The Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program is an annual grant initiative that supports K-12 educators across the United States by funding innovative and effective classroom and school-based projects that enhance student learning. Sponsored by Voya Financial and administered by Scholarship America, the program recognizes the important contributions of full-time educators and school staff through monetary awards intended to bring their impactful ideas to life within their schools or school systems.

Eligible applicants must be full-time employees of accredited public or private K-12 schools located in the U.S., including teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff. The program welcomes applicants whether or not they are clients of Voya Financial. Nonprofit organizations that are not schools (e.g., 501(c) organizations) are not eligible. Applications must be submitted by April 18, 2025, no later than 3:00 PM Central Time and verified by the applicant’s supervisor, principal, or school superintendent.

Each year, 50 finalists are selected, with each receiving an award of $2,000 to implement their proposed projects. From this pool, three outstanding projects are chosen for additional funding: $25,000 for first place, $10,000 for second place, and $5,000 for third place. All funds must be used exclusively for the purposes described in the application and cannot be used for indirect or administrative costs. Funds are disbursed no later than December 2025 via checks made jointly payable to the recipient and their school.

The application process involves creating a profile and completing an online application form. Applicants can save and return to their application at any point before final submission. Once all required fields are properly completed, applicants can submit the final application, after which no edits are permitted. All applicants will be notified of their application status by August 2025, with bonus award recipients announced in the fall.

Recipients are not obligated to Voya Financial beyond fulfilling project implementation and reporting expectations if requested. The program is competitive, and all decisions made by the selection committees are final. Questions can be directed to the program administrator at unsungheroes@scholarshipamerica.org or by calling 1-507-931-1682.