With a 10,000-strong network of educators and community members, Teaching for Change is critical to grassroots education reform in our region. Mounting attacks on teaching truth in schools – book bans, laws against Critical Race Theory, and policies restricting the rights of LGBTQ+ students – pressure more educators to leave the profession now than ever. Teaching for Change supports them with free professional development, meaningful connections, and social justice curricular resources. Its Zinn Education Project brings the history of working people, people of color, and organized social movements into the classroom using multicultural books. Teach the Beat introduces students to DC’s unique tradition of go-go music. And it offers the nation’s only resource on teaching Central American history and literature for K-12 educators. At Teaching for Change, justice begins with the freedom to learn.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 1

Where They Operate: DC-Citywide; MD-Montgomery County; MD-Prince George's County; VA-Arlington County; VA-Fairfax County; VA-City of Alexandria; VA-City of Fairfax

Age Groups Served: All

Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Men/Boys; Women/Girls; Students; Immigrants/Refugees


  • Number of volunteers who work with us annually:   6
  • Number of hours of volunteer work we record annually:   1500
  • Number of people (clients, patrons, students, etc) we serve annually:   2000

Awards & Recognition

In 2024, Teaching for Change received the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area’s (UNA-NCA) Community Human Rights Award.

Selected in 2010 by the National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group, coordinated by the Harvard Family Research Project, as one of twelve examples of leading innovations in family engagement, Taking Leadership, Innovating Change.

Philip C. Chinn Multicultural Book Award (2004) for "Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching."

Press

Budget (FY2023)

  • $3 million or higher
  • The current budget for Teaching for Change is: $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

About Spur Local

Every year, 190+ local nonprofits (with budgets under $4M) apply to join the Spur Local network. 170+ community volunteers assess these applications for impact. 100% of organizations are site visited and financially reviewed. Finally, 76+ critical, local nonprofits are selected for inclusion in Spur Local's annual print and digital catalog, and enter a four-year partnership with us. Since 2003, we have raised over $65 million for nonprofits across the Greater Washington region. We charge no fees and raise funds separately to support our work.

Spur Local looks to friends like you to keep our services independent and entirely free of charge. Consider a small contribution to Spur Local to cap off your gift and help the causes you care about get the full support they deserve!

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