Opportunity Overview
First County Bank Foundation is accepting applications for its FirstClass Grants for Teachers 2026 program. The program provides small classroom grants directly to eligible Connecticut public school teachers for creative educational initiatives to be used during the 2026-2027 school year.
Funding
Individual requests may not exceed $1,000. The funder does not publish a required match or cost share for this program. Awards are expected to begin in November 2026.
Eligibility and Geography
Eligible recipients are public school teachers in kindergarten through Grade 5 in the Stamford, Norwalk, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Westport, Fairfield and Bridgeport public school districts. Authorization from the teacher’s school principal is required.
Eligible and Ineligible Uses
The program is intended for creative educational initiatives in and beyond the classroom. The funder gives examples such as nature-based learning, astronomy, financial literacy, conservation, environmental education and art. Grant requests for books, magazine subscriptions, school trips, tablets, laptops and similar computer equipment are not eligible.
Deadline and Submission
Applications are due October 31, 2026 through First County Bank Foundation’s online grant application system. The current 2026 funder announcement does not publish a submission clock time or time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Questions may be directed to the Foundation at 203-462-4858 or foundation@firstcountybank.com.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 76/100. This is a verified, low-burden Connecticut K-5 classroom grant with clear geography, applicant type and a defined $1,000 ceiling. The modest award size and direct-to-teacher structure limit organization-level pursuit value, but it can be useful for small classroom enrichment projects in the eight eligible districts.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. The verified program is for small creative classroom initiatives and expressly excludes tablets, laptops and similar computer equipment. There is no defensible Nonagon N9+ device and platform or QC Healthcare role in the published scope.
Application Readiness
Eligible teachers should define a classroom initiative that fits the program’s educational-enrichment purpose, keep the request at or below $1,000, obtain principal authorization, avoid specifically excluded expenses and submit the online application by October 31, 2026. Because the funder does not publish an exact submission time or time zone, Atlas does not authorize automated cold outreach for this opportunity under current Connecticut production rules.
Official source: First County Bank Foundation, FirstClass Grants for Teachers 2026 announcement and online application guidance. Last verified September 15, 2026.