You know that Read Naturally programs work. Maybe you’ve talked to other teachers in your building or tried our free trial, or maybe you’ve even used our programs with your students in the past. Here’s the challenge—how do you pay for them?

Always resourceful, teachers often apply for grants or seek donations to cover the cost of classroom resources. A quick note about the difference between grants and donations: Donations tend to be more flexible than grants, and usually donors don’t ask to see evidence that their donation is being used for its stated purpose (although it’s always nice to send a thank you message!). On the other hand, grants often have application timelines and reporting requirements, which may mean a little more paperwork for you.

Here are some ideas for finding funds to purchase resources for your students:  

  • Try Donors Choose. This website founded by a teacher allows you to post a request for donations for classroom resources; interested donors can search for projects and make donations. When creating your donation request, be sure to use tags like “Science of Reading” or “struggling readers” to boost your visibility. You can also post links to your donation request on social media. 
  • Classful.com is another teacher-funding website where teachers can sign up to receive funding for classroom needs.  
  • GetEdFunding is a good source for teachers looking for grants. It has a search engine that allows teachers to specify what type of funding they’re looking for.  
  • The NEA Foundation offers grants to teachers to help improve public education for all students.  
  • Many school districts and individual schools have education foundations funded by parent and community donations that give teachers money for classroom programs. Check with your school’s parent-teacher organization to learn more.  
  • Do a Google search for “Education Foundations Near Me.” My search yielded several local nonprofits that support teachers in my area. These organizations might be able to help you with classroom volunteers as well! 
  • Check your state’s department of education website for grant opportunities.  
  • The Dollar General Literacy Foundation offers funding to support literacy programs for organizations within 15 miles of a Dollar General store.  

You can use the grant applications on the Read Naturally website to jumpstart your funding journey. Note that the grants you apply for may ask for additional information not included in these documents. Please let us know how we can help!