IPad Grants for Elementary Schools

Although it's not a grant, Apple does offer special discounts to educational institutions, including K-12 schools. For example, for the iPad 2, K-12 institutions in the U.S. get a discount of $100. The Apple Volume Purchase Program also offers discounts to tax-exempt schools, which can purchase apps tax-free and are eligible for discounts if they purchase 20 or more apps.

Several private foundations provide funding opportunities for public schools that would like to integrate the use of technology in the classroom. For example, along with 11 other national foundations and the U.S. Department of Education, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed to providing up to $500 million in leverage funding to expand the innovative use of technology in classrooms. Smaller grants, such as those provided by the Digital Wish Grants, help teachers fund the use of classroom technology. Submit a lesson plan that integrates technology and if your application is accepted, you'll be awarded funds to purchase items on your technology wish list, which you submit with the application. You can also use online grant databases, such as Grant Wrangler, to research private grants that financially support the use of technological tools, including the iPad, in the classroom.

To focus your search on state and federal technology grants, go to your respective state department of education's website to see if there are any grant opportunities related to the use of technology in the classroom. In addition, go to the U.S. Department of Education's website on grant programs to research federal grants that support the expansion of technology in the classroom. In addition, check with your local school district to see if you overlooked any grants that apply to iPads or technology in general. Consult with the school principal, district administrator or school board as you begin your research. For example, in the 2010 to 2011 school year, the Chicago Public School System awarded 23 schools mini-grants, enabling each school to purchase 32 iPads, as well as other Apple products.

Several corporations also support educational funding through their philanthropic foundation or divisions. Most corporations aim their educational grants to public, tax-exempt educational institutions. Begin with the Foundation Center's website, which lists a host of private foundations that fund the use of technology in the classroom. At the time of publication, Intel provides community grants for K-12 programs, specifically for science, technology, engineering and mathematic programs. The Verizon Foundation also provides educational grants to K-12 schools, with total grant requests up to $10,000.