that exceed $200,000 must be approved by its board of trustees, which meets three times a year.

The Home Depot Foundation gives cash and materials to help provide young people with safe places to play and learn, leadership programs that teach skills through community engagement, and job readiness training. The Home Depot Foundation focuses its support on programs that serve at-risk youth ages 12 to 18. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $25,000. The foundation gives first priority to organizations that have been invited to apply for a grant. However, the foundation also will consider unsolicited requests that match its eligibility requirements. The foundation will consider only one proposal from the same organization in a 12-month period. Applications are reviewed four times per year and are to be submitted online.

Earthwatch Institute engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment by putting them in the field where they can assist scientists in field work. Fellowships are available to educators who wish to participate in an Earthwatch expedition. Expeditions are ongoing research projects confronting critical, current issues, run by qualified and respected members of the scientific community. Earthwatch expeditions are not tours, not ecotourism, not adventure travel; they are short-term volunteer opportunities directly assisting scientists in their field research. Adventuresome and innovative elementary, middle, and high school educators and administrators who are interested in natural and cultural conservation, sustainability, and life-long learning are eligible to apply for the Education Fellowship Program. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Early applications are eligible for a wider variety of projects. Fellowships will be made until available funding is exhausted. Fellowships are still available only for educators in San Francisco, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. (Please note: there is a non-refundable $35 application fee required.)

Each month during the school year, the Pay It Forward Foundation awards $500 grants to K-12, service-oriented projects that benefit the school, neighborhood, or greater community. When completing an application, teachers should explain the project thoroughly, include specific details about its educational value, and attach a clear and concise budget. Funds may be used for supplies, materials, equipment, or transportation to a service site.

The Melody program is designed to provide musical instruments and instrument repairs to existing K-12 school music programs that have no other source of financing to purchase additional musical instruments or materials. Applicants whose music programs lack institutional financial support and whose students qualify for financial assistance will receive greater consideration. The applicant school must have an ongoing music program that is at least three years old.

The Box Tops for Education program offers three ways for schools to earn cash through everyday activities such as buying groceries, shopping online, and making purchases with a credit card. When parents and community members clip box tops from General Mills products, schools can get 10 cents per box top. Schools also can earn up to 10 percent of each qualifying purchase made online at the Box Tops Marketplace. Box Tops also offers a Visa card that returns 1 percent of each purchase back to your school. Each program can generate up to $20,000 per year per school, for a maximum of $60,000 per year. Each participating school must designate a school coordinator to be enrolled in the program. Check the Box Tops for Education web site for more details.

The Wireless Foundation initiates and oversees philanthropic programs that utilize wireless technology to help American communities. The Wireless Foundation created ClassLink to help with the challenge presented by U.S. classrooms do not have a telephone, and by the many schools are unable to install computer and phone lines due to aging buildings and the danger of asbestos. Through ClassLink, Nokia and CTIA wireless carriers donate wireless phones and airtime to public schools nationwide in order to accelerate learning through an application process.