Blockly Accessibility Fund

Open Call
Application

Opportunity details

The Blockly Accessibility Fund is a $5 million initiative created by Google to support the development and implementation of accessible block-based coding education tools and resources.

The fund aims to foster more inclusive computer science education for all students, particularly those with disabilities, by:

  • Providing funding to organizations that are dedicated to making block-based coding education accessible through the creation or improvement of tools, curricula, and professional development materials.
  • Supporting research that explores additional ways to enhance the accessibility of block-based coding education, including the investigation of existing approaches and the development of evidence-based best practices.

Not sure if your project is a good fit for the Blockly Accessibility Fund? Take a look at our selection criteria and FAQs.

Blockly & Accessibility

Blockly is a visual programming editor by Google that uses drag-and-drop blocks. It's the engine that powers the most popular coding education programs world wide.

We believe that coding should be accessible to the widest possible audience and we are dedicated to making Blockly more accessible. In 2024 we are adding keyboard controls and screen reader support to improve usability for users with visual and motor disabilities. We are proud to collaborate with organizations that share our commitment to accessibility.

Eligibility criteria

CS education-focused nonprofits and academic researchers that use Blockly are the intended audience of the fund. Additional social enterprise organizations and for-profit organizations that focus on equitable computer science education and use Blockly will also be considered.

Application is now closed.

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Application status

applications open

July 29, 2024

applications close

September 9, 2024

notification of proposal decisions

October 4, 2024

Additional information

Submission Deadline

The deadline for all final applications is Monday, September 9, 2024, at 11:59:59 PM Pacific Standard Time. All applications must be submitted by the deadline. No late submissions will be accepted under any circumstances.

Important Note

We strongly recommend submitting your application well before the deadline. The submission page may experience high traffic in the final days, and submitting early will ensure your application is processed smoothly.

Selection Criteria

We are looking for projects that:

  • Are Clear and Feasible:
    • You have a well-defined, actionable plan for improving accessibility.
    • You propose a realistic timeline and budget that align with the project's scope.
    • You identify any relevant partners or collaborators, if applicable.
  • Have a Measurable Impact:
    • You articulate clear, achievable goals that will benefit users with disabilities.
    • You describe any tangible resources or materials (e.g., curriculum, code, research) that will be created, shared, and evaluated.
  • Show Organizational Capacity:
    • You explain how the organization's resources and expertise are well-suited to the proposed project.
  • Promote Scalability and Sustainability:
    • You describe a plan for sustaining or expanding the project's benefits after the funding period concludes.
    • You detail how the project's learnings will be shared with the wider community.
  • Align with Blockly's Goals:
    • Your project is related to Blockly and supports accessibility in the broader Blockly community.
    • If your project is technical, it should be built on an up-to-date version of Blockly, or you should have plans to update. If you have plans to update, you can include these plans in your application.

Award Details

Award amounts vary from $25K to $500K USD, and are intended to support the advancement of the organization's block-based accessibility efforts for relevant projects that are expected to take place between December 1, 2024 and December 31, 2026.

FAQs

The Blockly Accessibility Fund is a $5 million initiative created by Google to support the development and implementation of accessible block-based coding education tools and resources. The fund aims to foster more inclusive computer science education for all students, particularly those with disabilities, by providing funds to organizations and researchers working on more accessible Blockly-related efforts. The efforts can be related to curriculum, technical efforts, professional development, or other areas.

The application process involves completing a proposal application that outlines your project's focus, plan, budget, and timeline, among other details. You can find the application here.

CS education-focused nonprofits and academic researchers that use Blockly are the primary audience of the fund. Social enterprises, B-corps, and other for-profit organizations that focus on equitable computer science education and use Blockly will also be considered.

The application deadline for the open call is 11:59 PST on September 9, 2024. All applications must be submitted by the deadline. No late submissions will be accepted under any circumstances.

Important Note: We strongly recommend submitting your application well before the deadline. The submission page will experience high traffic in the final days, and submitting early will ensure your application is processed smoothly.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by October 4, 2024.

Only complete applications that meet the following criteria will be scored:

  • Submitted by eligible applicants
  • Related to Blockly and accessibility

The proposal should clearly articulate how the project will address the fund's objectives and contribute to the broader goal of more accessible block-based CS education. Proposal scoring considerations include:

  • Clarity and feasibility of the proposed project.
  • Potential impact and measurable outcomes.
  • Organization's capacity and experience in relevant areas.
  • Scalability and sustainability of the project beyond the funding period.
  • Alignment with Blockly's accessibility goals.

  • We are looking for projects that:
    • Are Clear and Feasible:
      • You have a well-defined, actionable plan for improving accessibility.
      • You propose a realistic timeline and budget that align with the project's scope.
      • You identify any relevant partners or collaborators, if applicable.
    • Have a Measurable Impact:
      • You articulate clear, achievable goals that will benefit users with disabilities.
      • You describe any tangible resources or materials (e.g., curriculum, code, research) that will be created, shared, and evaluated.
    • Show Organizational Capacity:
      • You explain how the organization's resources and expertise are well-suited to the proposed project.
    • Promote Scalability and Sustainability:
      • You describe a plan for sustaining or expanding the project's benefits after the funding period concludes.
      • You detail how the project's learnings will be shared with the wider community.
    • Align with Blockly's Goals:
      • Your project is related to Blockly and supports accessibility in the broader Blockly community.

    The details and ideas contained in your application will not be treated as confidential or proprietary so please do not share any confidential information as part of the open call process. Submitted project ideas contained in your application will be reviewed by Google in order to evaluate your proposal.

    If you have any additional questions not addressed here, please reach out to the Blockly Accessibility Fund team at blockly-support+accessibility@google.com.