About the Challenge Grant
"Investing in education and championing programming that strengthens cultural understanding is critical to how we view our role in partnering with communities across the State."
- Beth Regan, Chairwoman of the Mohegan Tribe's Council of Elders
Since 2003, the Mohegan Challenge Grant program has provided resources to Connecticut educators from across the state to support efforts to develop a curriculum for expanding Native American studies. Since its inception, over 100 schools have participated. Winners receive funding, cultural in-reach and out-reach, as well as professional development.
Funding
Winners of the Mohegan Challenge Grant receive grant funding to provide educational and classroom materials.
Cultural In-Reach and Out-Reach
The Mohegan Tribe’s Cultural and Community Programs department sponsors a one-day instructional program with a visit to the school as part of the program. School groups also receive a complimentary field trip to the Mohegan Tribe’s Tantaquidgeon Museum, the nation’s oldest Native American-owned and operated museum, to see the archives and artifacts that are a vital part of the Tribe’s history first-hand.
Professional Development
The Tribe's Department of Curriculum and Instruction will lead a two-hour professional development session with educators from your school or institution to assist you in meeting the needs of the CSDE mandate to integrate Native American studies into the classroom. The professional development session can be structured as a school-wide, grade-level team, grade bands, or department-specific event.
The 2026 Mohegan Challenge Grant
A total of 19 schools applied for the 2026 Mohegan Challenge Grant, with five winners and five honorees selected to receive funding. Collectively, these grants will support educational initiatives, benefiting nearly 700 students across the state this year alone.
Want to learn more about our 2026 winners? Please visit https://snip.ly/2026CGRecipients.
"My students LOVED making the corn husk dolls. They talked about it for weeks. Thank you for everything you have done. I have really enjoyed getting to learn more about Indigenous people and teaching it better in my classroom."
- RHAM High School
"... this is a program that opened our minds and hearts, and I hope that other schools/teachers will be able to take advantage of such a valuable resource for our teachers and our students."
- John Wallace and Martin Kellogg Middle Schools
