What is the NEA DRI Coalition Grant Program?
NEA created the Disability Rights and Inclusion (DRI) Coalition Grants Program to help form coalitions of NEA local chapters that advocate on behalf of educators and students with disabilities. DRI coalition chapters will receive one-time grants of up to $25,000 to implement initiatives that build member advocacy and action. Up to four grants will be awarded to local chapters in 2024. Recipients must identify an issue or challenge that affects educators and students with disabilities and commit to an action plan led by a disability rights and inclusion expert.
Examples of appropriate events or activities that meet the criteria include:
Community Partnerships: Collaborating with other organizations, parents, and field stakeholders can make the collective voice calling for change stronger. Caseloads and Workloads: Special education teacher caseloads vary greatly from workloads. Workloads and caseloads can be protected through collective bargaining. Professional Isolation: Educators must be empowered to advocate for people with disabilities, which means they must be protected from employer retaliation and isolation. Resources and Training: Capacity building enables affiliates to serve their communities more effectively. Funds can be used for staff training, resource development, and assistive technology acquisition. Social Justice Leadership: Affiliates have the power to raise awareness of the challenges faced by educators and students with disabilities and the importance of disability rights. Recruitment and Retention: Up to 29 percent of vacant special education teacher positions are due to attrition. We need to recruit, retain, and elevate special education teachers and support administrators and educators with disabilities.
FAQ
Who can apply for an NEA DRI Coalition Grant?
NEA Local and State Affiliates. For more information on the unified structure of NEA local and state affiliates, click here.
What is the application period?
The application period will be 45 days. An informational question and answer session will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
Application open date: April 1, 2024 Application deadline: May 15, 2024 11:59pm PST Status notification: June 2024 Funding awarded: July 2024
What is the maximum grant amount?
Successful applicants will be eligible to receive a one-time grant of up to $25,000.
How will the grant funds be distributed?
Payment I – 50% of the grant will be paid within 45 days of notification and acceptance of the grant. Payment II – The remaining 50% will be paid within 45 days of submission of an interim grant report that meets the requirements of the grant program.
How long must grant recipients implement their grants?
The DRI initiative should begin by October 2024. Implementation should be completed by December 2025.
Apart from financial support, what other support is available to coalition members?
Access to self-paced DRI curriculum/coursework on the NEA Learning Management System, coaching and consultation with Disability Rights Resources Executive members, and grant implementation office hours with NEA Headquarters program staff
What is expected of grant recipients?
The plan should be developed as part of a needs assessment that identifies key areas and resources the grantee needs to address disability inequality issues. Two members of the grantee leadership committee must attend a two-day Disability Rights Leadership Coalition Retreat at NEA Headquarters in Washington, DC in late October 2024. During the life of the grant, a minimum of % of members must complete one or more DRI courses via the NEA LMS.
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