As part of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond’s Education to End Hate initiative, California school districts and charter schools have begun applying for mini-grants now available to support educator training in the areas of anti-racism and bias.

The California Department of Education (CDE) sent grant applications to all of the state’s superintendents and charter school administrators earlier this week. The CDE will award mini-grants of up to $20,000 each and the grants will be funded by contributions from philanthropic partner, the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. The allocation will be made by the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation (CDEF).

“I am proud to be able to put resources directly in the hands of educators who are on the front lines of confronting racism, bigotry, and hate,” Thurmond said. “By equipping our school communities with the tools to teach and promote tolerance, we can use education as the powerful path forward to healing our society so desperately needs.”

Organizations with extensive experience in leading related educator trainings—including Equality California, the National Equity Project, and the Simon Weisenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance are among those who are available partners for resources and professional development, though schools may choose their own trainers or programs. Mini-grants must be focused on providing professional learning on topics that address hate, bigotry, racism, or any form of bias or prejudice. Topics for training could include, but are not limited to, anti-racism, anti-Semitism, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, Islamophobia, bullying of Asian American students, and anti-hate focus areas. Training may focus on any subject that addresses bias or prejudice toward any group of students.

Grants will be considered on a rolling basis as resources are available. More than a dozen school districts and charter schools already have submitted applications. The first round of grants will be reviewed after Tuesday, September 29, 2020.

The mini-grant program is one of three primary components to State Superintendent Thurmond’s “Education to End Hate” initiative, designed to empower educators and students to confront the hate, bigotry, and racism rising in communities across the state and nation. Under this effort, the CDE will lead a series of strategies—including educator training grants, partnerships with community leaders, and virtual classroom sessions—that leverage the power of education to create a more just society.

Questions regarding the mini-grant process can be directed by email to edtoendhate@cde.ca.gov.