Formed in 1994 by brothers Frank D. and Robert A. Stranahan, founders of the Champion Spark Plug Company in Toledo, Ohio, the Stranahan Foundation aims to assist individuals and groups in their efforts to become more self-sufficient and contribute to the improvement of society and the environment.

The foundation has issued a spring 2024 proposal request for its Early Childhood Education program, which aims to increase access to high-quality early care and education for low-income children (birth to five) by investing in developing and retaining a high-quality, thriving early educator workforce.

The spring 2024 funding cycle will support organizations and projects with the potential to advance innovation and proven professional development strategies. This cycle has up to $1.1 million in funding available and is focused on soliciting proposals for the following types of projects:

Development, piloting, and refinement of new approaches: to improve knowledge, skills, or practices or grow and sustain a thriving workforce of early childhood professionals.

Expansion or modifications to a clearly defined, proven professional development model: enabling future expansion or implementation in a new childhood setting.

In this RFP cycle, the foundation is particularly interested in approaches and models designed to 1) build early childhood professionals’ knowledge, skills, and classroom practices to support children’s behavioral and social-emotional health and/or 2) grow the pipeline of high-quality educators in early childhood settings.

Applicants may request funding up to $300,000 over three years. The foundation anticipates awarding up to five grants as part of this funding cycle.

Eligible applicants include local, state, and national United States-based nonprofit organizations, fiscally sponsored organizations, public school districts, and higher education institutions.

Letters of intent are due January 16, 2024, at 12 noon ET. Upon review, selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals, due March 20, 2024, at 12 noon ET.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Stranahan Foundation website.

Deadline: January 16, 2024 at 12 noon ET (Letters of Intent)

The Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation awards fellowship grants annually to outstanding post-doctoral candidates who are investigating the causes, prevention, and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD or depression, especially those from low-income families and under-resourced communities, or other marginalized populations that may have limited supports and resources.

In 2015, the foundation initiated the “Transformation of Mental Health Care,” a program focused on improving access to high-quality mental health care for children and adolescents, especially those from low-income families and under-resourced communities or other marginalized populations that may have limited support and resources. This includes families that come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and families that live in poverty.

The foundation solicits applications for academic investigators researching to demonstrate the benefits of novel ways to access or deliver mental health care or prevention approaches that can be implemented at scale. This application is specifically for high-quality research that builds upon promising pilot work and will lead to a larger demonstration project. In particular, the foundation is interested in improving access to high-quality mental health care and prevention for children and adolescents through the use of novel models or promising approaches, including expanding the number of professional and paraprofessional treatment personnel who are trained to deliver mental health services, delivering care in non-psychiatric settings (e.g., primary care, schools, home, or other novel settings), digital technology (e.g., the internet, apps for cell phones), and approaches that help parents access care for their children.

The foundation expects to make up to two grant awards of $100,000 annually for two years. Payment of the second year of funding is contingent on sufficient progress during the first year of the grant.

Academic researchers from universities, research institutions, health systems, or other settings positioned to provide rigorous, high-quality research focused on transforming mental and behavioral health care that improves outcomes for children and adolescents are eligible. Investigators must reside within institutions based in the United States, where all research on the project will be completed.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation website.

Deadline: January 15, 2024

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has called for proposals for Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity.

Evidence for Action (E4A), a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, funds research that expands the evidence needed to build a Culture of Health explicitly emphasizing advancing racial equity. The foundation recognizes that achieving racial equity is impossible without focusing on the foundational and structural drivers of health, often referred to as the social determinants of health (e.g., housing, education, built environment, economic opportunity, law enforcement, and others). Therefore, it partners with researchers, practitioners, community leaders, advocates, and policymakers across the many sectors and domains that impact health and well-being to develop evidence about what works to dismantle or remedy unjust systems and practices and produce more equitable outcomes for people and communities of color.

Evidence for Action prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. The foundation is concerned both with the direct impacts of structural racism on the health and well-being of people and communities of color (e.g., Black, Latina/o/x, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander people, and other races and ethnicities)—as well as how racism intersects with other forms of marginalization, such as having low income, being an immigrant, having a disability, or identifying as LGBTQ+ or a gender minority.

