Black Educators Promise Grant | Teach For America

A teacher at the front of the classroom points to students with raised hands.

Legacy Building One Lesson At A Time

Whether it’s Mary McLeod Bethune or Booker T. Washington, the first Black teacher who made you feel seen or the community of educators who rallied around you like a village - for decades we have heard, studied, and experienced the rich and immense impact Black educators have had on student learning, especially for Black children.

At Teach For America, we’re committed to enhancing the impact of Black educators in the classroom by recruiting and retaining imaginative, sharp, empathetic and system-disrupting change agents like you!

To do this, we’ve created the Black Educators Promise Grant.

What is the Black Educators Promise Grant?

In 2020, TFA launched an initiative called Black Educators Promise (BEP), a five-year grant to specifically invest in retaining Black educators teaching in our network beyond their two-year commitment and into a 3rd and 4th year. As part of this initiative, TFA provides direct-to-participant BEP Grants, awarding $600 to each Black incoming TFA corps member and $1000 to 2nd-year corps members who commit to teaching a 3rd year in a predominantly low-income school.

These grants are offered as a means to alleviate financial barriers that often deter Black educators from entering and remaining in the classroom such as relocation cost, exam fees, certifications, and teacher training, etc. While most grantees have used it to cover expenses, it can be used to your discretion.

The Importance of Black Teachers in the Classroom

Teach For America alumni and corps members reflect on the importance of black teachers during their childhood and the impact representation had on their perception of self-confidence, excellence, leadership, and achievement.

Children, especially Black students, aspire to see themselves in people that inspire them - particularly ones that look like them.

This is your chance to add your name to the list of legendary educators who helped their students defy negative stereotypes, cultivate their sense of pride, and achieve the seemingly impossible.

Will you answer the call?