Submit your funding request by Friday, October 16, 2026.
The application can be found here.
FEA is applying to NEA for grant money to help fund Read Across America events for our members worldwide during the 2026-2027 school year. To bolster our grant application, we need specific projects from local associations that would like to request grant money.
If you, as an individual FEA member, or your local association have an idea for a great Read Across America event and you need help with funding your event idea, please complete the grant fund request form available here.
Your grant request must be completed in full by Friday, October 16, 2026, and must not exceed the $750 request maximum.
Completing the application does not guarantee you will receive any grant funds. If you do receive funds for a Read Across America project, the amount you receive may be less than you requested. Thank you for understanding if we are not able to fund your request.
In keeping with NEA's 2026-2027 Read Across America initiative, “Celebrating a Nation of Diverse Readers,” events and activities seeking grant funds should emphasize diverse books, connecting reading with joy, and the freedom to learn.
Emphasis should be placed on diverse books from diverse authors that will appeal to an increasingly diverse student population. NEA no longer has a partership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises for Read Across America, so events should not be based exclusively around Dr. Seuss books or themes (though you can certainly include Dr. Seuss books as a part of your reading celebration).
- Find ideas and other resources to help you brainstorm an appropriate event or activity.
- Find activity ideas, recommended books, and discussion resources in the 2026-2027 Read Across America Digital Calendar.
- Explore previously recommended titles to discover additional books for your event.
Local FEA affiliates are encouraged to partner with organizations in their communities, such as your school's PTO/PTA, on their Read Across America projects. Grant funds will be disbursed only to Local Associations, your school PTO/PTA or some other group with whom you are partnering. Grant funds will not be made payable to individual members.
The number of Read Across America projects to be funded and the amount we're able to send to schools/locals selected to receive funds will depend upon whether we are awarded any grant funds by NEA and how much we receive. Any Read Across America grant funds FEA receives will be shared by our three geographic Areas and those Areas will determine who receives funding and in what amount.
To help us maximize the number of Read Across America projects potentially receiving funds, grant requests should be limited to $750, though there is no guarantee FEA will be able to fund your request in full or even partially.
NEA anticipates notifying state affiliates of grant award decisions by December 4, 2026. FEA will provide additional information to applicants once funding decisions have been received and the allocation process is complete.
To submit your request for possible Read Across America grant funding, use our online form available here.
Be certain to submit your funding request by Friday, October 16, 2026, for consideration.
