Read Conmigo Educator Grant

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

About the Read Conmigo Grant Program

Q: Who is The Kemper Foundation and what does it do?

A: The Kemper Foundation is the philanthropic partner of Kemper Corporation. Through community outreach and financial support, we aim to strengthen our communities and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. We support causes and non-profit organizations focused on education, health and community development.

Q: What is the Read Conmigo Grant Program?

A: The Kemper Foundation’s Read Conmigo Grant Program aims to advance dual-language (Spanish-English) education for bilingual students in under-resourced communities. By providing grants to educators and schools, the program enhances bilingualism and biliteracy, supports academic achievement, and fosters multicultural understanding. These grants seek to make a significant impact on Hispanic and Latino students, helping them develop the critical skills needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and globally inclusive world.

The Kemper Foundation offers Read Conmigo Grants for educators and schools:

• Read Conmigo Educator Grants: $3,000 grants to educators in dual-language (Spanish-English) programs at public and charter elementary schools.
• Read Conmigo School Impact Grants: $10,000 grants to Title I elementary schools for school- or program-wide dual-language (Spanish-English) initiatives.

Each year, The Kemper Foundation awards up to 100 Read Conmigo Educator Grants and up to 22 Read Conmigo School Impact Grants.

 

Eligibility

Q: Who is eligible to apply for a Read Conmigo Educator Grant?

A: Read Conmigo Educator Grant applicants:

• Must be a full-time, licensed teacher in a dual-language (Spanish-English) program at an accredited public or charter elementary school in one of the following locations:
  • Arizona: Maricopa County
  • California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties
  • Florida: Broward and Miami-Dade counties
  • Illinois: Cook County
  • Texas: Dallas, Harris, and Hidalgo counties
• Must have at least two years of experience as an elementary teacher in a dual-language (Spanish-English) program (Note: Student and substitute teaching do not count).
• Must maintain that at least 50% of teaching time is dedicated to providing group instruction to students (Note: One-on-one instructional time does not count toward this time requirement).
• Must not be school administrators (e.g., principals), specialized instructional support personnel, or education support professionals.
• Must not be an immediate family member employed by any of the Kemper family of companies, including Kemper Corporation, Kemper Auto, and Kemper Life.
• Must not have been awarded a Read Conmigo Educator Grant in the previous school year. Prior recipients are eligible if their most recent award was two or more school years ago (e.g., if applying for the 2026-2027 school year, you are ineligible if you received a 2025-2026 grant, but eligible if your most recent grant was in 2024-2025).

Visa Eligibility Notice: Individuals with certain U.S. visa statuses—while otherwise eligible to work in the U.S.—may not be eligible to receive the Read Conmigo Educator Grant. If you currently hold a U.S. visa, please consult your sponsoring employer, immigration attorney, or other qualified advisor to determine whether your visa status may affect your eligibility to receive the Grant.

Please note that the information provided herein is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional legal, tax or other advice.

 

Q: If I have been awarded a Read Conmigo Educator Grant in the past, can I reapply for another grant?
A: Prior recipients are eligible if their most recent award was two or more school years ago (e.g., if applying for the 2026-2027 school year, you are ineligible if you received a 2025-2026 grant, but eligible if your most recent grant was in 2024-2025).

 

Q: Are transitional kindergarten (TK) or pre-school (Pre-K) teachers eligible for the Read Conmigo Educator Grant?

A: TK teachers and Pre-K 4 teachers are eligible for the Read Conmigo Educator Grant. Both TK and Pre-K 4 teachers must be credentialed teachers who utilize a district-adopted dual-language curriculum at a public or charter elementary school.

 

Q: If I teach in an English as a Second Language (ESL) program, am I eligible for a Read Conmigo Educator Grant?

A: The Read Conmigo Educator Grants are designed to support educators in dual-language (Spanish-English) programs that provide instruction in two languages with the goal of fostering bilingualism and biliteracy for all students. Educators that focus solely on supporting proficiency in a single language, for example, many ESL programs, would not be eligible for this grant.

 

Q: If my school was awarded a Read Conmigo School Impact Grant, am I eligible to apply for a Read Conmigo Educator Grant?