This funding is focused on studies about upstream causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, influencing individuals’ options and behaviors. Research should center on the needs and experiences of communities exhibiting the greatest health burdens and be motivated by real-world priorities. It should be able to inform a specific course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop characterizing or documenting a problem’s extent.

E4A seeks grantees who are deeply committed to conducting rigorous and equitable research and ensuring that their findings are actionable in the real world. In addition to research funding, RWJF also supports grantees with stakeholder engagement, dissemination of findings, and other activities that can enhance their projects’ potential to “move the needle” on health and racial equity.

Organizations must be based in the United States or its territories to be eligible. Submissions from teams including U.S. and international members are eligible, but the lead applicant must be based in the United States. Preference will be given to applicant organizations that are either institutes of higher education, public entities, or nonprofits tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or Type III supporting organizations. Other types of nonprofit and for-profit organizations are also eligible to apply.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.

Deadline: November 27, 2024 Rolling

In partnership with the Association for Conflict Resolution, the JAMS Foundation has requested proposal ideas for the 2024 JAMS Foundation-ACR Initiative for Students and Youth funding cycle. The initiative aims to provide financial support for conflict resolution education and training (CRE) for PreK-12 students and youth. Populations to be served by the funding streams will be 1) youth in PreK-12 age range and 2) adults working with these youth populations in ways that directly transfer CRE skills for adults to the youth populations.

The focus of the 2024 funding cycle is on projects to increase the resiliency skills in youth ages 14 to 18 years old by using conflict resolution education and training intended to increase their ability to 1) cope with violence they may encounter in a school or other gathering places, and 2) de-escalate the violence.

There are three priorities:

1. The proposed project will use evidence-based strategies designed for youth ages 14 to 18 years old, or a subset of that age group, to provide conflict resolution education and training, providing youth with the skills and motivation to reduce violence among high school-aged youth at school as well as other gathering spaces (physical and online) for their peer groups.

2. The proposed project will build upon the current work of the applicant organization. It will highlight local community connections demonstrating previous or current integrated work with the focused population or their location. The project will specifically integrate conflict resolution skills of youth within their communities and develop and implement a public education campaign extolling the benefits of conflict resolution skills in advancing positive interactions.

3. Evaluation measures for the proposed project will include, at a minimum: 1) an increase in applied conflict resolution skills by youth, specifically for appropriate interactions with others in a manner that does not lead to physical or verbal violence, and 2) a decrease in reported violence in schools or other spaces where youth gather.

Preference for funding is given to those that may bring existing programs or exciting new ideas to a level of scalability and sustainability on a regional or national basis.

Requests for year-one funding may be up to $20,000. While proposed projects are two-year projects, decisions on funding for a second year will be contingent on evidence of benchmark accomplishments at the end of the first year of funding, focusing on integrating the new service or expanding the current services. For those who seek a second year of funding, requests may be for up to $40,000.

One- to three-page initial project ideas are due January 12, 2024, and upon review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal by May 20, 2024.

Eligible organizations include those designated as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, educational institutions, and public agencies working with nonprofit educational institutions or organizations.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the JAMS Foundation website.

Deadline: January 12, 2024 (Initial project idea)

The Les Paul Foundation aims to inspire innovative and creative thinking by sharing the legacy of Les Paul through support of music education, recording, innovation, exhibits about Les Paul, and medical research related to hearing.

The foundation invites applications for grants to support programs and projects that encourage innovation in music production and/or performance and innovative STEM or STEAM programs for students and others in challenging situations. Proposals for medical research related to curing tinnitus and other hearing impairment issues are considered.

Applicants must be tax-exempt as defined by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Les Paul Foundation website.

Deadline: January 15, 2024

The federal government and the Health Department are working with pharmacies, clinics, and health centers to ensure that people who do not have insurance coverage for vaccines are able to receive COVID-19 vaccine at no cost, through either Vaccine For Children (VFC) or the Bridge Access Program. To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, visit the COVID-19 Sites Map  or vaccines.gov.

Learn about updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

These full-time, paid training programs ($15/hr) are 40 hours per week for six weeks. At the end of the 6-week program, participants will have the chance to interview for a full-time apprenticeship. No experience is required!

