Skip to main content
Teacher and Leader Development

Teacher and Leader Development

GYO Funding Opportunities

Financial Support

When educator pipelines fail, research often points to funding as a significant cause.1 However, Grow Your Own (GYO) programs can be quite successful in utilizing a financial networking approach to meet financial needs. Sharing costs and combining resources across partnerships, as well as pursuing multiple funding sources, such as local, state, federal, and private grants, are excellent GYO practices to provide candidate support and ensure program sustainability.

This section of the guidance provides an overview of GYO program financial needs and a selection of funding opportunities for programs to consider. While the funding sources presented focus on federal and state grants and programs, private grants are also worth investigating, and the Department encourages Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to pursue these funding opportunities when they arise.

GYO Program Operations

Most GYO program costs are modest, such as stipends for advisors, coordinators, liaisons, committee members, and mentors. Other minimal costs include printing and photocopying for information gathering (e.g., hard copy surveys) and information sharing (e.g., posters, flyers, pamphlets, etc.), as well as refreshments and meals for GYO events (e.g., campus visit lunches for Future Teachers of America club members). To cover these costs, many early pipeline programs (e.g. Take a Look at Teaching clubs) are written into LEA teacher contracts as extracurricular clubs to provide GYO program access to LEA club funding.

Other financial considerations for GYO programs include tuition for dual credit and articulation agreement courses. Some LEAs factor these expenses into their annual budget while other LEAs partner with their local BOCES to reduce costs. Transportation is another financial consideration for early pipeline GYO programs, such as campus visits for club members. Many colleges and universities share campus visit costs with LEA partners in an effort to meet enrollment goals for educator preparation programs. Partnerships and consortia have also pooled resources to fund GYO program events such as professional development sessions and education conferences.

GYO Candidate Support

GYO candidates are community members who wish to teach in their neighborhood schools, but for some, the time and financial cost of attending college can be a roadblock to achieving that goal. The essence of GYO programs is to support community educators around such roadblocks on the pathway to and beyond certification. For example, GYO programs often ensure college courses are scheduled outside the workday so candidates may continue working full time. Some GYO programs also provide paid work-based experience or other monetary supports ensuring candidates receive an income while completing observation hours and student teaching.

In addition to safeguarding compensation, GYO programs also offer other financial supports to candidates such as childcare, travel costs, course materials, and technology (e.g., subscriptions, software, and laptops. GYO programs also pay for courses candidates may need to take that do not count towards their degree, including courses needed to meet GPA requirements, remedial courses, or courses to address deficiencies. And for financial supports outside the scope of those offered by GYO programs, GYO advisors provide assistance to candidates in completing scholarship and financial aid applications.

Financial Contingency Plans

Sustainable GYO programs are a key lever to ensuring a system of supports at each point on the teacher development continuum.1 Grants are incredible sources for implementing candidate supports, but these funds can also be competitive, delayed, or eliminated from federal, state, local, and private organization budgets. GYO programs should have financial contingency plans in place to manage delays or loss of funds that do not place an undue burden on candidates. As mentioned above, a network approach to financing, such as layering or staggering financial sources, is an essential component in successful, sustainable GYO programs.

 

1Gist, C.D., Bianco, M., & Lynn, M. (2019). Examining grow your own programs across the teacher development continuum: Mining research on teachers of color and nontraditional educator pipelines. Journal of Teacher Education, 70(1), 13-25.

Federal Grants

Some of the federal grants listed below have cyclical application windows that are updated with the annual budget. If an application window is currently closed, it can be helpful for Grow Your Own (GYO) programs to note the funding source in their sustainability plan as a future funding opportunity.

Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction1

Title II, Part A (Title IIA) is intended to fund supplemental activities that will:

  • Increase student achievement consistent with state standards,
  • Improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders,
  • Increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools, and
  • Provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders.

Title IIA allocations are calculated using updated Census information provided by the United States Department of Education (USDE). The Title IIA allocation formula is based on an 80/20 percent split, with 80 percent based on poverty and 20 percent based on the population of children aged 5-17. LEAs may access their Title IIA allocations here.

Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in New York State apply for Title IIA funding through the Consolidated Application for Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Funded Programs. The Consolidated Application is an annual, online application whereby LEAs apply for any of the Title funds (I, ID, IIA, III, IV, and V) for which they qualify and opt to receive.

The application process requires LEAs to consult with various stakeholders regarding how to best use IIA funds to meet identified needs with the LEA. The Title IIA required stakeholder consultation list shares several members in common with the required stakeholder consultation lists for other Title funds, such as parents, Title I teachers, principals, administrators and other school leaders, paraprofessionals, and specialized support personnel (e.g., speech teachers, occupational therapists, etc.). In addition, Title IIA asks LEAs to consult with Community Partners and Organizations with Demonstrated Expertise. These latter two are to be included if it is appropriate given the demographic makeup of the district or charter school area. Please see the Consultation and Collaboration Form for a list of examples for each stakeholder group.

Teacher and School Leader Incentive (TSL) Program2

The TSL program supports entities in implementing, improving, or expanding their overall Human Capital Management System (HCMS), which by definition must include a Performance-Based Compensation System (PBCS).  The TSL programs primarily serves educators in High-Need Schools who raise student academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students, although the program may also fund services for educators serving in high-need subject areas (though not necessarily in High-Need Schools), as determined by the LEA or the State.

Teacher Quality Partnership Program (TQP)3

The purpose of the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) program is to improve student achievement; improve the quality of prospective and new teachers by improving the preparation of prospective teachers and enhancing professional development activities for new teachers; hold teacher preparation programs at IHEs accountable for preparing teachers who meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements; and recruit highly qualified individuals, including minorities and individuals from other occupations, into the teaching force.

National Education Association (NEA)’s Great Public Schools (GPS) Fund Grants4

The NEA’s GPS Fund Grants advance the goal of great public schools for every student. GPS Fund Grants are intended to help NEA State and Local Affiliates enhance the quality of public education by developing, implementing and leading an agenda that engages members with an emphasis on student-centered success and well-being through union-led efforts.

Rural Education Achievement Program5

Part B of Title V of the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) contains Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) initiatives that are designed to help rural districts that may lack the personnel and resources to compete effectively for Federal competitive grants and that often receive grant allocations in amounts that are too small to be effective in meeting their intended purposes.

The two initiatives within the Rural Education Achievement Program are:

  • The Small, Rural School Achievement Program (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) no. 84.358A) which authorizes the Secretary to award formula grants directly to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) (i.e., those LEAs eligible under the Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA) described below) to carry out activities authorized under other specified Federal programs.
  • The Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA) is a flexibility provision that allows eligible LEAs to combine funding under certain programs to carry out local activities under other specified Federal programs.

The Rural and Low-Income School Program (CFDA no. 84.358B) is designed to address the needs of rural, low-income schools. The Secretary awards formula grants to State Educational Agencies (SEAs), which in turn award subgrants to eligible LEAs either competitively or on a formula basis. The funds are to be used to carry out activities specified by the statute.

Educators Rising6

Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) International provides research and advocacy to support the next generation of educators who reflect the demographics of the communities they serve. Through Educators Rising, we offer schools the opportunity to foster interest in the education profession while providing comprehensive programming that is flexible, interactive, and prepares students to enter the education profession.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act7

WIOA is landmark legislation that is designed to strengthen and improve our nation's public workforce system and help get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Congress passed the Act with a wide bipartisan majority; it is the first legislative reform of the public workforce system since 1998.

Improving the Workforce System. WIOA requires states to strategically align their core workforce development programs to coordinate the needs of both job seekers and employers through combined four-year state plans with greater flexibility than its predecessor program (Workforce Innovation Act (WIA)). Additionally, WIOA promotes accountability and transparency through negotiated performance goals that are publicly available, fosters regional collaboration within states through local workforce areas, and improves the American Job Center system.