A: Yes, educators from schools that have received a School Impact Grant may apply for the Educator Grants.

 

Grant Usage

Q: What does a Read Conmigo Educator Grant fund?

A: Grant funds must be used towards classroom resources and/or professional development that advance dual-language (Spanish-English) education for bilingual students.

Classroom Resources

Examples of eligible uses:

• Books and reading materials
• Classroom furniture (e.g., flexible seating, bookshelves)
• Digital resources and technology (e.g., software, subscriptions, devices, headphones)
• Field trips and experiences (e.g., author visits, class projects, cultural learning)
• Instructional materials and learning tools (e.g., curriculum, manipulatives, games)

Professional Development

Examples of eligible uses:

• Conferences, seminars, or workshops
• Continuing educator courses
• Professional learning materials

 

Q: What is excluded from Read Conmigo Educator Grant funding?

A: The following are not eligible uses of the grant funds:

• General operations
• Capital projects or facility maintenance
• Endowments
• Fundraising events or similar activities
• Religious or political projects
• Salaries, staff stipends, and/or substitute teacher costs
• Gift cards
• Personal Use
• Education research
• Tuition
• Field trips to amusement parks
• General, non-project-based classroom supplies (e.g., pencils, pens, paper, etc.)
• Summer projects
• Non-bilingual program club activities

 

Q: Will a Read Conmigo Educator Grant fund travel, lodging, and meals if I’m applying for a professional development conference?

A: Yes, applicants may request reasonable travel, lodging, and meal expenses if applying for a professional development conference.

 

Q: Can I request grant funds to support multiple teachers at my school?
A: No, applicants may only request grant funds for their classroom or for their own professional development. Grant funds cannot support school-wide or team-based projects or opportunities. The Kemper Foundation requires all applicants to apply on their own behalf.

 

Q: Can a recipient utilize funding as needed throughout the school year?

A: Grant funds must be used in alignment with the approved application and budget. Any budget changes require prior approval from The Kemper Foundation, which can be requested by contacting readconmigo@thekemperfoundation.org. Revision requests must be submitted within 30 days of receiving payment and are subject to the discretion of The Kemper Foundation. Grant funds may not be spent on revisions without written approval.

Using funds in a way that does not align with the approved application and budget, or without prior written approval from The Kemper Foundation, may be considered misuse of funds. Such actions may require the recipient to immediately return the misused funds and could result in disqualification from future grant opportunities.

 

Q: In what time period do the grant funds need to be spent?

A: All grant funds must be expended within 90 days of receiving payment unless designated for a time-specific event (e.g., field trips, professional development).

 

Q: Are there reporting requirements for Read Conmigo Educator Grant recipients?

A: Yes, Recipients must submit a Grant Impact Report near the end of the school year. The Kemper Foundation will email a link to the report 30 days prior to the due date. Recipients must retain all itemized receipts related to grant expenditures and submit them with the Grant Impact Report. Submitted receipts must total $3,000.

 

Q: Can funds still be used if a recipient leaves their school or changes schools after being awarded a grant?
A: If a recipient leaves their school before the end of the academic year, they must notify The Kemper Foundation within 10 days of giving notice to their school. Unused grant funding may need to be returned to The Kemper Foundation; this will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

 

Grant Application

Q: What is the deadline for the grant application process?

A: Application submission deadlines are listed on The Kemper Foundation website. Starting in 2026, applications are accepted annually during select dates from April to June, with grant funds distributed in September to support educators during the school year.

 

Q: What does the application entail?

A: The application asks for basic contact and employment information, details about the applicant’s school and classroom, short responses explaining how the grant funds will be used, the expected outcomes, and how impact would be measured, and a budget.

A copy of the application is available on the Educator Grants page on The Kemper Foundation website. We recommend drafting your responses in a Word or Google document before entering them into the grants portal.

 

Q: Can a school apply for a grant that’s for an amount other than $3,000?

A: Read Conmigo Educator Grants are for $3,000. The submitted budget must total $3,000 on the application.

 

Q: Can I use AI services (like ChatGPT) to help me write my grant application?

