Digital Learning Grant - North Carolina

North Carolina State Funding

North Carolina Public School Units may apply- one application per PSU
Eligible PSUs include traditional public school districts, charter schools, lab schools, and regional schools
Applicants must have completed the 2024-2025 Digital Learning Media Inventory and the PSU’s Digital Learning Progress Rubric

Pathway 1:
- Support high-quality professional learning aligned with the North Carolina Digital Learning Plan and ISTE-aligned Digital Learning Competencies
- Build educator capacity to transform digital teaching and learning in ways that measurably improve student learning experiences and outcomes
Pathway 2:
- Support the purposeful integration of innovative instructional technologies that deepen student learning and strengthen agency, engagement, ownership of learning, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and authentic application of knowledge
- Ensure technology implementations include a structured professional learning plan and a clearly defined sustainability strategy

Up to 10 grants may be awarded based on application quality and available recurring funds
Traditional public school districts may receive up to $50,000; charter, laboratory, and regional schools may receive up to $20,000

Instructional innovation initiatives that strengthen digital teaching and learning
Professional learning that builds educator capacity and supports measurable shifts in classroom practice
Student learning experiences that support agency, engagement, ownership of learning, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and authentic application of knowledge
Implementation plans that include professional learning, sustainability, measurable outcomes, and alignment to the North Carolina Digital Learning Plan and ISTE-aligned Digital Learning Competencies

LEGO® Education Professional Development provides high-quality professional learning that can be customized to a district’s educator capacity building and implementation plan, including support for measurable shifts in classroom practice beyond isolated workshops
LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI aligns under the Innovative Technologies pathway when included as part of a district’s instructional innovation initiative connected to the North Carolina Digital Learning Plan and ISTE-aligned Digital Learning Competencies

Funded PSUs are required to present project progress, implementation insights, and measurable outcomes at NCDPI’s NCEdConnect Conference and DLI Grants Collaborative Showcase
Funded PSUs must share project resources, tools, and documented best practices through DPI-designated dissemination channels during and upon completion of the grant period

Applicants should clearly select and build the proposal around one of the two pathways: Professional Learning or Innovative Technologies
Technology purchases are only allowable when embedded within an approved instructional innovation initiative
Innovative Technologies proposals must include a structured professional learning plan and a clearly defined sustainability strategy
Infrastructure-only proposals are not eligible
Use the application template and save it to your desktop before submitting through the Google Form.
Remember to adhere to the formatting and competency requirements before submitting.
Use the Digital Learning Initiative Grants Rubric (pg 8) to strengthen your application score.

Digital Learning Grant 2026