Best Grants for Charter Schools in Washington

Washington charter schools and K–12 education organizations in Washington can seek funding to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, mobility, and active transportation trips. Washington State Department of Transportation supports projects such as buffered bike lanes, sidewalks, safer crossings for students who walk or roll, and speed management improvements, with awards up to US $49,380,000.

Washington K–12 schools, libraries, colleges, universities, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits offering family literacy programs can receive up to US $10,000 to support adult education, children’s education, and parent–child learning time. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation funds organizations within 15 miles of its stores that are listed in the National Literacy Directory.

K–12 schools and school-focused entities in Washington can seek funding to improve walking and bicycling safety and access for students near their campuses. Washington State Department of Transportation provides support for infrastructure and activities within two miles of schools to enhance safety, promote active lifestyles, and reduce traffic, fuel use, and air pollution.

K-12 education nonprofits and government units in Washington can seek funding for school-related programs, including charter school initiatives, through First Interstate Bank’s foundation. First Interstate Bank provides Washington education organizations with grants over US $2,500, recommended by local branches, supporting strong, stable community partners across education, health, human services, arts, and civic sectors.

About Serve Washington

Serve Washington advances national service, volunteerism, and civic engagement to improve lives, expand opportunity to meet the local critical needs of residents of Washington, and strengthen community capacity while creating healthy and resilient communities.

AmeriCorps Planning Grant

AmeriCorps Planning Grants provide initial funding to support current staff or to hire additional staff who can plan a proposed AmeriCorps program and develop systems for successful implementation of an AmeriCorps operational grant application. This is a great place to start if you are new to AmeriCorps! 

AmeriCorps Focus Areas

The National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended by the Serve America Act, emphasizes measuring the impact of service and focusing on a core set of issue areas. To carry out Congress’s intent, maximize the impact of investment in national service, and achieve the goals laid out in the Strategic Plan (2022-2026), AmeriCorps has the following Focus Areas:

• Disaster Services: Helping individuals and communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of disasters and increase community resiliency.
• Economic Opportunity: Improving the economic well-being and security of underserved individuals.
• Education: Improving educational outcomes for underserved people, especially children. AmeriCorps is particularly interested in program designs that support youth engagement and service learning as strategies to achieve high educational outcomes.
• Environmental Stewardship: Supporting communities to become more resilient through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve land and water, increase renewable energy use and improve at-risk ecosystems, especially in underserved households and communities.
• Healthy Futures: Support for health needs within communities, including mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 and other public health crises, access to care, aging in place, and addressing childhood obesity, especially in underserved communities.
• Veterans and Military Families: Improving the quality of life of veterans, military families, caregivers, and survivors. 

Funding

Awards for planning grants may not exceed $75,000

Washington K-12 education and youth-serving organizations with existing AmeriCorps operational grants can seek continuation funding to support their current programs. Serve Washington’s AmeriCorps Continuation Grants are only for operational grants entering year two or three of a three-year cycle, which may include charter school initiatives already funded through Washington AmeriCorps.

Nonprofit and community organizations in Washington ready to launch or renew an AmeriCorps program can apply for Serve Washington’s New & Recompete AmeriCorps Operational Grant to support service-based initiatives. Programs in areas like K–12 education, youth services, healthy futures, environmental stewardship, disaster services, and economic opportunity may be eligible, including charter schools operating AmeriCorps projects.

Washington K–12 and education-focused nonprofits can seek funding for academic success, college and career preparation, and workforce readiness programs, with awards ranging from US $10,000 - US $25,000. With a mission to improve neighbors, education, and workforce, KeyBank Foundation provides support that may benefit charter schools and related student enrichment efforts.

K–12 and youth-serving 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Washington can apply for BECU Foundation’s People Helping People Awards; awards Up to US $50,000 for community-focused programs such as advancing education, basic needs, and strengthening local communities. Charter schools operating as eligible nonprofits may be nominated by BECU members for funding that supports their educational and student support initiatives.

BIPOC-led nonprofit organizations in Washington running youth education, athletics, or culture programs for ages 6–18 can receive general operating support for school-based and out-of-school learning, STEAM, college access, sports, and cultural activities. Charlotte Y Martin Foundation funds organizations headquartered in its five-state Western region, with programs taking place there.

