Grants and Funding for School Woodworking Programs

Industry & Trade Foundations

Architectural Woodwork Institute Educational Foundation (AWIEF): Offers academic grant programs designed to equip schools with tools, materials, and safety gear for woodworking programs.
Architectural Woodwork Institute
Wood Industry Association (WIA) – James Scarlett Memorial Grant: Provides funding directly to K-12 schools, non-profits, and technical programs to purchase woodworking machinery, hand tools, and classroom supplies.
Harbor Freight Tools for Schools: Supports hands-on skilled trades programs in public high schools, focusing on career pathways and vocational skill-building.
National Housing Endowment (NHE) – Career Connections Grants: Administers grants focused on building trade education, vocational training, and youth exposure to residential construction careers. NKBA

The Glenn W. Bailey Foundation: Focuses heavily on hands-on STEM, practical education initiatives, and experiential learning for K-12 students.
Arconic Foundation: Funds STEM education, hands-on technical learning, and workforce development programs in communities where they operate.
SME Education Foundation (Tooling U-SME): Focuses on manufacturing and technical education, offering grants and support to introduce students to hands-on making, Newsroom | SME Education Foundation engineering, and manufacturing principles.
SME Education Foundation

The Wallace Foundation: Focuses on expanding learning opportunities, out-of-school time (OST) programs, and summer learning environments.
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation: A leading funder of after-school programs, hands-on learning, and youth enrichment nationwide.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation: Supports initiatives targeting alternative education, career pathways, and skill-building for youth populations.

Perkins V (CTE Grants via U.S. Department of Education): Federal Career and Technical Education formula and discretionary grants for middle and high school career exploration.
Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants): Federal funding intended to support well-rounded educational opportunities, including hands-on STEM programs.
21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC): State-administered grants specifically targeting non-profit and district after-school and summer enrichment programs.

The NEA Foundation (Student Success Grants / Educator Grants) Provides grants directly to public school educators to enhance student learning through hands-on, experiential learning projects.
Toolbank USA & Maker Ed Support Networks While primarily providing resources, affiliated local branches partner with community foundations to fund woodshop and maker toolkits for youth programs.
The American Shop Class Foundation / CTE Support Funds Focuses on revitalizing trade skills, industrial arts, and woodworking education in K–12 schools.

Community foundations typically fund programs within specific geographic areas. Look into the following based on your district or region:

Florida Community Foundations
Community Foundation of Ocala/Marion County (Local grants for educational enrichment and vocational exposure).
Central Florida Foundation (Focuses on education, youth development, and innovative school initiatives across Central Florida).
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida (Offers educational innovation grants).
Texas Community Foundations
- Dallas Foundation & Houston Community Foundation (Active programmatic funding for STEM/CTE integration in charter and public schools).
- San Antonio Area Foundation (Provides educational grants for youth enrichment and vocational learning).
North Carolina & South Carolina Foundations
- Triangle Community Foundation (NC) & Central Carolina Community Foundation (SC) both fund innovative school-day and after-school curriculum expansions.

North Carolina & South Carolina Foundations

Triangle Community Foundation (NC) & Central Carolina Community Foundation (SC) both fund innovative school-day and after-school curriculum expansions.

Tennessee: Statewide & Major Regional Foundations

Public Education Foundation (PEF) Chattanooga Focuses on teacher leadership, college access, and innovative school grants across Southeast Tennessee.
Scarlett Family Foundation Provides major educational grants and college scholarships focused on Middle Tennessee K-12 public education reform.
Niswonger Foundation Supports school partnerships, educator development, and career/college readiness across Northeast Tennessee.
Statewide Education Foundations Directory (State Foundation Network) The Tennessee Department of Education portal for state-level initiatives, district partnerships, and public-private education funding.

Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) Supports Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) through community investments, leadership programs, and teacher advocacy.
Knox Education Foundation Directly serves Knox County Schools by funding local school grants, principal leadership, and STEM initiatives.
Rutherford County Education Foundation Provides classroom grants, teacher recognition programs, and student resources in Rutherford County.
Hamilton County Schools Foundation Directs private donor funding and corporate sponsorships into Hamilton County public school classrooms.

Higher Education & Specialized Funds

Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) The state administrator for major higher education grants, including the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee HOPE Scholarship.
Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Foundation Supports Tennessee’s community colleges and colleges of applied technology (TCATs) through workforce development and student emergency grants.