Best Grants for Special Education in Colorado

Colorado school districts, administrative units, and local education agencies can apply for Colorado Department of Education funding to recruit and support special education teacher candidates, with awards from US $10,000 - US $180,000. Grants help address shortages in special needs education roles, including visual impairment, deaf/hard of hearing, early childhood, and special education generalists through partnerships with university preparation programs.

Colorado families caring for individuals with autism can seek help covering medical, nutritional, personal, and enrichment needs through this need-based program. Focused on supporting autism-related expenses not covered by schools, insurance, or other funders, MyGOAL gives preference to first-time applicants and plans to assist 25 families in 2026.

Nonprofit community organizations and provider agencies can seek funding to create or expand services for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in Larimer County, Colorado. Foothills Gateway supports special needs education, behavioral and mental health, family training, medical and dental care, system gap projects, and capital improvements with awards up to US $50,000 per 12-month period.

Students pursuing post-secondary education in special needs education or related fields who reside in Rock Island County can apply for the Jerry and Martha Taylor Memorial Scholarship, with awards up to US $1,000. Offered by Quad Cities Community Foundation, this non-renewable scholarship may benefit those preparing to support special education needs in Colorado and beyond.

Colorado special education–focused students may be eligible if they are graduating seniors from any Ashland County high school with a 3.0+ GPA, planning to attend a four-year college and major in education, preferably special education. The Judith Halama Ebert Scholarship from Ashland County Community Foundation supports those with financial need, leadership, community service, and school involvement.

Graduating high school seniors pursuing a degree in special education can receive scholarship support, including the Kathy, Russ and Jim Keller Scholarship, administered by Crown Point Community Foundation. Students within the CPCF service area submit one application to be considered for this and many other donor-created awards, which may benefit those interested in special needs education in Colorado and beyond.

Students pursuing special education or speech, physical, or occupational therapy careers to support individuals with Down syndrome in Colorado may be eligible for this scholarship. With a mission to empower generous people, the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region offers this award through a universal application that can qualify applicants for multiple scholarships.

Colorado students seeking degrees in special education, pediatric medicine, or Christian ministry may be eligible for the Kristin Lee Burry Memorial Scholarship, which supports North Decatur graduates. This scholarship from Decatur County Community Foundation helps reduce higher education costs for students preparing to work with children and special needs populations.

Colorado teachers or students pursuing a special education major or certification at an accredited college or university can access funding through the Marietta Kiwanis Foundation. This US $2,500 Mack Henderson Special Education Scholarship emphasizes academic achievement and character, with priority for current or former Cobb or Marietta students.

Special education teachers seeking additional licensing or a master’s in special education can receive funding for tuition and related education costs through this scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne. WindSwell Foundation supports special needs education professionals, which may benefit Colorado educators looking for similar professional development opportunities.

Students pursuing education degrees, especially in special or early childhood education, may be eligible for scholarships supporting special needs education, including those in Colorado. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ Little Red Schoolhouse Scholarship Fund offers up to US $3,000 for residents of Hampshire or Franklin County to help cover college costs for one academic year.

Nonprofit organizations in Colorado working on mobility, environmental conservation, or people-focused initiatives such as accessible and inclusive education can apply for grants of US $5,000 - US $10,000. Grants from Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund help U.S. groups, including those advancing special needs education, improve safety, transportation access, and healthier communities.

College-bound students pursuing higher education with special needs or learning disabilities can apply for the Ann Wall Scholarship, which supports matriculation at a college, university, or business. With a mission to strengthen communities, Scranton Area Foundation provides opportunities that may benefit Colorado students engaged in special needs education who meet its residency and religious participation preferences.

Students pursuing careers teaching children with special needs who demonstrate financial need may benefit from this scholarship opportunity, though it is based in northern Chautauqua County rather than Colorado. With a mission to strengthen local opportunity, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation supports higher education paths in special needs education through the St. Joseph School Scholarship.

Teachers, counselors, and program administrators serving blind students in Colorado can receive more than US $1,000 plus convention travel through the Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award. With a mission to uplift blind individuals, the National Federation of the Blind honors exemplary special needs educators who provide high-quality education and meaningful experiences.

About

Mission, Vision & Values

To enhance our community through philanthropy.

We aspire to co-create diverse, meaningful and innovative charitable giving that yields an exponential positive impact within local communities and beyond.

David Bruce Belcher Fund

About the fund

The David Bruce Belcher Scholarship Fund was established for the training of professionals in nursing, special education, and therapy (physical, speech and occupational) as a legacy of David Bruce Belcher and the caregivers who comforted him. This fund reflects David’s rare spirit and bright love in its support of those who seek to advance their nurturing skills in nursing, therapy, and special education.

St. Ignace Area Community Foundation: CTE Technical Scholarship

The St. Ignace Community Fund annually awards scholarships assisting students with higher education, technical training, vocational training or retraining based largely on acknowledgement of student responsibility, community service, and civic involvement. These Scholarships are made possible through the generosity of donors to the various accounts within the St. Ignace Area Community Fund. Some accounts specifically are awarded to recognize higher education in the areas of special education, vocational/technical careers, teaching, law enforcement, and health care.

About Us

Driving Positive Change in Noble County!

At the Community Foundation of Noble County we are passionate about making Noble County an even better place to call home. Since 1991, area residents have been turning to the Community Foundation of Noble County to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible, as we see it as our mission to serve as a catalyst for positive change. The Community Foundation of Noble County is a public charity 501 (c) 3 entity.

As a group of invested community members, we identify local current and emerging issues and stimulate resources to address those needs, helping our region prepare for the future. We then leverage gifts and bequests from generous donors like you to drive positive change through grants in such areas as arts and culture, education, health and human services, civic affairs and other charitable areas of interest.