Washington K–12 education and youth development nonprofits serving underserved, at-risk students can seek funding for long-term, transformative programs, including general operating support and multi-year grants. Focused on mentoring, academic intervention, and college and career preparation, the Silver Family Foundation may benefit charter schools offering deep, measurable support to school-aged youth.

Washington K–12 public schools and partners can apply for $10,000 - $175,000 to deliver outdoor learning and field-based educational experiences across the state. Grants from Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office support experiential outdoor education, STEAM activities, habitat restoration, and career-connected learning; charter schools operating as Washington public schools may be eligible if they run qualifying programs.

Focused on K-12 education, the Albertsons Companies Foundation invites Washington 501(c)(3) organizations and schools to apply for US $2,500 - US $10,000 to support youth programs. Charter schools serving communities near Safeway and Albertsons stores may be eligible for projects in education, hunger relief, health, veterans, and inclusion of people with disabilities.

Ellison Education Grants

The Ellison Education Grants were created to empower and support Washington State’s most effective, innovative and inspirational K- 12 public school teachers. This is done by providing support to educators who design academic enrichment curriculum for students and or professional learning experiences for their current practice. The Ellison Foundation acknowledges a classroom teacher's expertise in understanding their own professional learning needs and the needs of their students. Since 2017 the Ellison Foundation has awarded 163 grants and over $800,000 to public-school educators in Washington State.

The Ellison Foundation wishes to award multiple grants in the Spring of 2027 for the 2027 – 2028 school year. Grant amounts range between $1,000 and $10,000.

Washington K–12 education and youth-serving nonprofits can apply for Banner Bank support for academic achievement, financial literacy, and youth development programs. Banner Bank provides funding for organizations in its region, with priorities including low- and moderate-income populations, homelessness and affordable housing, and economic and workforce development that may benefit charter school communities.

Indoor Air Quality Assessment Grant

The Indoor Air Quality Assessment Grant grant will fund technical assistance from various state and local entities, as well as commercial experts, to help schools improve their HVAC and smart building systems. 

This grant will support technical assistance from state funded entities, such as OSPI, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Health. It will also provide funding for technical assistance from other entities, such as local health jurisdiction school safety programs, the Smart Building Center’s K-12 ventilation and the indoor air quality resource team. Additionally, the grant will help cover the cost of hiring commercial experts who know how to troubleshoot modern HVAC or smart building systems. 

Healthy Kids-Healthy Schools Grants

Funds for this grant are available in two categories: physical education/physical activity and nutrition. The nutrition category includes but is not limited to, renovations or repairs, new purchases and improvements to cafeteria and kitchen equipment, and spaces, water bottle filling stations, garden-related structures, and greenhouses. Garden related and greenhouse projects must provide students access to fresh produce. The physical education and physical activity category includes, but is not limited to, physical education renovation, indoor or outdoor physical education equipment, playground equipment, covered play areas, related structures and renovations. Prior to applying, districts must consider their ability to sustain improvements over time. Districts receiving funding must also demonstrate a consistent commitment to addressing school facilities’ needs. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. No single district may receive more than $200,000.

Grant Process Key Points

• There is no district leveraged or matching funds requirement.
• Grants are for procurement of equipment, repair, and renovation of existing equipment or facilities, or design and construction of new facility space and infrastructure related to the categories listed above.
• In-house labor costs will not be reimbursed.
• For more information including scoring criteria, see Form Package 505.

The Woodworth Family Foundation Grant supports nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Tacoma and Pierce County, focusing on education, youth services, health care, and human services. Grants typically range from $2,500 to $25,000, with no back-to-back funding in consecutive years. Applicants must submit an online Letter of Inquiry, with reviews completed within 60 days. The foundation aims to enhance community well-being through various targeted initiatives.

The White-Reinhardt Grant offers funding for projects that enhance agricultural literacy among K-12 students. With grants of up to $1,000 available, state and county Farm Bureaus can initiate new educational programs or expand existing ones. This initiative, supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation and its Women’s Leadership Committee, honors the contributions of Berta White and Linda Reinhardt, aiming to bolster agricultural knowledge across the nation.

K-12 teachers and educators in Washington can apply for Entomological Society of America Chrysalis Fund grants to support insect science projects and classroom programs, with awards up to US $2,500. ESA provides flexible funding for supplies, services, travel, and educator or guest expert compensation to enhance hands-on insect education for K-12 students.

