Urgent Need Mini-Grant Program

Disadvantaged students from every size school district continue to struggle against the odds. Their lives are shaped, as never before, by crushing social and economic hardships. School system leaders have no more control over these forces than children do. Developing a mini-grant program was seen as an opportunity by AASA to help superintendents address some of these needs born of hardship where no other resources appear available.

Since 2002, the AASA Urgent Need Mini-Grant Program has helped school districts meet health, social service, academic and/or related family needs of individual disadvantaged children. The 2006 program targeted AASA member superintendents with children and families who were directly impacted by Hurricane Katrina, as well as those member superintendents who accepted children and families from those areas into their districts.

Some examples are:

• Enrichment — academic, or life-enhancing opportunities that could not otherwise be provided;
• Urgent medical or dental care;
• Eyeglasses, prescriptions and hearing aids;
• Emergency clothing, food, shelter, supplies, furniture and fuel;
• Emergency transportation or child care.

2012 Application

The application for the 2012 Urgent Need Mini Grant is now available. The applications are due to AASA January 18, 2013. Click here to download

AASA awarded small monetary grants to 25 school districts for dental, school uniforms, winter clothing and coats, school supplies and more as a result of the Urgent Need Mini-Grant Program.

Previous Urgent Need Mini-Grant recipients:
2009 - $29,000 distributed to 16 School Districts
2006 – $20,000 distributed to 11 School Districts
2005 – $30,000 distributed to 13 School Districts
2004 – $17,000 distributed to 11 school Districts
2003 – $30,000 distributed to 16 school Districts
2002 – $50,000 distributed to 14 school Districts

Staff Contact:
Mlatibe Seidou
awards@aasa.org
703-875-0762