Interested applicants must attend one information session and apply to the Masonry or Carpentry Academy by Thursday, January 9, 2024, at 5 p.m.

Information sessions are December 13, 2023, January 4, 2024, or January 9, 2024.

Learn more, register for mandatory information session, and apply.

Are you a young entrepreneur with ideas such as launching a new product, a tool for design improvements, or a digital app to create a new network for creatives? We believe in you and your dreams. Share your innovative, creative, and unique business ideas with us!

Applicants can submit an application that:

• Pitches the launch of a new creative business venture or,
• Pitches the growth of an existing creative business.

The application deadline is February 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

Learn more and apply.

What are we looking for?

• Proposed projects must be youth-led and focus on addressing childhood hunger;
• Projects must take place during the Sodexo Servathon (April 1-May 31, 2024), with some activity on Global Youth Service Day (April 26-28, 2024) strongly encouraged;
• Projects may take place in schools, colleges/universities, afterschool programs, youth organizations, nonprofits, or faith-based organizations;
• Youth applicants should engage youth not typically asked to serve (including, but not limited to youth from low-income families or neighborhoods, young people of color, and youth who are often served but not asked to serve – including, but not limited to, youth with disabilities, youth in the juvenile justice system, youth in foster care, youth from military families, etc.) as volunteers;
• Youth applicants must live in the United States, and activities must benefit children and families in the United States.

Youth may apply for grants of either $250 or $500 depending on the number of youth who will be participating as volunteers in project activities.

YSA will host an application walk through and planning webinar on Wednesday, December 6, at 7:00pm Eastern. Registration is required to attend the webinar and may be done by clicking here.

Learn more and apply.

Read more.

The Brookings Center for Economic Security and Opportunity will convene a virtual panel to discuss what the evidence says about the returns on college and how policy should address growing concerns about the value of higher education: Is getting a college degree still worth it? For which students at which institutions are the returns most reliable? What can be done to support students at all types of institutions and ensure that college pays off for more students?

This event will take place on Thursday, December 07, 2023 at 10:30-11:30 AM.

Click here to learn more and register. 

Qualitative Research 101 describes appropriate methodologies specific to community engagement.

Date and Time: January 10, 2024, 12:00–1:00 PM

Register.

This workshop will have Spanish language and ASL interpretation, and recordings will be made publicly available in both English and Spanish language.

Check out our previous six workshops here.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Black teachers currently account for only seven percent of all public school teachers.

This trend is attributed to the achievement and opportunity gaps among Black students. In fact, studies show that having at least one Black teacher reduces a Black student’s likelihood of dropping out of school by almost 40 percent.

How can we cultivate Black teachers? Why is developing Black teachers especially important for Black students? And how can we better train all teachers to support students regardless of their background.

In this episode Sharif El-Mekki joins Kevin to discuss the importance of developing and recruiting Black teachers.

Download these important resources:

Three critical realities in education
Innovative strategies
Visual map to get the conversation started

Dates and Times:

December 12, 2023, 8:00 PM; Register

December 14, 2023, 8:00 PM; Register

If you’re interested in learning more, please email Luca Poxon at luca.poxon@temple.edu.

PCCD’s School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) has approved opening the application period for a new round of Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grants, which will prioritize projects focused on effective intervention and prevention strategies to stop gun and group-related violence.

Eligible applicants include community-based or nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, institutions of higher education, municipalities, counties, and district attorney’s offices.

Applicants have until Thursday, January 18, 2024, to apply and questions regarding this solicitation and the application process should be forwarded to ra-cd-vipgrants@pa.gov by close of business on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.

To learn more and to apply, visit PCCD’s active funding announcements and gun violence grants and funding webpages.

True to the program’s name, teams of students may design and build submersibles to maneuver underwater in the Sea Challenge, drones to fly in the Air Challenge or land rovers to carry out a ground-based operation in the Land Challenge.  Students have the spring semester to design and build the unmanned vehicles and payloads, and each team is paired with a volunteer engineering mentor to guide them through the process.  Sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD), the robotic systems are then used to compete on Challenge Day, a one day competition, in missions which mimic those encountered by the military and first responders.

