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Deeper Learning Grantseekers

The Hewlett Foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry for its Deeper Learning strategy. You should begin by reading about Deeper Learning and what we support below. If you decide your project or organization fits within our guidelines, please submit a Letter of Inquiry online.

You may submit a Letter of Inquiry at any time during the year; there are no submission deadlines.

What we support:

Deeper Learning grantmaking strives to increase economic opportunity and civic engagement by educating students to succeed in a changing world. Ultimately, deeper learning is designed to provide all students with access to rigorous, relevant, and innovative educational opportunities. This component of our grantmaking supports work in the following three areas:

  • POLICY: Promoting policies or strategies that create incentives for schools to focus on deeper learning—particularly, improved assessments used to measure students' academic growth
  • PRACTICE: Building educational systems’ capacity and practice, both online and in the classroom, to reach large numbers of students with deeper learning
  • PROOF POINTS: Supporting proof points, including model K-12 school and community college networks, and funding research that documents how deeper learning is an attainable and necessary goal for all students

Letter of Inquiry guidelines

We accept Letters of Inquiry for the following work:

  • Policies and strategies at the state or national levels that create incentives or remove barriers for schools and districts to focus on deeper learning
  • Design and implementation of communications work to understand public perceptions of deeper learning and to improve both understanding and public will to support related reforms
  • Innovative summative and formative deeper learning assessments that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards
  • Development and distribution of high-quality curricula, tools, and other education resources for widespread use
  • Scalable1 deeper learning professional development models and supports for teachers and school leaders
  • Scalable1 digital learning environments that deliver proven, evidence-based deeper learning outcomes
  • Scalable1 efforts to align deeper learning expectations in higher education with K-12 college readiness standards in math and English language arts
  • Innovative efforts to use deeper learning strategies to improve the success of underprepared community college students
  • Networks to support the high-quality implementation of deeper learning by teachers and education leaders 
  • Rigorous research analyzing the connection between the acquisition of the skills and knowledge that define deeper learning and post-secondary success, civic engagement, and improved workforce outcomes


    1 Scalable is defined as high potential to reach thousands of teachers and tens of thousands of students at a reasonable cost

We do not accept inquiries to fund the following:

  • Computer equipment
  • Individual schools
  • Individual after-school programs
  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Environmental or health education
  • Pre-K/early education programs
  • Four-year degree programs
  • Post-baccalaureate, graduate-level, or professional degree programs
  • Creation of new degree programs
  • Student services, including GED preparation, counseling services, and career centers
  • Libraries and museums
  • International meetings and conferences
  • Non-credit workforce training
  • Programs that primarily serve non-U.S. students

Foundation funds cannot be used for IRS-defined federal lobbying. For federal purposes, lobbying means carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation as defined by Internal Revenue Code Sections 501(h), 4945(d)(1) and 4945(e) and related regulations. 

The Foundation also makes operating grants to organizations, always based on the applicant’s organizational priorities and its compatibility with our Education Program's goals.

To help you prepare for your Letter of Inquiry submission, here are the fields you will be asked to complete:

If for a project:

  • Please describe your proposed project’s expected outcomes and deliverables (max 1,500 characters, including spaces).
  • How does this project fit with the goals and strategies of the Hewlett Foundation’s Education Program? (max 1,000 characters, including spaces)
  • What is the project’s expected budget?
  • What amount are you requesting from the Hewlett Foundation?
  • What is the expected length of the project (in months)?
  • Other comments (max 1,000 characters, including spaces)

If for general organization support:

  • Please summarize your organization’s mission and work (max 650 characters, including spaces).
  • How does your organization fit with the goals and strategies of the Hewlett Foundation's Education Program? (max 1,000 characters, including spaces)
  • What is your organization’s annual budget?
  • What amount are you requesting from the Hewlett Foundation?
  • Other comments (max 1000 characters, including spaces)


Click here to submit an online Letter of Inquiry for Deeper Learning.