Our Mission

To improve the quality of life in Noble County by serving as catalyst for positive change, enabling donors to carry out charitable intent, and making grants.

Donor Story – Joest, Brian H. Memorial Fund

Brian Henry Joest was born in Lagrange, Indiana in 1957. He grew up on the Atwood family farm that was settled by his ancestors in the mid-1800s. Now a historical Hoosier Homestead, the Atwood Farm provided him with all the outdoor activities possible for a farm boy in northern Indiana. Brian’s love of nature and the outdoors continued throughout his life. After high school, he attended Glen Oaks Community College and then Purdue University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics

For decades, Brian went on annual backcountry camping and canoeing trips across the US and Canada. He paddled some of the most beautiful rivers in North America. He took a road trip to remote northern Alaska. He camped out on an active volcano in Guatemala. He explored most of the US National Parks. In his later years, his travels were less rustic but still adventurous as he and his wife, Cindy, checked off many items on his bucket list. They traveled to Paris, Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast of Italy, Ireland, and all around the US and Canada.

Brian began his professional career with management positions at Many Glacier Hotel at Glacier National Park in Montana; the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan; the Mountain View Grand Resort in New Hampshire; and Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Colorado. He also worked for Marriott Corporation where he opened new hotels across the Midwest.

Upon the birth of his first child, Brian moved his young family back to Lagrange County so his children could grow up on the Atwood Farm near their family. Brian worked for Life Care Center of Lagrange, was a substitute teacher for the Lakeland School District, and worked for fifteen years for East Noble School Corporation, most recently as an Instructional Assistant for high school students with special needs.

Brian enjoyed doing things for other people and took so much joy in their happiness. His career choices reflected his servant’s heart. He loved working in the hospitality industry and being able to make someone else’s vacation more memorable. He helped the patients and their families at Life Care Center. He spent years making a difference for students in our local schools.

Brian experienced first-hand the unique challenges faced by the families of individuals with special needs. He was a father, stepfather, and step-grandfather to children with different disabilities. He understood the difficulties of navigating support systems and knew there are gaps in these systems that result in unmet needs. At the end of his life, while he was fighting cancer, Brian dreamed of being able to return to the classroom to help special needs students. This was not to be. In 2022, his family created this fund in his honor with the intent of continuing his dream to help improve the lives of individuals with special needs.

Anne K. Petry Scholarship Fund

Established by Summit Education Partnership Foundation to provide scholarships for Akron Public Schools students studying special education.

Amount:

• $1,000

Number of awards:

• 1

Renewal:

• No

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) offers training programs through the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) to enhance special education research. For FY 2027, the focus is on Methods Training, particularly on analyzing large datasets related to learners with disabilities. This initiative supports early career researchers and current education researchers in developing rigorous methodologies to address significant educational challenges, aiming to inform policy and practice in special education.

The LEGO Foundation Fellowship

Advancing the science and practice of supporting children to thrive

The LEGO Foundation Fellowship is a global initiative supporting researchers working to deepen our understanding of how children thrive. Spanning disciplines from education and psychology to public health, data science, and humanitarian studies, the fellowship brings together early- and mid-career scholars whose work has the potential to generate evidence that matters for children’s lives.

Fellows receive three years of flexible support to pursue rigorous, practically relevant research, and join a cohort of peers working across the fellowship’s themes. In addition to funding research, the program fosters a community of scholars engaged in meaningful exchange with one another and with research, policy, and practice audiences.

The LEGO Foundation Fellowship is developed in partnership with the LEGO Foundation, and administered by SSRC as part of its commitment to supporting scholars whose work bridges research and real-world impact.

Research themes

The LEGO Foundation Fellowship welcomes research proposals that advance understanding of children’s thriving through one of the following three themes: the youngest children in crisis and conflict settings; inclusion and wellbeing of neurodivergent children; and children’s learning and development in an AI-enabled world. Applicants may explore the role of play where it is relevant to the research question. The consideration of play is optional and not a condition of eligibility.

Early-stage U.S.-based education organizations serving PK–12 students with learning differences can receive US $150,000 - US $250,000 to pilot innovative teaching, school models, tools, or postsecondary readiness solutions, including work in Colorado. With a mission to reimagine public education, NewSchools Venture Fund provides funding, expert coaching, and peer community support.

The McGraw Foundation offers annual grants to not-for-profit organizations, primarily in the greater Chicago area, focusing on education, conservation, and human services. Grant amounts typically range from $2,000 to $10,000, with larger grants available for particularly impactful projects. While supporting diverse initiatives, the Foundation does not fund individuals or specific events. Organizations must be tax-exempt under IRS regulations to qualify for funding. The Foundation encourages innovative approaches and partnerships in grant applications.

McCormick & Company, Inc. actively supports charitable contributions through its Charitable Donations Committee (CDC), which prioritizes donations to non-profit organizations that enhance education, health, environment, and culture. The CDC focuses on organizations that benefit communities where McCormick employees live and work, ensuring a positive impact. Eligible groups must be tax-exempt and demonstrate a commitment to non-discrimination. However, donations are not made to individuals, political organizations, or entities that conflict with corporate values.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations supporting special needs education, youth with disabilities, or related services in Colorado may be eligible for grants that strengthen those in need. With a mission to build and support vulnerable populations, Von Voigtlander Family Foundation provides funding for youth programs, scholarships, service animals, and community recreation benefiting children with disabilities, including applicants from Colorado within its national scope.

Colorado special needs education and related nonprofits can access funding through Alma Gibbs Donchian for programs serving students with learning or reading disabilities, hearing impairments, or other communication disorders. 501(c)(3) organizations across the U.S., with active boards and sustainable plans, may receive up to US $10,000, including initiatives that pilot new program models.