The Sea, Air and Land Challenge, nicknamed the SeAL Challenge, has three objectives.  The first is to provide students with an opportunity to tackle a difficult engineering project while in high school.  The second is to provide students with an awareness of the tremendous technical careers in the DoD as a civilian or in the armed forces, and the third objective is to help educators and administrators implement or enhance a successful Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program into their schools and organizations even given time, budget and resource constraints.

The SeAL Challenge can be presented to the students as a club or a before or after-school activity.  Several schools have also written this solid and effective program into their curriculum on its own or as part of an engineering, technology, math or physics course.  In addition, an optional detailed one semester curriculum, written by ITEEA, is now available at no cost to schools and other organizations.  The Challenge may also be used with home school students or students from a club or other organization.

The program, now in its twelfth year, is free to students, school districts and organizations.  There is no fee for registration or the program material, however, each team is responsible for securing their own funding, a maximum of $600 per team, for their open-sourced robotic system as part of the challenge.  Demonstrating effective budgeting and cost management for their project is considered in scoring each teams’ work.

School registration is now open for regions across the state including Northern (Bradford area), Central (Altoona area), Southwestern (near Pittsburgh), Eastern OH/Western PA (Rayland, Ohio), South Central (Lancaster area) and Eastern (Berks Co/Reading area).  If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website or contact us at Sea Air Land Group (seaairland@arl.psu.edu).

If you are interested in participating, you may register your school here.

We are also open to starting new regions for those who wish to participate closer to home.

Consistent with longitudinal findings from previous AAC&U employer surveys, the 2023 survey found a strong correlation between the outcomes of a liberal education and the knowledge and skills employers view as essential for success in entry-level jobs and for advancement in their companies.

Following are highlights from the findings in four key areas explored by the survey:

Confidence in Higher Education. In recent years, public polling has documented a steady decline in Americans’ confidence in major societal institutions, including higher education. Yet, among employers, confidence in higher education remains relatively high. The AAC&U–Morning Consult survey found that 8 in 10 employers agree either strongly or somewhat that higher education prepares graduates to succeed in the workforce and that getting a college degree is worthwhile, despite the cost in time and money. The survey also found strong support for the broad knowledge and skills associated with a liberal education, as well as for the development of specific mindsets and dispositions while in college.

The Workforce Preparedness of Recent Graduates. Eight in 10 employers agree either strongly or somewhat that recent college graduates are well prepared overall to succeed in entry-level positions and to advance beyond them. When it comes to specific skill areas, however, employers clearly see room for improvement. Oral communication, for example, is viewed by most employers (64%) as a very important skill for new hires to possess, yet roughly half as many employers (34%) agree that recent college graduates are very well prepared in this area. The survey found similar gaps between the perceived importance of several other skills and perceptions of recent graduates’ preparation in those areas.

Microcredentials. The survey found strong support among employers for microcredentials. When hiring for an entry-level position, most employers (68%) would prefer to hire a college graduate who also has a microcredential. Employers are evenly divided between those who would prefer to hire a high school graduate with a microcredential (14%) and those who would prefer to hire a college graduate without a microcredential (13%).

Government Restrictions on Higher Education. The survey explored employer views on so-called “divisive concept” laws and other government restrictions on what is taught at colleges and universities. Nearly 9 in 10 employers agree either strongly or somewhat that exposure to a wide range of topics and viewpoints is an important contributor to workforce preparedness, and 8 in 10 agree that all topics should be open for discussion on college campuses. While employers overall are evenly divided on whether the government should play a role in determining what is taught, 3 in 4 would look more favorably on a degree from an institution that is not subject to government restrictions. However, employer views vary significantly by age, position, and party affiliation. Employers under the age of 40 (61%) are more than twice as likely as employers aged 50 and above (28%) to agree that the government should play a role in determining what is taught at colleges and universities; executives (63%) are more likely than hiring managers (46%) to agree; and more employers who identify as Democrats (61%) than as Republicans (41%) or Independents (28%) agree.

Read more and download the full report.

CS4Philly & Jumpstarting Philadelphia CS for All are hosting this free event from 4:00 to 6:00pm on Wednesday, December 6.

To register go to HERE.