Community grant for schools and nonprofits in 6 states
Duke Energy Foundation Grants
Who it's for:
501(c)(3) nonprofits and governmental entities including school districts, serving communities in Duke Energy's six-state territory: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Eligibility is county-level within those states, and individuals and for-profits cannot apply, so a teacher would apply through their district or a partner nonprofit.
Award & deadline:
Up to $20,000, accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year with no fixed deadline. Expect three months or more for a decision.
Difficulty Level:
Moderate. No competitive cycle to time, but the foundation asks you to contact your state's grant representative before filing, and applicants must show a method to measure, track, and report program outcomes with specific results.
How Superspace fits:
The Vibrant Economies focus area explicitly includes energy and engineering education for K-12 students and teachers, which is the natural home for a Superspace request. Frame it as an engineering education program with defined student outcomes rather than a materials purchase, since outcome measurement is an eligibility requirement.
More info and Application:
https://foundation.duke-energy.com/grants
Classroom grant for Palo Alto teachers
PiE Innovation Grants
Who it's for:
PAUSD teachers, principals, and classified staff, or parent, student, and community groups applying through a PAUSD staff sponsor. Strongest for elementary and TK classrooms, special education programs, and school libraries or maker spaces.
Award & deadline:
Up to $3,000 for individual projects, up to $15,000 for collaborations across teachers or schools. Next round opens December 7, 2026, applications due February 26, 2027.
Difficulty Level:
Moderate. Online application plus a budget worksheet. Reviewers want curricular justification, a clear innovation, measurable student outcomes, and a sustainability plan.
How Superspace fits:
PiE excludes consumables and favors durable equipment usable over several years, plus seed projects that expand to other classes or schools. A shared panel set checks both boxes and supports the higher collaborative award tier.
More info and Application:
STEM project grant for K-12 teachers
Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) STEM Grants
Who it's for:
K-12 teachers at public and private schools anywhere in the United States. Applications are submitted by the classroom teacher, not the school or district, so this works for individual educators without going through a grants office.
Award & deadline:
Up to $1,000 for K-5, due October 1 annually. For grades 6-12, requests up to $5,000 are due June 1, September 1, December 1, and March 1, and requests over $5,000 are due November 1 and May 1.
Difficulty Level:
Low to moderate. A short online application focused on the project idea and the materials needed. No budget worksheet or district sign-off required, and the multiple 6-12 deadlines each year mean a missed cycle is only a few months lost.
How Superspace fits:
TAF funds project-based learning with tangible outcomes in science, technology, engineering, and math. Superspace supports hands-on engineering and design challenges where students build, test, and rebuild full-size structures, which is exactly the kind of concrete STEM project TAF looks for. The K-5 award covers a starter set, and the 6-12 tiers can fund a larger classroom or lab configuration.
More info and Application:
Big engineering education grant for nonprofits
Motorola Solutions Foundation Annual Grants
Who it's for:
Nonprofit organizations, not individual teachers or classrooms. Programs must serve under-resourced populations in technology and engineering education or first responder programming, with priority for school-aged students ages 8 to 18. Giving is concentrated in communities where Motorola Solutions operates, including Chicagoland, Boston, the Baltimore area, the Dallas area, Southern California, South Florida, Salt Lake City, Westminster CO, and Vancouver BC.
Award & deadline:
Requests up to $50,000, with returning partners able to ask for more. The 2026 cycle is closed and awards were announced in August. The 2027 cycle kicks off in late November 2026, following the same pattern as 2026: inquiry form in late January, full application in April, notification in August.
Difficulty Level:
Two stage process with an inquiry form first and the full application by invitation only. Reviewers expect strong organizational financial health, nonprofit partnerships, and data-driven evaluation with quantifiable impact metrics, so this is best suited to organizations with grant-writing capacity.
How Superspace fits:
The foundation funds hands-on engineering activities for youth, so Superspace works as part of a larger program rather than as a standalone equipment request. The strongest framing is a funded program serving under-resourced students where panels support engineering design challenges, with Superspace as one line in the budget alongside staffing and curriculum.
More info and Application:
https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_us/about/motorola-solutions-foundation/annual-grants.html
Small classroom supply grant for any teacher
AAE Classroom Grants (Association of American Educators)
Who it's for:
Individual educators nationwide. The classroom grant covers materials, and a separate teacher scholarship covers professional development. Applications are competitive but open to all educators, so no district sponsorship or nonprofit status is needed.
