UFT members qualify for membership in the Theatre Development Fund (TDF), which provides discounts of up to 70% on current Broadway shows, off- and off-off Broadway shows, as well as music and dance performances throughout the city and tristate area. An annual membership costs $42, and tickets, which range in price from $11 to $60, can be purchased online and in advance. TDF also offers education programs such as online seminars and in-school programs for its members. 

DEADLINE: Ongoing.
DETAILS: https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-programs/tdf-membership

Calm is an app for a phone or tablet that focuses on self-care and mindfulness practices, featuring guided meditation, calming sounds, ambient music and sleep stories. UFT members can access premium content for free via our state affiliate, NYSUT. Sign up via the NYSUT member benefits portal (see link in QR code) with your NYSUT ID number to access the discount. If you do not know your NYSUT member ID, you can find it on your NYSUT membership card, search for it on the NYSUT website or call NYSUT Member Benefits at 800-626-8101. 

DEADLINE: Ongoing.
DETAILS: https://www.calm.com/b2b/nysut-member-benefits/subscribe

Materials for the Arts (MFTA) is a city-operated creative reuse center supporting the arts and sustainability and is open to Department of Education employees. Staff members at city schools may make an appointment to visit MFTA’s warehouse in Long Island City to choose from a wide array of free, donated materials such as paper, office supplies, craft items, beads, fabric and movie props to bring back to their schools or classrooms. Currently, 93% of DOE schools have MFTA accounts — you can check its website to see if your school has one. To make an appointment to “shop” at MFTA, ask your administrator to add you to your school’s authorized contact list and then access the MFTA portal using your DOE email and password. 

DEADLINE: Ongoing.
DETAILS: https://www.nyc.gov/content/mfta/pages/receive-receiving-materials

Classroom grants of up to $500 are awarded by the Association of American Educators biannually to full-time school staff members who work directly with students. Funding may be used for a variety of projects and materials, including books, software, manipulatives, art supplies, audiovisual gear and lab equipment. Funds must be used within one year of the application deadline.

DEADLINE: March 1.
DETAILS: https://form.jotform.com/242057235278155

DonorsChoose connects public school educators with members of the public to financially support projects that directly benefit students. Classroom teachers, librarians, therapists, speech pathologists, counselors and school nurses are eligible to submit proposals seeking funding for materials and equipment to bring their ideas to reality. Funding requests appear on the DonorsChoose website, allowing donors to choose which projects to support. Once funded, requested items are delivered directly to schools. Educators must submit photos of the project in action and have students write thank-you notes, which are shared with donors.

DEADLINE: Ongoing.
DETAILS: https://www.donorschoose.org/teachers

The Pets in the Classroom Grants Program issues grants to teachers and supporting school staff in grades pre-K to 9 to teach about responsible pet care while allowing students to bond with animals. Funding is intended to be used to offset the costs of pet maintenance or to purchase new pets for the classroom and is not intended to cover costs over the lifetime of the pet. Eligible pets include small mammals, amphibians, birds, fish, reptiles and arachnids. 

DEADLINE: Ongoing through June 1, 2025.
DETAILS: https://www.petsintheclassroom.org/choose-a-grant

The Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Competition is open to city teachers of students in grades 3–12. This annual project promotes the literary and artistic talents of students who design, write and assemble their own books. Students may not use any form of AI to create or refine text or images. Student citywide winners receive a $600 cash prize and borough winners receive $200. Educators for the city, borough and honorable mention winners receive gift certificates to purchase art supplies for their classrooms. All students and educators receive certificates of commendation. Celebrations include an award ceremony and exhibition of winning books at the Brooklyn Public Library. A project handbook, tutorials, criteria and submission instructions are available at the competition’s website. 

DEADLINE: Feb. 11, 2025.
DETAILS: https://www.ejkf.org/ejk-bookmaking-competition

The Awesome Foundation is a global community awarding $1,000 micro grants to people and groups working on awesome projects. These grants are not exclusively for teachers, but they may apply. The application deadline is the last day of each month. Tips for submissions are to be brief, unique and specific about how you would use the grant funds. If your project is not selected in a given month, you are free to reapply.

DEADLINE: ongoing, on a monthly basis.
DETAILS: https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/nyc