In 2025, K-12 education lost their access to ESSR funds and had over $6 billion cut from government funding. These significant loss of funds have led to teacher shortages, school closures, larger classrooms, and more. Throughout the year, schools have found their own ways to combat these shortages by implementing strategic planning with technology and reallocating funds.
Districts can also act now to do more with less by strategically focusing spending on high-potential initiatives to improve student outcomes, using data-driven results, and focusing on programs that provide the biggest returns on investment.
Here are 3 ways schools and districts can outsource funding to try and help close the gap as much as they can.
State Matching Opportunities
For the 2026 school year, key K-12 state matching opportunities focus on technology infrastructure, cybersecurity, and school choice programs. Schools can find state matching opportunities by regularly monitoring their state Department of Education (DOE) website for grants, signing up for email bulletins, and aligning project proposals with specific state objectives.
An example of state matching is the Texas Education Agency (TEA) offering a $5M match for E-rate broadband projects and launching a new $1B Education Savings Account (ESA) program.
General Education Grants
The US Grants Organization just recently published funding opportunities providing funding for educational programs, technology enhancements, and student support services. There are a variety of grants for classroom furniture, public schools, and more to help schools improve learning environments, promote equity, and empower educators to deliver quality education. These programs can be a great and easy place to start.
Local Partnerships
Local funding can be found through small or large businesses, fundraisers, and community. Schools can create flexible sponsorship packages to suit different budgets and levels of involvement. A ‘Bronze, Silver, Gold’ model lets businesses contribute to exchange for varying promotional opportunities, ranging from program mentions at events to social media features.
What are some other ways your school has outsourced funding? Let us know in the comments!
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