Members
Scholarships, Awards, Contests & Grants
2025-26 Scholarships, Awards, Contests & Grants
There are many benefits of being a KEA member, including eligibility for scholarships, awards, contests, and grants sponsored by KEA, NEA, and their partners. If you are a KEA member, some opportunities are also available for your family. Read on to see how KEA can help you grow in your profession and support you in your classroom or work site.
The awards, scholarships, contests, and grants listed below are open and are accepting applications.
Scholarships
2025-26 KEA Ethnic Minority Scholarship
The KEA Ethnic Minority Scholarships are progressive scholarships awarded each fall to two (2) Freshman ethnic-minority college students who are seeking a degree in Education at an accredited Kentucky college or university. The recipient must be an ethnic minority enrolled full-time in an educator preparation program in Kentucky.
Recipients of these scholarships will be asked to submit a copy of their schedule each semester as proof of enrollment in the educator preparation course of study. In addition to providing financial support through the scholarship, the KEA Ethnic Minority Directors will mentor and support the recipients throughout their educational career.
The total award for an individual successful applicant is $5,000 dispersed over 4 years. (Year 1 – $500; Year 2 – $1,000; Year 3- $1,500; Year 4- $2,000).
Deadline for applications is October 15, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. eastern. All applications must be submitted using this online form.
Grants
Read Across America Grant
NEA created Read Across America in 1997 as a day to “get kids excited about reading”. Planning and sponsoring a Read Across America event offers a wonderful opportunity to involve all stakeholders–teachers, students, parents, and community—in the vital work of promoting literacy.
Each year, KEA budgets funds to support Read Across America events sponsored by KEA districts and KEA locals. Although March 2 of each year is traditionally designated as “Read Across America Day,” events can occur on any date.
The primary purpose of the Read Across America program is to promote literacy, and applications will be judged on the extent to which they accomplish that primary goal. In addition, KEA will judge grant requests based on the following criteria: the degree to which the activity encourages participation by multiple categories (Active, Retired and Student) of KEA membership, the number of children and students that are expected to participate, the expected level of publicity and community outreach, the extent to which the event helps develop strong KEA locals, and other relevant criteria that may be established and considered by the grant committee.
Application process:Applications must be submitted on this electronic form. Incomplete forms may not be considered; submissions will be deemed incomplete unless they include the required letter from the sponsoring local or district president.
All grant applications must be received by KEA on or before 11:59 PM eastern on Monday, September 15, 2025. Funding decisions will be made by KEA’s MOVE (Membership, Organizing, Visibility & Engagement) Committee on or before October 15, 2025.
The maximum grant amount is $500. Each KEA district or local may only receive one grant per year. Grant applications and funded Read Across America events must be sponsored by a KEA district or local. Grant checks will be written to the sponsoring KEA district or local, not to the individual submitting the application.
Please direct any questions to David Patterson at david.patterson@kea.org