Award & deadline:
Up to $500. Two cycles each year, with deadlines on October 1 and March 1, so the next deadline is October 1, 2026.
Difficulty Level:
Low. A short online form submitted directly by the teacher. No budget worksheet, no letters of support, and no district approval, which makes it one of the fastest applications on this list.
How Superspace fits:
The grant funds classroom materials, and $500 covers a starter set of panels rather than a full room build. It works well on its own for a single classroom, or paired with another funding source or a PTO contribution for a larger set.
More info and Application:
https://www.aaeteachers.org/awards
Enrichment program grant for Title I educators
McCarthey Dressman Academic Enrichment Grants
Who it's for:
Individual educators nationwide employed by schools or nonprofits, including community centers and museums, who have direct and regular contact with students in pre-K through grade 12 and work with students from low-income households. Applications are submitted in one person's name even when several people are involved in the project.
Award & deadline:
Up to $10,000 per year, renewable to a maximum of $20,000 over two years. Applications open January 15 and close April 15 each year, but the system also closes early once 200 submissions are received, so apply as close to January 15 as possible. The current cycle is closed and reopens January 15, 2027.
Difficulty Level:
A single online application with no district sign-off required, though the foundation looks for a clearly defined enrichment project beyond the regular curriculum, plus existing facilities, expertise, and community endorsement. Funded applicants submit an annual progress report.
How Superspace fits:
This grant funds in-class and after-school enrichment programs that nurture intellectual, artistic, and creative ability, and the award size covers a full classroom or program set rather than a starter kit. Frame Superspace as the material backbone of a defined enrichment program with a name, a schedule, and a student group, not as a one-time purchase.
More info and Application:
https://mccartheydressman.org/academic-enrichment-grants/
STEM and community grant for nonprofits in the mid-Atlantic and Chicago
Exelon Community Grants
Who it's for:
Nonprofit organizations and institutions in the service territories of Exelon's six operating companies: ComEd in northern Illinois, PECO in southeastern Pennsylvania, BGE in central Maryland, Pepco in Washington DC and Montgomery and Prince George's counties, Delmarva Power in Delaware and eastern Maryland, and Atlantic City Electric in southern New Jersey. You apply to your local operating company, not to Exelon corporate.
Award & deadline:
No published award range or fixed deadline on the corporate page. Each operating company sets its own guidelines and amounts, so start with the inquiry form for your utility. Plan on a lead time of several months.
Difficulty Level:
Moderate. The process begins with a brief inquiry form rather than a full application, which makes the first step easy, but each operating company has its own guidelines and you need to match your project to one of the four corporate focus areas before you get invited to apply.
How Superspace fits:
The Building Exelon's Future Workforce focus area funds STEM education and enrichment for students, which is the clearest match. Frame Superspace as the hands-on component of a STEM enrichment program with defined student outcomes, and note that a museum or arts-integrated program could alternatively fit the Equal Access to Arts and Culture area.
More info and Application:
https://www.exeloncorp.com/community/grants
Education and community grant for Kansas City nonprofits
Hall Family Foundation
Who it's for:
Nonprofit organizations in the greater Kansas City area. Individuals are explicitly excluded, as are organizations outside greater KC, endowments, scholarly research, debt reduction, event promotion, and travel or conference costs. A teacher would need to apply through their district or a partner nonprofit.
Award & deadline:
No published award range or application deadline. The process starts with an inquiry form submitted whenever your project is ready, and the foundation follows up from there.
Difficulty Level:
High. There is no simple application, and the foundation looks for sustainable program design built with the community served, outcome tracking, systemic improvement, and resources leveraged across sectors. This is a strategic funder for established organizations, not a classroom materials grant.
How Superspace fits:
The Growing Minds impact area covers pre-K and K-12 education with a focus on eliminating outcome disparities based on race or zip code. Superspace fits as a component of a broader early learning or K-12 program serving under-resourced KC students, never as a standalone equipment request.
More info and Application:
https://www.hallfamilyfoundation.org/how-to-apply/
Early childhood grant for nonprofits in PNC markets
PNC Foundation (PNC Grow Up Great)
Who it's for:
501(c)(3) nonprofits in counties where PNC has a presence, spanning roughly 25 states from California to Massachusetts. Grow Up Great grants must serve children from birth to age five, with a majority of children from low- to moderate-income families. Individuals and private foundations are excluded, as are annual funds for colleges and universities.
