Applied Learning Grants
The One8 Foundation is committed to supporting schools to adopt proven Applied Learning programs that inspire students with innovative and engaging programs focused on core and elective K-12 subjects. We partner with nearly 700 schools in MA and look forward to building new partnerships across the state.
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) provides the nation’s leading K-12 engineering, computer science and biomedical science courses using an activity-project-problem based approach so all learning leads to students using knowledge and skills to solve real world problems. Learn more about PLTW here.
Start or expand your school’s PLTW program with grants from the One8 Foundation. To provide further on-the-ground support to the PLTW community in Massachusetts, we’re excited to partner with the Mass Learning Project. Grants offset costs of teacher training, durable equipment, and technology.
Qualifications: Open to all public schools (K-12) in Massachusetts, with competitive preference for:
- schools applying for Biomedical Science and/or Computer Science
- schools in districts building out multi-school pathways (e.g., 6-12 or K-12)
- schools/districts with 15% or more of students from low-income backgrounds
Application and Timeline:
- Past Events:
- December 2, 2024: Grant Office Hours
- December 9, 2024: Grant Office Hours [SIGN UP HERE]
- December 18, 2024: Grant App Part 1 Due
- January 10: Invitations to Part 2 App
- January 21, 2025: App Part 2 Info Session
- February 12, 2025: Grant App Part 2 Due
- March 6, 2025: Award Notification
- April 14, 2025: Cohort Kickoff Convening in Norwood
Click here to access the One8 PLTW MA Grant Application.
ST Math offers an engaging, highly effective visual, conceptual math program based on the neuroscience of how the brain learns. This supplemental program is aligned to K-5 standards and delivers results for ALL students. ST Math has a proven track record of building conceptual math understanding, a love of math and confidence in math ability at early ages. Learn more about ST Math here.
Qualifications:
- Open to public schools serving students in grades K-5 in Massachusetts
- Competitive preference for schools/districts with 15% or more of students from low-income backgrounds
Schools awarded a grant become members of the ST Math Massachusetts Program. Cohort members receive teacher PL, dedicated school support, additional community programming, and a reduced participation fee. 323 schools across the state currently participate in the Massachusetts One8 ST Math Cohort.
Application and Timeline:
- Past Events:
- October 24: Grant Info Session
- November 14: Grant Info Session
- December 10: Grant Info Session [REGISTER HERE]
- January 8: Grant Info Session
- January 29, 2025: Grant App Part 1 Due
- March 6, 2025: Grant App Part 2 Due
- March 24, 2025: Award Notification
- April 14, 2025: Cohort Kickoff Convening in Norwood
Click here to access the One8 ST Math MA Grant Application.
Open SciEd (OSE) is an NGSS aligned core science curriculum for grades 6-8 using phenomenon-based instruction. With a focus on equitable sensemaking, students drive the learning in OSE classrooms. Learn more about OpenSciEd here.
The Massachusetts OpenSciEd grant program provides schools with funding to offset startup costs, including professional learning and durable equipment kits. In addition to financial resources, cohort members receive implementation support from the OSE Mass team.
Qualifications:
- Open to public schools serving students in grades 6-8 in Massachusetts
- Commitment to full adoption of OSE, 100% of 6-8th grade students & teachers
- Competitive preference for schools/districts with 15% or more of students from low-income backgrounds
Application and Timeline:
- Past Events:
- October 29, 2024: Info Session
- November 13, 2024: School Tour – Memorial Middle School in Fitchburg, MA
- November 19, 2024: School Tour – Plymouth Community Intermediate School in Plymouth, MA
- December 2, 2024: Office Hours [REGISTER HERE]
- February 5, 2025: Grant App Part 1 Due
- March 6,7, & 10, 2025: Interviews
- March 20, 2025: Award Notification
- April 14, 2025: Cohort Kickoff Convening in Norwood
Click here to access the One8 OpenSciEd MA Grant Application.
The Democratic Knowledge Project‘s Civic Engagement in Our Democracy is a project-based, open-source, year-long grade 8 civics curriculum aligned to the MA History and Social Science Framework. DKP Launch aims to bring the curriculum to 8th graders across Massachusetts. School grants will provide in-person professional learning workshops and context-specific implementation support.
Qualifications:
- Open to public schools serving students in grade 8 in Massachusetts
- Competitive preference for schools/districts with 15% or more of students from low-income backgrounds
Application Timeline and Important Dates
- Past Events:
- October 22, 2024: Webinar on Supporting Elections Conversations
- October 29, 2024: Grant Info Session
- November 1, 2024: Grant Info Session
- November 14, 2024: School Tour at Randolph Community Middle in Randolph, MA
- December 10, 2024: School Tour at the Hurley K-8 School in Boston, MA. We have reached capacity for this tour. To be added to the waitlist, please email Chad Ajig at [email protected].
- December 17, 2024 @ 3 PM: Application Virtual Open House [REGISTER HERE]
- December 19, 2024 @ 9:30 AM: Application Virtual Open House [REGISTER HERE]
- January 16, 2025: Participant Panel [REGISTER HERE]
- January 30, 2025: Grant Application Due
- February 10-14, 2025: School Interviews
- March 14, 2025: Award Notification
- April 14, 2025: Cohort Kickoff Convening in Norwood
Click here to access the DKP Launch Grant Application.
The deadline to submit a grant application for the SY24-25 school year has passed. Please reach out to Caleb Hurst-Hiller ([email protected]) with any questions.
Districts/LEAs awarded grants to support Ignite Reading will receive full funding to support up to 300 1st grade tutoring seats during the 2024-25 school year. Grant awards will be based on the number of eligible 1st graders (students with verified foundational skill gaps) with the expectation that all students will be available for daily 15-minute tutoring sessions during school hours
Learn more about Ignite Reading here.
The timeline for One8 grant applications for SY25-26 will be announced in late 2024. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
We are excited for the opportunity to start expanding our applied learning focus to the humanities, allowing us to support a wider range of teachers as they bring engaging learning experiences to their students. The new Investigating History (IH) grant opportunity, brought to you by DESE through a partnership with the One8 Foundation is specifically designed for schools and districts who have already received funding and/or have begun IH implementation with a certified professional learning provider this year.
Investigating History is an openly available, comprehensive set of history/social studies curricular materials for Grades 5 through 7. Investigating History is fully aligned to the 2018 Massachusetts History/Social Science Framework , and is anchored in four instructional principles:
- historical inquiry and investigation;
- historical empathy and human connections;
- civic engagement and current world relevance;
- culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogy.
School grants will provide in-person professional learning workshops for all teachers, funding for teacher resources/materials, as well as the potential for additional coaching/PD funds.
The One8 Foundation is excited to announce that the 2024-2025 Applied Learning Leadership Discovery Program, which will allow school leadership teams to explore strong Applied Learning practices and reflect on opportunities to bring these practices back to their own schools. The program is centered around a set of energizing and thought-provoking school visits. These school visits will be dually focused — designed to spur creativity and new thinking and provide immediately implementable strategies to improve your own Applied Learning programs. Leaders should expect to spend three days out of their school buildings over the course of the 2024-25 school year, including one overnight out-of-state school visit.
The application for the 24-25 Discovery Program is now closed. Please get in touch with Sissela Tucker ([email protected]) with any questions.