California LGBTQ Safety in Schools Scholarships

Scholarship Value: $2,500

Awards Available: 7

Award Deadline: May 30, 2025


Creating Safe Classrooms and Schools for LGBTQ+ People

The LGBTQ+ Safety in Schools Grant and Scholarship Program in Honor of Guy DeRosa was created to promote human and civil rights by making our public schools safe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning+ persons (LGBTQ+). The program was renamed in 2009 in memory of CTA member and educator Guy DeRosa. Guy was a lifelong advocate for civil and human rights and LGBTQ+ issues.

The grant program will support groups, projects and presentations that promote understanding of and respect for LGBTQ+ persons.

The scholarship program will support self-identified LGBTQ+ active CTA/CTA Aspiring Educators (CTA-AE) members enrolled in a teacher/counseling credential or graduate program who are pursuing a career in public education and who understand the importance of LGBTQ+ educators as role models in our public schools.

Deadline: May 30, 2025

Grant and Scholarship Requirements

Applications that do not meet all requirements listed below will not be considered.

  • Applicants must submit a complete application.
  • If uploading, the grant proposals and scholarship essays must be:
    • Limited to three pages only
    • On 8 ½”  x 11″ paper size
    • 1″ margins
    • Double-spaced
    • 12 pt. Font (Times New Roman)
  • Applicants may upload grant project essays/scholarship essays or type them directly into the text box provided.
  • Grant proposals must include a budget to be considered.  Submission of a budget allows the committee to understand the allocation of the requested funding.
  • Optional:  You may include a short video, PowerPoint, or pictures that must be sent separately to scholarships@cta.org.
  • Grant recipients will be asked to submit a Grant Reconciliation Form as well as provide pictures or videos of their events.
  • Each grant recipient must fill out a Grant Reconciliation Form listing how the grant money was used. If the recipient does not submit their Grant Reconciliation Form by the deadline, they will not be awarded in the future.
  • Grant and scholarship applicants will be notified of their status by the end of July 2025.

Grant Program & Eligibility

The grant program will support groups, projects and presentations that promote understanding of and respect for LGBTQ+ persons. The grant is to be used directly with students. Special consideration will be given to projects that recognize, promote and celebrate ethnic diversity and other diversity among LGBTQ+ youth.

  • Students in public schools, community colleges, or four-year universities who implement LGBTQ+ projects and/or presentations.
  • CTA members who implement a LGBTQ+ project/presentation at a public school for students and/or employees.
  • LGBTQ+ groups such as Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) that implement project activities and/or presentations that promote a safe public school environment for all LGBTQ+ persons.
  • Funds to start up or re-establish a GSA or LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

Grants of up to $2,500 will be made available annually to awardees.

Applicants must be:

  • An active CTA/CTA Aspiring Educators (CTA-AE) member, or
  • A public school student(s) sponsored by an active CTA/CTA Aspiring Educators (CTA-AE) member.

The grant cannot be used for individual/group release time or stipends. Autonomous groups, Service Center Councils, UniServs and CTA Caucuses are not eligible.

Scholarship Program & Criteria

The scholarship program will support self-identified LGBTQ+ active CTA/CTA Aspiring Educators (CTA-AE) members enrolled in a teacher/counseling credential or graduate program who are pursuing a career in public education and who understand the importance of LGBTQ+ educators as role models in our public schools.

Criteria:

  • Proof that you are currently enrolled or that you will be enrolled in an educational non-administrative credential or graduate program.
  • Application essays are expected to address any experiences and/or your personal philosophy and the impact of your educational endeavors on the LGBTQ+ public school community. Please incorporate as many of the following criteria as possible:
    • Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of LGBTQ+ role models.
    • Making the environment safe for LGBTQ+ students.
    • Your past/intended involvements in the LGBTQ+ education community.
    • Importance of role models for LGBTQ+ BIPOC.
How to Apply:

No Essay Scholarship by Sallie

Deadline: Apr 30, 2025
$2,000
The $2,000 No Essay Scholarship by Sallie is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and any US Territory age 17 or older at the time of entry, and who meet one (1) of the four (4) following eligibility requirements at the time of entry:A parent who currently has a child enrolled in...

ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 29, 2025
$50,000
ScholarshipOwl is your source of relief from the dreaded application process. We put students on the fast-track to success by providing direct access to the scholarships they need the most. Take the hassle out of financial aid and maximize your chance at a free ride in college. No matter how much funding you need for school, we have the opportunities...

Niche $15,000 Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2025
$15,000
Niche can help with every step of the college search including paying for it. We're giving one student $15,000 to help cover tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required!High school seniors who apply can also be eligible to receive acceptance (and scholarship!) offers from our Niche Direct Admissions partner colleges.Apply for our $25,000 No Essay Scholarship...

Be Bold Scholarship

Deadline: May 01, 2025
$25,000
The "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. It takes less than 2 minutes to apply.To us, boldest does not mean "best", or "most accomplished". Being bold means being:EarnestDeterminedMovingThe scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is most bold, according to these characteristics.Furthermore, the scholarship will be...

$10,000
The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship.This scholarship...

Faith Based College Scholarship

Deadline: May 31, 2025
$2,000
The Christian Connector offers various scholarship drawings for Christian/Faith Based colleges and universities. All of the information services provided by The Christian Connector are offered absolutely free!Eligibility:Students applying to the Faith Based College Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027 or 2028) interested in attending a Christian/Faith Based university or college.About:The Christian Connector offers a...

The Future is Now Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 30, 2025
$1,001
The Lenny Scholarship offers $1,001 US to support young individuals aged 16 and above, enrolled in college and residing in the US or India. Automatic disqualification may occur for multiple applications.EligibilityYou must be a resident of the US or IndiaYou must be 16 years of age or olderYou must be enrolled in a college

Appily Easy Money Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 30, 2025
$1,000
The Appily scholarship application is fast and easy.Scholarship Eligibility: This scholarship is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and first semester senior students for all majors and schools. We will judge this scholarship based on other criteria such as volunteer work, extracurricular activities, special circumstances, etc.About the sponsors of the scholarship (EAB and Appily):EAB is the market leader in helping colleges...

10 Words or Less Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 15, 2025
$1,000
Scholarship Eligibility:A) Anyone who is between the ages of 14-25 who will be attending school in the Fall of 2025.B) This scholarship is provided by StudentScholarships.org. In order to apply for our scholarship follow these instructions:1. Go to www.facebook.com/myscholarships and place a comment on any post you see answering the question:In 10 words or less, tell us why you deserve...

National Dairy Shrine Scholarships

Deadline: Apr 15, 2025
$3,000
Tomorrow’s dairy leaders are here today, in classrooms, dairy youth organizations, at dairy competitions and on dairy farms across the country. The Dairy Shrine’s task is to encourage, stimulate and inspire them. Since its inception, Dairy Shrine has recognized the importance of laying a foundation for the future, and has constantly expanded its youth programs to capture and challenge the...