College Spark Washington Grants

Grant funding for community-designed and community-driven educational change across Washington that dismantles barriers to equity for high school students and students at community and technical colleges. Projects must address one or more specified areas: alternatives to exclusionary discipline; inclusive and affirming student services; placement at community and technical colleges; community-centered decision-making; culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy; or anti-racist leadership development. Eligible applicants: Applicants must have a staffed physical presence in Washington.; Applicants must be organized and operated for purposes described in IRC Section 501(c)(3), excluding Type III Supporting Organizations; or be a university, college, school, or other educational organization described in IRC Section 170(c)(1); or be a public agency, unit of government, tribal government, or tribal program under IRC Section 7871.; The application process begins with a pre-application Letter-of-Interest (LOI).; Proposed work must be designed to dismantle barriers to equity in education for students in high school and at community and technical colleges and address one or more of the published focus areas.; Alternatives to Exclusionary Discipline projects must seek the elimination or substantial reduction of exclusionary discipline for all students and/or elimination or substantial reduction of racial disparities in its use.; Inclusive and Affirming Student Services projects must change policy and practice in student services to eliminate opportunity gaps for students enrolling in two-year colleges.; Placement projects must change community and technical college placement policy and practice to eliminate opportunity gaps in direct placement into credit-bearing, college-level English and math classes.; Community Centered Decision-Making projects must change policy and practice in schools, districts, or colleges to facilitate a full, equal, and equitable partnership among families, educators, and community partners.; Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Pedagogy projects may develop, refine, or implement anti-racist or multicultural core curricula, develop and implement ethnic-studies courses, or remove or revise curricula that contribute to racist outcomes; related professional development must be sustained over time and tied to educator practice.; Anti-Racist Leadership Development projects must be sustained efforts to build the capacity of teachers, principals, district leaders, or college administrators to identify racism's effects on students and lead institutional reform.; A full grant proposal may be submitted only after College Spark invites it following review of the LOI.; Invited full grant proposals are requested within 30 days of the invitation unless College Spark approves an extension.; Applicants are strongly encouraged to view the recorded informational webinar before submitting an LOI.. Geography served: Washington state. Deadline: LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis..