Program Contact
Adrienne Rytting - adrienne.rytting@imaginelearningfoundation.org (Send Email)

About the Imagine Learning Foundation 

Imagine a world where the well-being of learners is a priority. 

At the Imagine Learning Foundation (ILF), our mission is to foster the well-being of learners and the people who support them at home and in their communities. 

Imagine Learning, our primary sponsor, ignites learning breakthroughs with innovative and accessible digital-first K-12 products and services. The Imagine Learning Foundation embraces and extends this mission by focusing on the powerful connection between the well-being of students and the people who support them to bolster academic success. 

Schools are better able to develop healthy and supportive learning environments when social and emotional learning (SEL) programs and other programs and activities centered on the well-being of learners are extended from classrooms into homes and communities. At the Imagine Learning Foundation, we aim to bridge connections between classroom learning and positive learning environments outside the classroom by promoting and expanding access to these SEL and other programs at home and in the community. 

At the Imagine Learning Foundation, we aim to tap into this meaningful connection between a supportive learning environment in the classroom and expanding it outside the classroom by facilitating access to social emotional learning tools, programs, and activities focusing on mental and physical well-being at home and in the community. By bringing these programs into life beyond the classroom, we activate a learner’s full community and support system to ignite more breakthroughs in every learning environment. 

As we expand supportive learning environments into life beyond the classroom, we ignite more learning breakthroughs by engaging a learners’ broader family and community support system - making every space a positive learning environment. 

What We Do & How We Work 

Our efforts are geared to drive family and community support for the well-being of learners and the people who support them so that these students thrive both in and out of the classroom. For example, social and emotional learning has the power to create positive environments and more engaged communities. We work to introduce SEL knowledge and skills to families and community leaders to better equip them to deal with the emotional and social challenges facing our youth.  

SEL is the process of learning and applying the knowledge and skills to care for emotions, social relationships, and each individual’s sense of self which has the potential to foster healthy learning environments and address longstanding disparities in student opportunities and outcomes. Learner well-being fuels learning success. SEL skills and knowledge help improve learner well-being. These tools become more powerful when they extend into the home. 

In addition, community support — be it from family, allies or educators — has a meaningful positive impact on students’ social and emotional health. Students will be in a better position to succeed personally and academically if their learning environments and experiences at school and beyond include aspects of mental and physical well-being, including social and emotional learning. We engage students and connect families and communities to these resources outside the classroom to help students apply these foundational life skills and strategies in all aspects of their lives and relationships. 

To learn more about the Imagine Learning Foundation, visit us at www.imaginelearningfoundation.org.

Imagine Signature Grant Program Overview 

Purpose 

Part of our funding and resources will be directed toward the Imagine Signature Grant Program, which seeks to amplify national non-profit organizations’ efforts aligned with the ILF’s mission. The Imagine Signature Grant Program has established two funding priorities to advance our mission: (1) supporting social, physical, mental, and emotional well-being programs, activities or services that foster the learning well-being of youth, families and educators within the home and community environments; and (2) studying the current impacts that social, physical, mental, and emotional well-being has on accelerating student achievement across diverse communities. In 2023, the foundation will release a national competitive grant application for eligible participants and ultimately fund national organizations whose activities align with our mission and can make the greatest impact. 

Funding Priority Areas of Focus 

The Imagine Signature Grant Program prioritizes the following areas:  

Awards and Timing 

ILF will fund and partner with a variety of national or regional organizations that align to our mission and whose activities can make the greatest impact. To be eligible for a grant as part of the Imagine Signature Grant program, organizations must meet one or more of the funding priorities identified, meet the 2023 grant guidelines established under the Imagine Signature Grants Program.

The Imagine Signature Grants Program anticipates awarding up to $300,000 or more in total grant awards to new and/or existing grantees with anticipated grant awards in the range of $50,000 to $100,000.

• Funding Announcement: January 2023
• Application Opens: January 2023
• Application Deadline: April 30, 2023 (5:00 PM PDT)
• Application Review: May- June 2023
• Award Notifications: June - July 2023
• Program Start Dates: on/after July 1, 2023
• Funding Period: up to fifteen (15) months
• Reporting Requirements: Progress Report, Final Grant Report, Post-Grant Update

Ineligible Organizations and Projects 

The Imagine Signature Grant Program will not fund the following:

• Individual schools (public, private, charter)
• School districts
• Individuals
• Organizations not exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
• Organizations not classified in Section 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2)
• Organizations that use a third-party fiscal sponsor’s Tax ID number/exempt status
• Grants for scholarships to individuals
• Grants to other grant-making organizations
• Sacramental or theological functions of religious organizations
• Political causes, candidates, organizations, or campaigns
• Social sororities or fraternities
• For-profit entities

In addition, the Imagine Signature Grant Program will not support:

• Sponsorships or fundraising events
• Endowments or capital campaigns
• Capital expenses or construction projects
• Existing deficits or retroactive funding

Geography and Priority

• Funding for programs that have a broad, national impact will be prioritized
• The ILF will accept grant applications from regionally-focused organizations - however, the breadth of the impact of the program for which funding is sought will be considered
• Priority will be given to organizations and programs focused on high-need communities
• Priority will be given where ILF funding is budgeted to be used for an identifiable initiative that is aligned with the ILF mission to support student well-being outside of the classroom

Grant Application Cycle & Deadlines 

The ILF accepts grant applications from eligible organizations on an annual basis. The 2023 grant application cycle will open January 2023 and close on April 30, 2023. All grant applications must be submitted by 5:00pm (PDT) no later than Aril 30, 2023. Applications and all required documents must be properly submitted through the ILF Imagine Signature Grant Program online grant portal and instructions are provided in this guide.

The Imagine Signature Grant Program is a competitive grant program and open to eligible organizations throughout the United States. The ILF anticipates a high volume of applicants and may elect to close the application at any time due to the volume of applicants and limited resources by the ILF, its board, and any relevant staff. All applications will undergo a thorough review and evaluation process by the board members and staff at the ILF.

The ILF will not accept nor respond to unsolicited meetings, telephone calls, emails or other communications and/or requests.

Grantee Reporting Requirements 

All awarded grantees must submit the following grant progress reports throughout the grant term to include: 

• Grant Progress Report (within 120-days post-project start date)
• Final Grant Impact Report (within 30-days post-project end date)
• Post Grant Term Update Report (within 3-months post-project end date)

Each report will include updates on the grant progress, scope of work activities, performance, milestones, budget expenditures, program metrics and outcomes and any successes and/or challenges the ILF should be aware of.