2026 Community Catalyst Program
AI readiness starts with communities
Applications open May 1.
Letters of Intent are due May 21.
About the Program
The Community Catalyst Program funds school districts, educational service agencies, and nonprofits working to build real AI literacy in the communities that need it most. We prioritize rural and Indigenous communities that have historically been left out of national conversations about technology and education.
Grants range from $25,000 to $50,000 and run approximately 12 months beginning in summer 2026.
This year's program is focused on one thing: educator capacity building. That means professional learning for teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, and district teams — the people who shape what happens in classrooms every day.
Who Can Apply
We welcome applications from:
School districts
Educational service agencies, centers, or districts (ESAs/ESCs/ESDs)
501(c)(3) nonprofits that deliver professional development to teachers
Independent charter schools and charter management organizations
We prioritize applications from organizations serving rural and Indigenous communities. If that describes your work, tell us about it in your Letter of Intent.
The grant amount you're requesting should represent 10% or less of your organization's operating budget. This program is designed to extend proven capacity, not fund entirely new programs from scratch.
What We Fund
Grants support projects that lead to educator learning and lasting capacity. Strong proposals typically involve multi-session professional development, learning cohorts or PLCs, train-the-trainer models, instructional coaching communities, or district-level planning that produces a teacher PD plan.
Funding can cover non-teacher personnel costs, teacher stipends and hourly rates, substitute coverage for release days, materials, and operational costs for convenings.
Funding cannot be used for AI tool subscriptions or licenses, general communications work, or G&A costs beyond 10%.
How to Apply
Step 1 — Submit a Letter of Intent (closes May 21)
Your LOI should be submitted as a PDF and include:
Introduction and Organizational Background: Who you are, your experience in education or community work, and context about the community you serve.
Project Vision & Goals: The problem you're addressing, how it connects to AI literacy, which support types you'd select, and how much funding you're requesting ($25K or $50K) with a high-level sense of how you'd use it.
Initial Plan for Implementation & Impact: Who will be involved, how you'll measure success, and a rough timeline confirming the project can be completed within 12 months.
Why now?: Why this is the right moment for your organization, and how the grant builds long-term capacity.
Step 2 — Invitation to apply
After reviewing LOIs, we'll reach out to organizations invited to submit a full application. Not everyone who submits an LOI will be invited to apply, and we'll notify all applicants either way.
Step 3 — Full application
Invited organizations will receive a link to submit a full application by the end of May.
How Grantees Will be Supported
Rather than a single prescribed model, grantees select the participation pathway that best fits their work:
Option A — Teacher PD (Train-the-Trainer) One to three trainers attend aiEDU's Spark the Future event and return ready to lead professional learning locally. Grantees receive access to aiEDU's Teaching for Tomorrow course and learning assets. Grant funds can support stipends, sub coverage, facilitation, and local convenings.
Option B — District Leadership Capacity District or ESA leadership teams access a short advising series of three sessions tied to an AI Readiness focus area of their choosing. Each engagement produces a concrete deliverable: a PD rollout plan, coaching model, or implementation roadmap.
Option C — Classroom Integration (Trailblazers) Grantees receive a bundle of seats in an aiEDU Trailblazers cohort. Best for projects centered on classroom practice and integration, not just general awareness.
Each partner will select one aiEDU support path for the project . Grantees will also participate in cohort convenings across the grant year.
