Grant Opportunities
Grants from WisItalia
- WisItalia Grant Application for the 2009-2010 School Year (Word Fillable) - Italian teachers and educators, apply for funds from WisItalia for Italian language school classes in Wisconsin (elementary to high school level) and/or Italian language after-school/evening/weekend programs for children and adults taught in Wisconsin. Grant funds may be used to purchase teaching materials, to augment teacher or teaching assistant pay, or for any legitimate and academically sound activity that furthers the study of Italian language and culture.
Grant amounts for the 2009-10 school year will be $1,000 for K-12 schools offering Italian during the school day, and $500 for after school, evening and weekend Italian language programs. New start-up Italian language program amounts will vary depending on the program offered and the number of students expected to be enrolled.
- WisItalia Education/Licensure/Conference Grant Application for 2009-2010 (Word Fillable) - WisItalia provides grant funds to assist educators who are enrolled in an approved program leading to licensure to teach Italian in Wisconsin's public schools and who are committed to teach Italian in Wisconsin. Grant amounts are limited to $500 per school year per teacher, not to exceed a total of $1,000 per teacher.
WisItalia also provides grant funds to Wisconsin Italian language teachers and other WisItalia members to help offset the costs of seminars, workshops and conferences related to Italian lanuage culture. Grant amounts are negotiable, but generally cover the cost of the conference fees. Travel expenses are generally not included.
Applicants may be educators who teach Italian or Italian-related courses in the State of Wisconsin, as well as other WisItalia members.
NIAF Grants
- NIAF grant program website (exit WisItalia) - The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) offers grants (information from the NIAF website):
- University Italian Club Grant:
The NIAF University Italian Club Grant 2009 deadline has passed. Information for 2010 is not yet available.
- The deadline for University Club Grants is May 30, 2009.
- Winners will be notified during the month of September, 2009.
- The distribution of the grants to the winners will occur at the end of September, 2009.
For more information contact Giuseppina Spillane at 202 939-3107 or via email gspillane@niaf.org.
- The National Italian American Foundation has reduced its grants budget. The following grants from NIAF may be on hold due to the economy. However, you may still apply for these grants in case funds are awarded:
- Italian Language Study Grants
A matching grant program open to organizations, individuals, schools, and community groups that wish to launch or expand the teaching of Italian in their local public or private elementary, intermediate, or high schools. The grant money may be used to purchase teaching materials, pay teacher and/or teacher's aide's salaries, or for any legitimate and academically sound activity that furthers the study of Italian in the school for one academic year. The language program may be held before, after, or during school hours; full or part time.
Grants range from $500 to $2,000 per year.
Application deadline: May 2010 (Online application available in December 2009).
- Culture and Heritage Grant Awards
Available to individuals or organizations pursuing projects to promote, research, educate, or preserve Italian American culture, history, or heritage. Examples include: documentaries, doctoral research, exhibits, conferences, books, media stereotyping/anti-defamation surveys, campaigns, etc., plays, and course syllabi.
Grants range from $2,000 to $15,000 per year.
Application deadline: May 2010 (Online application available in December 2009).
Other Funding Opportunities
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) (exit WisItalia) - The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. The NEA may fund Italian Art Summer Seminars and Institutes.
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) (exit WisItalia) - NEH is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH may fund Italian Language Summer Seminars and Institutes.
- The Foundation Center (exit WisItalia) - The Foundation Center is the nation's leading authority on philanthropy, connecting nonprofits and the grantmakers supporting them to tools they can use and information they can trust. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. grantmakers and their grants and assists in locating grants, refining searches and connecting you to helpful resources. For example, search on grants pertaining to education at http://foundationcenter.org/ntee/ (exit WisItalia)
- The NEA Foundation (exit WisItalia) - The National Education Association (NEA) Foundation, through the unique strength of its partnership with educators, advances student achievement by investing in public education that will prepare each of America’s children to learn and thrive in a rapidly changing world. The NEA Foundation supports a variety of efforts by teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff to improve student learning in the nation's public schools, colleges, and universities.
- U.S. Department of Education (exit WisItalia) - Apply for discretionary grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The website includes a section on how to apply for a grant and current grant opportunities.
Updated March 6, 2010
