Small grants making a big difference
The IATEFL Projects scheme offers a grant each year to support Teaching Associations undertake a project that will make an improvement to language teaching and learning in the local community and give the opportunity for less experienced teachers to take an active role.
Grants of up to £1,500 are currently available. Funding can be requested for less than £1,500 but only a maximum of £1,500 will be awarded.
Examples of projects that could be undertaken include:
- Develop a course to upgrade teachers’ language skills
- Run a conference to address a particular local issue with the aim of creating solutions
- Build a leadership skills programme for newly qualified teachers
- Produce a bank of new teaching materials
Who can apply?
The scheme is intended only for IATEFL Associates in countries listed as 'high', 'medium' or 'low' (but not 'very high') on the United Nations Human Development Index. Winners of IATEFL Project funding are welcome to reapply for funding for a different project after a year’s break following the completion of the current Project. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the following:
- That the project has a clear aim and will benefit a broad community of language teachers
- That the project is achievable. Simple ideas to improve teaching and learning are often more effective than complex schemes.
- That the budget shows clearly how the funds will be spent
- That a range of people are involved in the setting up and management of the project
- That there are clear plans in place to evaluate and disseminate the project outcomes
The next step...
- Send it to IATEFL Head Office at the address included at the end of the form.
Whilst IATEFL Associates can submit an application at any time, these are reviewed and winners chosen once a year. The closing date for the next review of applications is Friday 14 March 2025. The winner of the 2025 grant will be announced at the IATEFL Conference on the 7 April 2025 and then on social media shortly afterwards.
Make a donation to IATEFL Projects
2025 - APC-ELI (Cuban Association of Pedagogues-English Language Section) with their project "KINSHIP. Learning English in the family"
The project is aimed at supporting teachers and families in two disadvantaged areas in the outskirts of Havana, (La Güinera at Arroyo Naranjo Municipality and Zamora at Marianao Municipality), to support the children in these communities to practice the English language outside schools in an enjoyable way. The project aiming at 60 people (including teachers and their families) includes the purchase of age - appropriate teaching learning materials easy to adapt and align to the Cuban curriculum, running three-days workshops to help community participants learn how to use the materials provided and observation of the participants in action.
2024 - TESOL Bangladesh
The project targets female teachers in underprivileged areas of Dhaka. The project involves a period of needs analysis, a three-day teacher training course and observations of the participants once they return to class. In addition to the direct development of teachers on the course, the research from the project will lead to journal articles and the dissemination of knowledge at conferences.
2023 - FORTELL (India)
A project aimed to come up with strategies to help teachers utilise the multilingual repertoire of students when teaching English language skills. Identifying locally used effective multilingual teaching strategies, reviewing and collating these, and then sharing and celebrating them through an accessible digital platform.
2022 - Nepal English Language Teacher's Association (NELTA)
A project to teach 28 female teachers from marginalised and disadvantaged areas in the Sudur Passim province, basic ICT skills as well as developing their communication and leadership skills.
2020 - Angolan English Language Teachers' Association (ANELTA)
A project aimed at providing students and English practitioners with leadership skills to run English Clubs in their schools and villages. The training provided is intended to help participants with the necessary skills required to support English language learners who wish to practice listening, reading, speaking and writing skills.
2019 - Tanzanian English Language Teachers Association (TELTA)
A project to provide special training for teachers through Communities of Practice (CoP), by increasing creativity, innovation, responsiveness and improved staff skills. The training provided will enhance teachers' capabilities in their teaching.
2016 - Côte d'Ivoire Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (CI-ATEFL)
A project aimed at training teachers in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and to create a Cote d’Ivoire Digital Learning Community (CI-DLC) - a tool to support English teachers and encourage them to get involved, communicate with each other, and exchange materials, ideas and best practice.
2015 - Cameroon English Language Teaching Association (CAMELTA)
A project to fund the development of training materials for a workshop aimed at developing the leadership skills of teachers in ELT. Six training modules were produced to form the basis for a three day workshop which could be rolled out across Cameroon.
2014 - English Language Teachers’ Association of India (ELTAI)
A project to fund a two day workshop in which 17 teachers of English would receive training in how to incorporate the use of technology in their teaching. Sessions covered: Virtual and Flipped classrooms, Mobile learning, Google Drive, Social Networking, Blogging, Google and Yahoo groups.