 

1New York State Department of Education, Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction Fact Sheet

2United States of America Department of Education, Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program

3United States of America Department of Education, Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, Teacher Quality Partnership Program

4National Education Association, Great Public Schools Fund Grants

5United States of America Department of Education, Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, Rural Education Achievement Program

6Phi Delta Kappa International, Grow Your Own Webinar Series and Funding Educator Pathway Programs

7United States of America Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

New York State Grants

Some of the New York State grants listed below have cyclical application windows that are updated with the annual budget. If an application window is currently closed, it can be helpful for Grow Your Own (GYO) programs to note the funding source in their sustainability plan as a future funding opportunity.

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Take a Look at Teaching/Grow Your Own Project Grant1

NYSUT received a grant from the National Education Association (NEA) Great Public Schools (GPS) Fund to advance the goal of great public schools for every student. GPS Fund Grants are intended to help NEA State and Local Affiliates enhance the quality of public education by developing, implementing, and leading an agenda that engages members with an emphasis on student-centered success and well-being through union-led efforts.

This grant extends the work of NYSUT's Take a Look at Teaching (TALAT) initiative and builds on the pilot work started in 2019 to engage students in Take a Look at Teaching activities and programs, with the following goals:

  1. Developing Grow Your Own programs that recruit prospective educators from middle and high school and college to enter teaching. 
  2. Increasing the diversity in the teacher pipeline. 
  3. Creating teacher pipeline structures including TALAT clubs to support interest in teaching careers. 
  4. Improving the pipeline for rural communities. 
  5. Developing partnerships and relationships in more intentional and purposeful ways with K-12, higher education, families, and community partners and groups. 
  6. Building leadership (member and non-member) capacity for student-centered programming and advocacy. 
  7. Working toward sustainability of the teacher pipeline after the grant period. 

This grant is intended to assist K-12 affiliates and their partners in developing their own teacher pipeline by attracting, engaging, and preparing students to become future teachers. The student pool should include both interested and potentially interested students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. To assist in this effort, K-12 affiliates should work in solidarity with families, higher education institutions, and community partners and groups. K-12 GYO grant proposals should address the specific goals listed above. Funds may be used for, but not limited to, the following:

  • Implement a TALAT Club 
  • Provide a stipend for the TALAT Club Coordinator 
  • Support student activities (i.e., registration feeds, transportation, lunch during a campus visit) 
  • Provide refreshments, materials and printing costs for student meetings and related activities 
  • Support community events and programming directly linked to teacher pipeline activities and plans 
  • Pay stipends for students to serve as mentors or tutors 

My Brother's Keeper (MBK) Grant Programs2

New York State’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative is designed to encourage school districts, colleges and universities, and community groups to join forces to improve life outcomes for boys and young men of color. To this end, grant opportunities are available in specific areas to develop programs and strategies to help boys and young men of color and all students realize their full potential. Please see below for a selection of MBK grants that could be utilized for GYO programs aimed at increasing the diversity of the teacher workforce.

  • My Brother's Keeper Challenge Grant. The purpose of the My Brother's Keeper Challenge Grant is to incentivize and support school districts to develop and execute coherent cradle-to-college strategies aimed at improving the life outcomes for boys and young men of color.  The MBK Challenge Grant Program is designed to encourage regions and school districts to develop and execute coherent cradle-to-career college strategies that are aimed at improving the life outcomes for boys and young men of color and develop and sustain effective relationships with families toward the goal of success for all students.
  • My Brother's Keeper Teacher Opportunity Corps II. The purpose of Teacher Opportunity Corps II (TOC II) is to increase the rate of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged individuals in teaching careers. TOC II programs incorporate strategies for teacher retention and best practice, such as mentors for new teachers and differentiated instructional techniques. The State Education Department seeks to invest in programs that bolster the retention of highly qualified individuals who value equity and reflect the diversity inside and outside of our classrooms, particularly in high-need schools with recurrent teacher shortages. Successful grantee programs will incorporate proven strategies for teacher retention and best practice, such as mentors for new teachers and differentiated instructional techniques.

