Opportunity Overview
The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., in partnership with First Financial Federal Credit Union, is accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Putting Students First Grant. The program supports classroom and student needs aligned with BCPS academic goals, the Foundation mission and the school progress plan.
Funding and Deadline
Applicants may request up to $1,000 per project. The application must be completed and submitted electronically on or before September 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The official program materials do not publish a time zone, so Atlas does not infer one.
Who Can Apply
Applicants must be BCPS professional personnel who work directly with students. Team proposals must designate a project coordinator responsible for the application, disbursement requests and required reporting. Simultaneous funding of projects from the same applicant or benefiting the same classroom, department or team will not occur.
Eligible Uses
Published guidelines permit classroom resources such as books; basic materials and supplies for academic, health and wellness, social emotional or therapeutic needs; classroom audio visual and technology supplies aligned with system specifications; classroom opportunities and experiences such as field trips; and aligned professional development or teaching initiatives. Funds may also cover travel, participation in events or activities, consulting fees and speaker honoraria where appropriate. BCPS personnel expenses are not allowable and grant funds may not replace normal tax based funding.
Application Requirements
The application includes a cover sheet, a project description, measurable project impact, a description of who will benefit and how, and a proposed budget identifying resources and expense sources. Funded projects must retain invoices and proof of payment for reimbursement or disbursement and submit a final project summary and storyboard. No mandatory applicant match or cost share is identified in the published guidelines.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 84/100. This is a current and clearly documented Maryland school grant with explicit health, wellness, social emotional, therapeutic and technology uses, though the small award size limits project scale.
N9+ Fit Score: 30/100. The program permits health and wellness supplies and classroom technology, but the $1,000 maximum and classroom focused purpose do not establish the Nonagon N9+ device and platform as a practical or automatically allowable purchase. Atlas should not force N9+ into this opportunity.
Next Action
Eligible BCPS professional personnel should identify a student need aligned with BCPS and school goals, prepare the required project description and measurable impact plan, build a detailed proposed budget, and submit electronically by the published deadline.
Official source: The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools — Putting Students First.