K–12 education and youth-serving 501(c)(3) organizations in Washington, especially those in Pierce County, can apply for Baker Foundation funding to support youth programs, arts, education, and related services. Grants from Baker Foundation help charter schools and other nonprofits with program, capital, or endowment needs, with awards ranging from US $2,500 - US $25,000.

The NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) fosters innovative educational initiatives aimed at pre-college students, promoting their interest in STEM fields, especially in biomedical and behavioral sciences. This program supports both classroom projects and informal science education activities, such as after-school programs and library events. Emphasizing the development of quantitative and computational skills, SEPA seeks to inspire the next generation of scientists and thinkers through engaging educational experiences.

The Christina Sue Lilja Resource Grants support agricultural literacy by providing funds for educators to purchase resources from the Ag Foundation store. In 2025, 100 educators will receive $100 in store credits, selected randomly if applications exceed this number. This initiative, backed by the CSL Foundation, honors Christy Lilja's legacy of advocating for agricultural education. The grants aim to enhance classroom resources and improve students' understanding of agriculture, ensuring access to accurate information.

Nonprofit organizations providing K-12 education for Native American children living on reservations can seek approximately US $77,000 in program support, including in Washington. The Ruth Danley and William Enoch Moore Fund prioritizes year-round, direct-service programs with measurable outcomes, strong financial accountability, and collaboration that address demonstrated community needs and benefit underserved students.

The SHAPE America: Mentor of the Year Award recognizes an exemplary role model committed to fostering student engagement in professional activities. Candidates must have a minimum of three years of membership in SHAPE America and serve as full-time faculty at a higher education institution. This award emphasizes mentorship through professional behavior, involvement in student projects, and providing academic guidance, ensuring that students are well-prepared for their future careers.

Our Story

The IBMA Foundation was created by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2007 with a bequest from the Richard Barnhart estate. Mr. Barnhart was a musician from northern Virginia who loved bluegrass and wanted to support educational programs for children. Since the beginning, our goal has been to support bluegrass-music-related educational, literary, artistic and historic preservation activities.

In our early years we produced Discover Bluegrass, an educational video that has been used in thousands of classrooms and libraries around the world. We have hosted dozens of teacher workshops and artist trainings. We created a bluegrass lesson plan competition and provided a network for leaders of after-school bluegrass programs.

Our project grants, which now total $25,000 a year, support bluegrass-related initiatives throughout the world. We also fund Bluegrass in the Schools Mini-grants ($7,000/year) which help schools to hire bluegrass bands for school programs. The Rosenberg Bluegrass Scholar Award recognizes excellence in academic research. Six college scholarships are granted for students working in various areas of the bluegrass music industry. The Arnold Shultz Fund supports increased participation of people of color in bluegrass music with grants that total $30,000/ year. Fletcher Bright Memorial Grants for Young Musicians (age 18 and younger) help young people go to bluegrass music camps and workshops, take lessons, and purchase educational materials. 

Bill Breen Bluegrass Youth Education Fund

The Bill Breen Bluegrass Youth Education Fund was initially financed by friend and colleague, Susie Stephenson. The fund is an option for donors who want to help young people experience and learn to play bluegrass music. Instead of funding a specific scholarship or grant, the Breen Fund will be used by the IBMA Foundation where needed most, in a variety of ways that benefit individuals age 21 and younger. Based in Chicago, Illinois, Bill was an Associate Professor and Professor of Finance at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University from 1971-2002, going on to serve as Chairman of the Finance Department and Head of Doctoral Studies for the Kellogg School. In addition to playing the banjo, Bill was an avid sailor and fly fisherman, and he never met a dog he didn’t like. His friends and family say it’s fitting that a man so passionate about the banjo, bluegrass music, and education is memorialize with a bluegrass youth education fund.

The OneAmerica Financial Community grant supports 501(c)(3) organizations focused on education, workforce development, safety, wellness, and community vibrancy. With a commitment to making a difference, OneAmerica aims to transform lives through strategic philanthropy. Their initiatives include disaster relief, arts support, and civic engagement, fostering resilient communities. By investing in meaningful change, they build a foundation for shared success across the country, ensuring that community needs are met and future generations thrive.