Fund’s new $500K grant offering supports education entrepreneurs across Northwest
WICHITA, Kansas (KTVZ) -- VELA Education Fund announced Monday the launch of a $500,000 grant offering to provide support for education entrepreneurs in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
The opportunity is focused on reaching everyday education entrepreneurs — students, parents, teachers, and community leaders — who are envisioning new approaches and meeting the unique needs of learners and families.
Micro grant applications for up to $10,000 in funding are now available for programs based in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The awards are intended to support nontraditional educational opportunities, such as homeschool co-ops, microschools, and more.
“We’ve seen strong interest in the Pacific Northwest in permissionless innovation, and we’re excited to be able to launch this initiative to support families and educators who are reimagining education,” said Meredith Olson, VELA’s President.
Overall, VELA has awarded more than 1,600 grants nationwide since launching publicly in August 2020. The grants total more than $16.5 million and support entrepreneurs in all 50 states and 3 U.S. territories.
In Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, VELA has awarded 60 grants to date, totaling $566,230. Recipients include the Seattle School for Boys, a microschool serving middle school-age learners, and Madrona Folk School, which offers supplemental classes for homeschooling families in Oregon.
This specific opportunity is exclusive to programs based in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, which will help fuel growth and accelerate innovation. The regional program hopes to tap into exceptional interest in homeschooling, hybrid learning models, microschools, support for students with disabilities, and more as these communities seek to address COVID learning loss and define high-quality, post-pandemic education.
The grant application is available now at velaedfund.org/apply. Interested applicants can take the eligibility quiz if they are unsure if they qualify to apply for a micro grant.
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About VELA Education Fund
VELA is a national nonprofit fund that launched in 2020. VELA invests in everyday entrepreneurs – students, parents, educators, and community leaders – who are envisioning new approaches that meet learners’ and families’ needs. VELA does not dictate solutions to its grantees. Instead, VELA trusts grantees to identify what their communities need and how they can best meet those needs. To date, VELA has awarded more than 1,600 grants totaling over $16.5 million to support non-traditional education models. Recipients reside in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Visit velaedfund.org to learn more.
