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The Warren County School District is pursuing four grant opportunities for the 2026-27 school year to support student access to menstrual products, braille instruction, career and technical education equipment and classroom projects.
The grants were presented during the district's board meeting, with administrators recommending approval of the funding allocations and applications.
The grants include funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Health for feminine hygiene products.
The district is scheduled to receive $6,676.28 for the Warren County School District and an additional $692.40 for the Warren County Career Center through the state's 2026-27 Feminine Hygiene Products Grant Program.
The funding is part of a $3 million allocation included in Pennsylvania's 2026-27 state budget to increase students' access to menstrual products. Schools can use the money to purchase dispensers and menstrual products that students can access at no cost, both at school and for take-home use.
The program does not require applications or reimbursement requests.
The board also considered an application for the Pennsylvania Braille Code Project, which offers a $5,000 stipend to an eligible school employee who completes the program during the 2026-27 school year.
In partnership with the Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education, participants develop foundational knowledge of Unified English Braille. The training is intended to reinforce instruction provided by a certified teacher of students with visual impairments and help ensure students receive braille materials in a timely manner.
The administration recommended that the board authorize an application for the stipend.
The board also reviewed a grant opportunity through the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Career and Technical Education Competitive Equipment Grant program.
The Warren County Career Center plans to seek funding to replace equipment used in its Machine Technology Program of Study. The proposal calls for two mills and one lathe to support students' hands-on training.
The grant program allows eligible applicants to request up to $85,000 for equipment used in approved career and technical education programs. No matching funds are required for the 2026-27 grant cycle.
The fourth opportunity presented to the board was an annual Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools classroom grant program, which provides funding for teacher-led projects.
The grants support projects involving technology, the arts, after-school activities and competitions. Applicants must submit a 500-word essay describing their proposed project and its anticipated impact on a classroom, school building or district.
Awards range from $1,000 to $9,999, with categories for small, moderate and large grants. Most awards are expected to fall within the small or moderate categories.
The opportunities would provide funding for student supplies, specialized instructional training, updated technical education equipment and classroom-level projects during the 2026-27 school year.