Smart Scholars Early College High School3

Empowering High School Students with College Courses

Smart Scholars Early College High School. Through the Smart Scholars Early College High School Program, Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) partner with public school districts to create early college high schools that provide students with the opportunity and preparation to accelerate the completion of their high school studies while earning a minimum of twenty-four but up to sixty transferable college credits at the same time. 

This program is targeted to students who are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education.  Students receive additional academic support from the school/college partnerships to ensure they are at grade level and ready to participate in rigorous high school and collegiate courses.  This “dual or concurrent enrollment” program serves to increase high school graduation and college completion rates while reducing student tuition costs as a result of the compressed time needed to complete a college degree.

Smart Transfer Early College High School. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) seeks to extend the work of the Smart Scholars Early College High School (ECHS) Program through the creation of the Smart Transfer ECHS (ST-ECHS) Program. The Smart Transfer ECHS Program will provide students the opportunity and support to complete sixty transferable college credits or an associate degree by the time they (graduate from high school, and the opportunity to transfer to a partner four-year IHE where they will continue to receive academic and social support to complete a bachelor’s degree within two years of matriculating at the IHE. This is a degree completion program.

Advanced Course Access (ACA) Program4

The purpose of this grant is to increase equity in access to advanced courses, including Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual-credit courses, for high school students who currently have very limited or no access to advanced courses, through online, distance, blended, or other evidence-based learning methods.

Eligible Applicants: Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES)-led consortia and the Big 5 public school districts (New York City, Yonkers, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo).

  • BOCES-led consortia must include, at minimum, one BOCES and six (6) Rest of State (RoS) districts. 
  • If more than one BOCES is part of a consortium, one BOCES must lead the consortium. The non-lead BOCES would not count as one of the required six (6) Rest of State districts. 
  • Non-BOCES Component school districts are eligible to join a BOCES-led consortium. 
  • BOCES-led consortia may include any RoS districts, including non-component districts and districts that are components of other BOCES. 
  • Any district can only participate in one consortium. 
  • Big 4 School Districts may submit individual proposals or join BOCES-led consortia, but the BOCES must be the lead applicant. 

Teachers of Tomorrow5

The Teachers of Tomorrow program began in the spring of 2000 when the State Legislature developed legislation and funding to combat the looming teacher shortage, especially in the big five City School Districts of New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers. The Teachers of Tomorrow legislation offers specific incentives to help districts across the state to recruit and retain teachers, to provide a variety of incentives that encourage prospective teachers to teach in a school district that is experiencing a teacher shortage or subject area shortage.

Teacher Diversity Pipeline6

The purpose of the Teacher Diversity Pipeline program is to assist teacher aides and teaching assistants in attaining the necessary education and professional training to obtain teacher certification. The New York State Education Department (“the Department”) seeks to use this appropriation to support development and implementation of a new model program that accomplishes the following goals:

  1. Develop an innovative, supportive pathway for teacher aides and teaching assistants to become certified teachers 
  2. Increase the diversity of the teaching force in high-need districts and schools 
  3. Address teacher shortages/needs in high-need districts and high-need schools

GYO Funding in Other States

Across the country, GYO programs have been thriving for many years, due in large part to the consistent financial support they receive through state-allocated funds. For more information on the various ways other states directly fund their GYO programs, and for ideas to advocate for financial support of New York State GYO programs, please see GYO Highlights in Other States.

 

1New York State United Teachers, Take a Look at Teaching Grant

2New York State Education Department, My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Grant Programs

3New York State Education Department, Office of Access, Equity and Community Engagement Services, Smart Scholars Early College High School Program

4New York State Education Department, Office of Prekindergarten through Grade 12 Education (P-12), Advanced Course Access (ACA) Program

5New York State Education Department, Office of Access, Equity and Community Engagement Services, Teachers of Tomorrow Program

6New York State Education Department, Office of Prekindergarten through Grade 12 Education (P-12), Teacher Diversity Pipeline Pilot