aiEDU Announces 2026 Community Catalyst Grantees, Backing Educator Capacity Building Across Rural and Indigenous Communities

Latest round of flagship grant program funds seven projects across six states, reaching more than 1,100 educators and 30,000 students

SAN FRANCISCO, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- aiEDU today announced the seven organizations selected for the 2026 Community Catalyst Program, the third round of its flagship grantmaking initiative focused on building AI Readiness in the rural and Indigenous communities historically left out of national conversations about technology and education.

The 2026 cohort — school districts, educational service agencies, and education nonprofits across Washington, Nebraska, Texas, Illinois, Montana, and Wyoming — will receive grants of $25,000 to $50,000 over twelve months. This round is focused on a singular goal: educator capacity building. Together, the seven projects are designed to reach more than 1,100 educators and over 30,000 students.

"AI Readiness will be built locally before it's ever built nationally. These grantees are proof that teachers, coaches, and district leaders are doing the unglamorous, essential work of preparing their communities for a world transformed by AI," said Alex Kotran, CEO and co-founder of aiEDU.

Last year's Community Catalyst Program launched with a cohort of grantees spanning the country. Through that cohort, aiEDU found that the most durable impact came from professional learning and educator capacity building — a takeaway that shaped the design of this year's program, which focuses entirely on the teachers, coaches, and administrators who shape what happens in classrooms every day.

"Last year showed us exactly where these dollars go furthest: investing in educators. When you build a teacher's capacity, that impact compounds in every classroom they touch, long after the grant ends," said Emma Doggett Neergaard, aiEDU's Chief Programs Officer.

The 2026 Community Catalyst grantees are:

• Capital Region ESD 113 (Washington) — A yearlong AI-integrated classroom project with Wa He Lut Indian School and Yelm School District. ESD 113 is the program's first returning grantee, building on last year's work.

• Education Service Unit 6 (Nebraska) — The TLC AI Readiness Accelerator, supporting district teams of administrators and teachers to connect classroom integration with system-level structures.

• Harmony Public Schools (Texas) — The South Texas AI Ambassadors Program, developing teacher leaders across 10 campuses in South Texas.

• Learning Technology Center (Illinois) — The Rural AI Leadership Cohort, guiding 8–10 districts through a strategic planning process to adopt local AI guidance and build actionable PD rollout plans.

• Montana Digital Academy / Frontier Learning Lab (Montana) — Training 23 teacher leaders at one-room schoolhouses and very small schools to lead AI Readiness work for their systems.

• National Center for Learning Disabilities (Wyoming) — A yearlong project developing AI literacy resources for evaluating AI-generated IEP content and supporting students with disabilities.

• Sultan School District (Washington) — A districtwide initiative developing AI guidelines and training teachers across the district.

Beyond funding, every grantee will receive direct support from aiEDU — including train-the-trainer programming, strategic advising, and coaching — and will convene as a cohort throughout the grant year for peer connection and collaboration.

About aiEDU: The AI Education Project (aiEDU) is a national nonprofit building AI Readiness for every student, school, and community. aiEDU partners with school districts, educators, and local organizations to deliver curriculum, professional learning, and capacity-building programs that prepare students for a world transformed by artificial intelligence. Learn more at aiedu.org.

SOURCE aiEDU