Equipping classrooms. Empowering futures.
The Biggest Little Classroom Project supports K–5 public and public charter school classrooms in Washoe County, Nevada by providing essential school supplies at no cost to teachers.
OUR WHY
It Takes a Village
According to the National Education Association, 94% of teachers spend their own money on classroom necessities. At the same time, about 97% of U.S. educators say the median school-provided supply budget of $200 is not enough to meet their classroom needs.
Teachers consistently go above and beyond for their students, often filling these gaps with money from their own pockets. Founded in 2026, the Biggest Little Classroom Project was created to help ease that burden. By partnering directly with local elementary schools, we aim to provide essential supplies for students and teachers of Northern Nevada — leaving teachers and families with one less expense to worry about each school year.
Who Can Apply
Public K–5 teachers in Washoe County are invited to apply on behalf of their classrooms. Selected projects help provide classrooms with essential supplies and learning materials.
How It Works
Through a simple application and random selection process, approved projects receive support for essential classroom supplies.
Community Relief
Our goal is simple: help ease the cost of classroom essentials for local educators and families, while making sure students have the materials they need to learn and thrive.
HOW IT WORKS
Three simple steps. One big impact.
Individual K–5 teachers can apply for support for their own classrooms and select the supplies or resources their students need most. Eligible applications are entered into a random drawing, and selected teachers receive classroom supplies purchased and provided directly by the Biggest Little Classroom Project.
A Teacher Applies
01
A teacher submits an application for their own classroom and identifies the supplies or resources their students need most.
02
Projects Are Selected
Eligible applications are entered into a random drawing, giving each qualified teacher an equal chance of being selected.
Supplies Are Delivered
03
If selected, supplies are purchased directly by the Biggest Little Classroom Project and delivered to the teacher’s classroom prior to the start of school.
WHY IT MATTERS
When classrooms thrive, communities thrive, too.
When classrooms are better equipped, teachers spend less, families carry less of the cost, and students have more of what they need to succeed.
Teachers
01
Reduces the amount educators have to spend out of pocket on essential classroom materials.
02
Families
Helps ease the back-to-school burden for parents by providing essential supplies students need.
03
Students
Ensures students begin the school year with the materials they need to learn and succeed.
“When a community invests in its teachers, it invests in brighter futures.”
Frequently
Asked Questions
-
Current K–5 classroom teachers working at an eligible public school in Washoe County, Nevada may apply for support for their individual classroom. Applicants must not have received a Biggest Little Classroom Project award within the previous 12 months.
-
We currently support K–5 public schools and public charter schools throughout Washoe County, Nevada. At this time, private, parochial, and other tuition-based schools are not eligible for funding.
-
We accept applications throughout the school year, beginning on the first day of school and closing on June 1 for the upcoming school year. Selected teachers are notified on July 1, and approved classroom supplies are purchased and delivered before the first week of school.
Applications received after June 1 will be considered for the following year’s award cycle.
-
Applicants may be asked to provide a school email address and authorize the Biggest Little Classroom Project to verify current employment with their school.
-
All complete and eligible applications are entered into a random drawing. Selected teachers will be contacted directly using the information provided on their application.
-
There is no limit to how many years you can apply. Educators are welcome to submit a new application each year; however, previous recipients must wait one full school year before becoming eligible to receive another award.
-
Not necessarily. The Biggest Little Classroom Project is designed to reduce the financial burden on teachers and families, not necessarily replace every item on a school’s supply list.
Teachers and schools may still need to provide or request some individual student items that fall outside the award budget.
-
Not yet. The Biggest Little Classroom Project is currently a small, independently funded community initiative, and our first awards are being supported personally by the founder.
As the program grows, we hope to build community partnerships, accept donations, and develop a more formal nonprofit structure so we can support more classrooms each year. For now, every dollar committed to the project goes directly toward helping local teachers and students.
-
No. The Biggest Little Classroom Project does not provide cash or gift cards directly to teachers or schools.
Instead, we work with the selected teachers to determine which approved supplies will have the greatest impact, and we purchase those items directly on their behalf. This helps ensure award funds are used for their intended purpose while also allowing us to stretch the budget through bulk purchasing whenever possible.
-
Teachers may request classroom supplies and other resources that directly support student learning.
Biggest Little Classroom Project does not provide cash, reimbursements, gift cards, classroom furniture, or textbooks and other curricular materials. Awards are intended to support everyday classroom supplies and resources that directly benefit students.
-
Yes. Eligible teachers may apply individually for their own classrooms, even if another teacher from the same school has also applied.