Award & deadline:
No published award range or fixed deadline. You take an online eligibility quiz first, then contact the PNC Foundation representative assigned to your region. Each market handles its own timeline.
Difficulty Level:
Moderate. Not a competitive open cycle, but you need to pass the eligibility screen, connect with a regional contact, and show that your project meets the birth-to-five criteria. Proposals that build in opportunities for PNC employee volunteers are viewed more favorably.
How Superspace fits:
Grow Up Great funds classroom and community programming in math, science, the arts, and social-emotional development, all of which Superspace supports directly. Frame it as direct services for children in their classroom, and note that panels also support the professional development track if you're training early childhood educators.
More info and Application:
https://www.pnc.com/en/about-pnc/corporate-responsibility/philanthropy/pnc-foundation.html
Disability rights project grant for NEA local affiliates
NEA Disability Rights Community Action Grant: Connection Through Action
Who it's for:
NEA local affiliates, with strong preference for projects led by or centering members with disabilities. Projects can span K-12 and higher education, and must unite educators, families, students, and community partners. A letter of support from the local affiliate president is required, so an individual teacher would work through their local.
Award & deadline:
Up to $7,000 per project. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with awards issued in March, June, September, and December 2026, up to five per quarter, subject to availability. Projects must be implemented within six months of the award.
Difficulty Level:
Low to moderate. Four pieces: a project description, a six-month collaboration plan naming who will be involved, a simple line-item budget, and the president's letter. No competitive deadline pressure, but projects must be collaborative, interactive, and action-oriented. Passive activities like one-time webinars or conferences are explicitly ineligible, as is anything without clear member leadership.
How Superspace fits:
This funds organizing and coalition-building, not classroom equipment, so panels only work as the medium for a collaborative project. The viable framing is something like a series of inclusive family build sessions co-designed with educators and families of students with disabilities, where Superspace enables a shared accessible activity and the grant covers the panels as a budget line supporting the gatherings.
More info and Application:
Small local grant for schools and nonprofits near a Walmart
Walmart Spark Good Local Grants
Who it's for:
K-12 public and nonprofit private schools, charter schools, colleges, 501(c)(3) public charities, and government entities including cities and counties. This is one of the few on your list where a school applies directly, using its NCES number or 501(c)(3) status. You must serve the same area as the specific Walmart, Sam's Club, or distribution center you're asking, and the organization needs a Spark Good account verified through Deed. Individuals cannot apply.
Award & deadline:
$250 to $5,000. Three cycles a year: February 1 to April 15, May 1 to July 15, and August 1 to November 30. The current cycle is open through November 30, 2026.
Difficulty Level:
Low, once you're set up. The Deed verification and Spark Good account are the real work, and you only do them once. The application itself is a short guided form asking about your organization, how you'll use the funds, and expected impact. Decisions are made by the local facility manager and are final with no appeal.
How Superspace fits:
A starter set sits comfortably in the $250 to $5,000 range, and the funded examples skew toward hands-on community programming rather than pure academics. The strongest framing is a specific project with a community benefit, such as an inclusive play and building space at a library or a family engagement program, rather than a general request for classroom supplies.
More info and Application:
Large early childhood and equity grant for organizations
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Who it's for:
Organizations advancing community-driven work in early care and education, maternal and child health, food systems, family economic security, and racial equity. Funding is nationwide, with generational commitments in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Orleans. Individuals and capital investments are excluded, so a school would apply through its district or a partner nonprofit.
Award & deadline:
No published award range. The application process is always open with no cycles or deadlines. You register in the Fluxx system and submit a letter of inquiry, hear back within 30 business days, and if invited to a full proposal, get a decision within about 60 business days.
Difficulty Level:
High. The two-stage LOI and proposal process is well documented and the foundation commits to responding with rationale, but WKKF funds systemic, community-driven initiatives at scale. This is for organizations with real capacity, not a materials request.
How Superspace fits:
The early care and education priority is the natural home, and panels would be one budget line inside a larger program serving young children and families, never the ask itself. Realistically this is a fit for a Head Start network, a children's museum, or a community organization building an early learning initiative.
More info and Application:
https://www.wkkf.org/grantseekers
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Don't let budget be the barrier. Explore grant opportunities that can fund Superspace for your school, library, museum, maker space, STEM/STEAM program, camp, or community organization.