A: While The Kemper Foundation understands that AI tools can be helpful for drafting or refining grammar, we strongly encourage educators to write the core content of their applications themselves. The application should authentically reflect their unique voice, vision, and the needs of their classroom.

 

Q: How do I begin the grant application process?

A: When the grant application period opens, click the “Apply Now” link on the Educator Grants page on The Kemper Foundation website. This links to eligibility questions within the grants portal. Please answer the questions to verify eligibility, and once confirmed, follow the link to the grant application page.

If you’re applying for the first time or have not applied in recent cycles, please find “First Time User?” and click “Create your password” to set up your applicant account.

If you applied for a grant in 2024 or later, please utilize the same login information as used for your previous application.

 

Q: What if I forget my password for the grants portal?

A: On the grants portal login page, click “Forgot your password?”

 

Q: Why am I being asked about multifactor authentication when I login?

A: As of October 2025, CyberGrants has instituted a standard multifactor authentication process. Please follow the instructions when prompted in either setting up an account or logging into an existing account. If you have any issues, please see the question and response below.

 

Q: Who do I contact for technical issues with the grants portal? 

A: For assistance, click “Need Support?” at the bottom of any page in the grants portal. This will open a new window with frequently asked questions. If your question isn’t addressed, click “I still have a question” at the bottom of the FAQ page to submit a support request ticket. Complete the form, and the CyberGrants support team will contact you. You can also contact The Kemper Foundation for support at readconmigo@thekemperfoundation.org.

 

Q: In the application, why do some questions have (?) next to them?

A: The (?) symbol indicates a tool-tip which provides helpful information to answer the question. You can hover over the (?) to read the suggestion.

 

Q: How do I fill out the Contact Information section of the application?

A: In the Contact Information section, you will need to designate yourself as the primary contact for the application. Click the gray “Create New” button and fill out the required information. Then, click the red “Save and Proceed” button and check the box next to your contact information.

 

Q: In the budget section in the grants portal, do I need to complete both the budget table and the Excel budget template?

A: No, we ask that you complete your budget using either the table in the grants portal OR by uploading a completed Excel budget template.

 

Q: If I’m using the budget table in the grants portal, what should I do if my item link is too long?

A: The grants portal has a 250-character limit for item links. If your link exceeds this limit, use a URL shortener, such as bitly.com.

 

Q: Can I review my entire application before submitting it?

A: Yes, you can review your application at any time during the process by logging into the grants portal and accessing your application under “Applications Requiring Action.”

 

Q: Can I save an incomplete grant application and return to it later?

A: Yes, your application is automatically saved. You can return to it at any time by logging into the grants portal with your username and password.

 

Granting Process

Q: How are Read Conmigo Educator Grant recipients selected?

A: After the submission deadline, the selection committee, including officers from The Kemper Foundation and Read Conmigo Grant Program partners, will review eligible applications to determine the grant recipients. Recipients will be required to complete a grant acceptance form in the grants portal, including attaching a W-9 form for recipients with professional development funds, before funds will be disbursed.

 

Q: How will applicants be informed about the status of their grant application?

A: Applicants will receive updates at key stages of the grant selection process:

1. Upon submitting an application, applicants will receive a confirmation email.
2. Following review by the selection committee, applicants will be notified of the decision by email within 90 days of the application deadline.

Q: When should applicants contact The Kemper Foundation during the application process?

A: Applicants should contact The Kemper Foundation if they have questions while submitting their application or if they have not received a grant decision within 90 days after the application deadline. Questions can be emailed to readconmigo@thekemperfoundation.org.

 

Q: How are grant funds distributed?

A: Once recipients complete the grant acceptance form, The Kemper Foundation will issue funds to recipients via paper check or e-check, depending on the recipient’s preference. Please note: Checks are made out to individual recipients, not to schools.

 

Q: Is feedback available to an applicant for a declined grant request?

A: The Kemper Foundation is unable to provide specific feedback beyond what is included in the decision communication.

 

Other

Q: Where can I send suggestions or feedback about the Read Conmigo Grant Program?

A: You can email your suggestions and feedback to readconmigo@thekemperfoundation.org.