This grant program is open to any public school district, charter school network, and/or private high school in Arizona who wishes to apply and participate. This grant will award up to $300,000 in direct and in-kind contributions to the selected district/schools and their teachers. Specifically, the grant program will:
- Award for every high school student at the selected district taking core U.S. History (10th or 11th grade) a new hardback textbook edition of Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. (MSRP $120 per textbook). Authored by renowned historian Dr. Wilfred McClay, the newly revised and expanded Second Edition of Land of Hope will be published in 2026: “Designed as both a high school textbook and an engaging read for general audiences, Land of Hope provides an honest, non-ideological, yet affirmative glimpse of our American story. Through carefully selected stories and a clear, engaging writing style, Land of Hope immerses readers in key historical moments, encouraging readers to envision themselves as an integral part of this shared legacy.”
With the 1st edition of Land of Hope already in use by some of Arizona’s top performing public schools, this grant program will provide students an even more visually rich and accessible introduction to U.S. history.
- Provide official full companion Land of Hope U.S. History curriculum for the district’s teachers with day-by-day lesson support, key concepts, vocabulary, exercises, etc. Intended to serve both novice and veteran teachers alike, these materials provide optional scaffolding and support to help teachers guide students through each chapter’s content, without constraining expert teachers to rigid scripts or leaving newer teachers yearning for additional help.
- Provide direct teacher stipends of $2,000 – $3,000 to every high school history teacher employed by the district who teaches U.S. History and/or government, including regular, honors and/or advanced placement level courses. (Stipend awards based on full-time teaching load in these subjects. Awards may be pro-rated based on share of teachers’ time allocated to these subjects).
- Deliver content-based professional development to all of the district’s high school social studies teachers. In-person sessions will be offered specially to the district by Arizona university faculty experts in American history, government, and constitutionalism, as well as veteran Arizona public school teachers. Start-of-the-year and available ongoing sessions will cover topics ranging from the American Revolution, Civil War, Progressive Era, and the Cold War, to Constitutional Principles such as Congressional vs. Executive Power, Federalism, and the First Amendment.
- Paid guest speakers to share first-hand testimonials with students and staff, including survivors of authoritarian regimes in Europe, Asia, and/or South America (via organizations such as the Dissident Project and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation).
- Introduction to supplemental materials resource bank, including materials for U.S. History, U.S. Government, Comparative Government, and the U.S. citizenship exam (as required for Arizona high school graduation), via resources such as the Bill of Rights Institute’s Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness; School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership’s Civic Literacy Curriculum; 1776 Unites; Victims of Communism’s Witness Project, and Certell.
- Issuance of hardback copies of A is for the American Dream children’s books for all 2nd grade students (as applicable) as an additional supplemental at-home or in-school resource to inspire both a love of reading and early understanding of shared principles of the American republic.
The Excellence in Civics Education School District Grant Program aims to equip novice and expert teachers alike with the tools to engage and inspire students and enrich their knowledge of history and government. With students’ spending ever increasing amounts of time on screens and digital resources across the country, this program will also ensure that students are able to experience the depth of American history through a beautiful print edition work. Moreover, with too many students viewing history as a disjointed timeline of sterile facts, the Land of Hope textbook provides an unrivaled and engaging narrative style of introducing students to the depth of U.S. history, its figures and events.
Program Criteria and How to Apply
The Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy at the Goldwater Institute will accept application requests from any Arizona public school district, charter school (network), and/or private school that wishes to adopt Land of Hope: An Introduction to the Great American Story as among its approved textbooks (pursuant to A.R.S. 15-722. Note, a district must allow a period of 60 days for public review of a proposed textbook and may approve up to five textbooks per course under this statute).
A district may apply for the Excellence in Civics Education School District Grant Program prior to formal adoption of Land of Hope by its governing board. However, grant award may be delayed until formal adoption, and priority may be given to applicants with completed governing board approval.
Application Form
Schools may apply beginning February 16th, 2026 through May 30th, 2026.
Award determinations will be made by June 15th, 2026, with textbooks, curriculum materials, and professional development provided for the 2026-2027 school year. Newly printed editions of the textbook will be delivered to the selected district (and/or schools) by July 10th, 2026.
Teachers of the selected district (or school or network) who teach U.S. history, U.S. government, and/or comparative government will receive stipend support. Teachers who receive stipends are asked 1) to participate in at least 8 hours of offered professional development throughout the year, 2) to document materials used as part of their course instruction in the 2026-2027 school year (e.g. textbooks, articles, essays, videos, handouts, etc) via Google Doc or other similar online tool, and 3) to provide feedback / recommendations on the supplied curricular materials at the end of the year.
About Land of Hope
“No one has told the story of America with greater balance or better prose than Wilfred McClay. Land of Hope is a history book that you will not be able to put down. From the moment that ‘natives’ first crossed here over the Bering Strait, to the founding of America’s great experiment in republican government, to the horror and triumph of the Civil War…McClay’s account will capture your attention while offering an unforgettable education.”
—James W. Ceaser, Professor of Politics, University of Virginia
“We’ve long needed a readable text that truly tells the American story, neither hiding the serious injustices in our history nor soft-pedaling our nation’s extraordinary achievements. Such a text cannot be a mere compilation of facts, and it certainly could not be written by someone lacking a deep understanding and appreciation of America’s constitutional ideals and institutions. Bringing his impressive skills as a political theorist, historian, and writer to bear, Wilfred McClay has supplied the need.”
—Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University
The original edition (2020) of Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story has earned 4.7 stars across more than 1,800 reviews via Amazon.
To view a digital copy of Land of Hope (revised edition) or for districts interested in making it available for public inspection as part of a textbook review and adoption process, interested school districts, charters, and private schools may contact info@goldwaterinstitute.org or Encounter Books directly for access.
Land of Hope satisfies Arizona high school U.S. history standards. For a crosswalk of textbook content with Arizona standards, you may contact info@goldwaterinstitute.org or contact Encounter Booksdirectly.
For an analysis of Land of Hope compared to other popular U.S. history texts, the Goldwater Institute has also made available the following guide featuring side-by-side excerpts of the treatment of major periods in U.S. history in both Land of Hope and A People’s History of the United States: Despair vs. Hope: the Comparing Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States And Wilfred McClay’s Land Of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. This booklet demonstrates the difference between an ideologically driven narrative (A People’s History) and a narrative that seeks to tell a full and accurate story of American history.
Selection Criteria
Selection of school district or school recipient(s) will be based on:
- Applicant’s demonstrated interest in using Land of Hope to support core student U.S. history instruction–including any actions taken by the governing board to adopt or initiate review of Land of Hope as an approved textbook for the 2026-2027 school year.
- Applicant’s estimated student reach, including overall high school enrollment and proposed use of the textbook for standard, honors, and/or college-equivalent U.S. history courses.
- Applicant’s need for improved U.S history core textbook (e.g. based on quality, impartiality, edition, and/or age of current physical or digital textbook used).
- Applicant’s commitment to supporting its teachers participating in professional development opportunities offered through this program and documenting curricular materials used.
- Applicant’s commitment to strengthening and revitalizing knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of American history and constitutional government.
For additional information, please contact info@goldwaterinstitute.org
