2026 EALA New Champions Fund – Educating All Learners Alliance (United States)

The 2026 EALA New Champions Fund, offered by the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA), is a leadership-focused funding opportunity designed to identify and elevate emerging education leaders who are improving outcomes for students with disabilities and learning differences across the United States.

Unlike traditional grants that focus solely on programme expansion, this fund invests directly in leaders particularly those from marginalized backgrounds or strong allies advancing access, belonging, and educational equity. The initiative seeks individuals whose work demonstrates measurable impact but who may not yet have received significant funding or national visibility.

The Fund is structured to provide both financial and strategic support, recognising that sustainable impact in education requires not only capital, but also mentorship, networks, and national amplification.

What EALA Is Looking For

An eligible “New Champion” must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• Lead a community-based organisation (CBO), school, district, non-profit, or eligible for-profit entity.
• Be based and operating within the United States.
• Be a leader from a marginalized background or a committed ally advancing access and belonging in education.
• Demonstrate active, tangible work improving outcomes for students with disabilities and learning differences, particularly those from underserved communities.
• For-profit applicants must:
  • Be eligible to receive contributions from non-profit entities.
  • Have annual revenue below $2 million.

Funding and Support Package

Selected leaders will receive a comprehensive development experience that includes:

• $35,000 unrestricted subgrant (New Champion – one-year award)
• $5,000 unrestricted subgrant (Two Runners-Up – one-year award)
• Access to a virtual leadership retreat with past Champions and Runners-Up
• One year of structured mentorship, including quarterly one-on-one virtual sessions
• National exposure through EALA’s platforms, including podcasts, webinars, and affiliated events

The grant is unrestricted, allowing leaders flexibility to allocate funds based on organisational needs.

Selection Process

The programme operates through a structured and transparent Request for Proposal (RFP) process.

• Applications are submitted online.
• Proposals are reviewed by a panel of 40 expert judges across the education ecosystem, including school leaders, researchers, advocates, and former Champions.
• Recipients are selected based on professional merit, mission alignment, and impact.
• Final New Champions will be announced in May 2026.

This is a competitive subgrant programme grounded in defined evaluation criteria not a sweepstakes or random selection process.

Click HERE to visit the official website.