New $400,000 Grant Offering to Support Families, Teachers Advancing Education Entrepreneurship in Michigan
September 1, 2022 — VELA Education Fund today announced the launch of a $400,000 to provide support for education entrepreneurs in Michigan.
The opportunity is focused on reaching everyday education entrepreneurs — students, parents, teachers, and community leaders — who are envisioning new approaches and meeting the unique needs of learners and families.
Micro grant applications for up to $10,000 in funding are now available for programs based in Michigan. The awards are intended to support nontraditional educational opportunities, such as homeschool co-ops, microschools, and more.
“We’ve seen strong interest in Michigan in permissionless innovation, and we’re excited to be able to launch this initiative to support even more families and educators who are reimagining education,” said Meredith Olson, VELA’s President.
In Michigan, VELA has awarded 44 grants to date, totaling $403,500, which means this infusion of funding has the potential to double the grants made in the state. So far, Michigan-based recipients include Engaged Detroit, a homeschool support program, and the Blue Bridge School, a self-directed learning community in Grand Rapids.
Overall, VELA has awarded more than 1,600 grants nationwide since launching publicly in August 2020. The grants total more than $16.5 million and support entrepreneurs in all 50 states and 3 U.S. territories.
This state-specific opportunity hopes to tap into exceptional interest in homeschooling, hybrid learning models, microschools, support for students with disabilities, and more as these communities seek to address COVID learning loss and define high-quality, post-pandemic education.
The grant application is available now at vela.org/apply through late October. Interested applicants can take the eligibility quiz if they are unsure if they qualify to apply for a Micro grant.
Micro grant recipients in Michigan – as well as Meredith Olson, VELA’s President – are available for interviews. If interested in pursuing a story, please contact Lisa Cohen at lisacohencomm@gmail.com.
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About VELA Education Fund VELA is a national nonprofit fund that launched in 2020. VELA invests in everyday entrepreneurs – students, parents, educators, and community leaders – who are envisioning new approaches that meet learners’ and families’ needs. VELA does not dictate solutions to its grantees. Instead, VELA trusts grantees to identify what their communities need and how they can best meet those needs. To date, VELA has awarded more than 1,600 grants totaling over $16.5 million to support non-traditional education models. Recipients reside in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Visit vela.org to learn more.