Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Make Your New Year’s Resolutions – and Keep Them!

While I know that many people don’t follow through on their New Year’s resolutions, I still think they are important to make at this time of year because they help to give us focus. Since most of you reading this article are not full-time grant writers, writing down your school's grant goals for the year can be extremely helpful.

Following are a handful of sample resolutions that you might adapt in order to create your own:

1) I will write three grants for my school this year.

2) I will write grants until I get $100,000 for my school during 2010.

3) I will subscribe to a good grant database so I can spend more time completing grant applications and less time looking for grants.

4) This year, I will establish a grant committee that will be charged with finding and writing more grants.

5) I will establish one new program in my school this year and write grants to finance it.

6) I will thoroughly evaluate current programs at least twice during the year to determine which ones need to be fixed and which need to be expanded.

7) I will take a course in grant writing this year to ensure that I am submitting the best possible grant applications.

This is not a comprehensive list of grant-writing New Year’s resolutions. It might, however, help you to think about and plan a course of action for the new year. If you don’t have a plan, you are likely to end this year with the same sad results you had last year -- few grants written and few grant dollars received.

Of course any planning and any resolutions you make are better than none, but I encourage you to focus on the first three resolutions I listed above. The first two relate to the number and value of grants you plan to write. I’ve always said that writing grants is a game of numbers. The more quality applications you submit, the more grant money you will receive. You might want to set a goal to write a specific number of grants so you won’t falter after writing just one or two.

Similarly, it is always good to determine the amount of money you will need from grants and go after that amount regardless of the number of grant applications you need to complete. You might go after one or two large federal or state grants, or you might decide to write more foundation grants for smaller amounts of money. Either will work because your goal is to receive a certain amount of grant money.

My third resolution above -- investing in a subscription to a grant database -- is directly tied to the other two. A good grant database will enable you to quickly and easily pinpoint the federal, state, and foundation grants for which you are eligible. Without a comprehensive, up-to-date grant database, you will spend a huge amount of time scouring the Internet looking for possible grants when, instead, you could have been completing grant applications.

Because I’m a firm believer in planning, I’m a firm believer in making well-documented New Year’s resolutions. Make one, two, or even three this week. Write them down and put them in an accessible place so you will review them at least once each month. Doing this will make you a better, more efficient grant writer in the new year. It will get your school the grant money it needs. And the programs you offer students will be better because of the resolutions you made as you planned for this promising new year.

Check it Out: Grant Opportunity!

Grant Name: We the People Bookshelf Grant

Funded by: National Endowment for the Humanities and American Library Association

Description: The We the People Bookshelf, a collection of classic books for young readers, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) We the People program, conducted in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office. Each year, NEH identifies a theme important to the nation's heritage and selects books that embody that theme to build the We the People Bookshelf. The theme for the 2009-2010 Bookshelf is "A More Perfect Union." A total of 4,000 public and school (K-12) libraries will be selected to receive the "A More Perfect Union" Bookshelf. Awards will be announced in April 2010. The “A More Perfect Union” Bookshelf grants are part of the NEH's We the People initiative, which aims to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture through libraries, schools, colleges, universities, and cultural institutions.

Program Areas: Library, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 1/29/2010

Amount: $500.00 - $1,000.00 value

Website: http://publicprograms.ala.org/bookshelf/

Availability: All States

Check it Out: Grant Opportunity!

Grant Name: Music Is Revolution Foundation Mini-Grants

Funded by: Music Is Revolution Foundation and Svengirly Music, Inc.

Description: The Music Is Revolution Foundation administers a mini-grant program for Music Is Revolution activities designed by teachers to implement, support, and/or improve their ability to provide quality music education for their students. Mini-grants up to $500 are available to teachers for music education activities of all types. Only projects that clearly contain a music education focus will be considered, for example, projects based on the concept of music education through musical experiences, initiating students into a sense of their social, academic, and cultural identity, and humanizing them through the emotional, cognitive, and/or physical impact of music. Applicants are encouraged to include activities that expose students to genres and styles of music not likely to be experienced as a part of their normal daily lives, and to plan the project with input from students, parents, and school administrators so it supports the imaginations of students while maintaining relevance to the curriculum already in place.

Program Areas: Arts

Recipients: Public School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 1/15/2010

Amount: $500.00

Website: http://www.svengirly.com/mir2/pdf/Mini_Grant_Application.pdf

Availability: All States

Friday, December 4, 2009

How Many Grants Should Your School Receive?

Almost every school in the United States should be getting some grant money every year. The amount of that grant money will always be determined by three factors: 1) the number of grants for which you apply, 2) the dollar amount of those grants, and 3) your level of eligibility.

How many grants do most schools get in a year? We did a survey several months ago, and the results may surprise you. Of the 248 educators who responded and actually knew how many grants their school received, we gleaned the following information:

When asked, “Approximately how many federal, state, and foundation grants did your district receive last year?”
Even though these are district numbers, you have to realize that almost half the districts in the United States contain four campuses or fewer. Many campuses receive multiple grants every year while some campuses never receive a single grant.

Obviously, you have no control over your school’s level of eligibility. You do, however, have absolute control over the number of grants you submit and a great deal of control over the amounts of grant money for which you apply.

Make sure you are not a part of the 67% of schools that gets zero to five grants each year. You should try to be a part of the 10% that gets more than 25 grants. All the grants you write don’t have to be large. Even if ten teachers apply for classroom grants of $3,000 each, that’s $30,000 extra dollars for your school. Many times getting grants is simply a numbers game. The more applications you put in the mail asking for more and more dollars, the more grant money you receive. It takes commitment and aggressiveness to get all the grant money you want and need.

Billions and billions of grant dollars are available to schools in the United States. It’s such a shame that a few aggressive schools get so much grant money while thousands and thousands of schools get so little. That lost grant money could make a tremendous difference to the students in those schools. I suggest that you put a grant committee together as soon as possible and start a widespread effort to bring more grant money into your district.

Check it Out: Grant Opportunity!

Grant Name: Captain Planet Foundation Education Grants

Funded by: The Captain Planet Foundation

Description: The foundation supports projects that: 1) Promote understanding of environmental issues; 2) Focus on hands-on involvement; 3) Involve children and young adults 6-18 (elementary through high school); 4) Promote interaction and cooperation within the group; 5) Help young people develop planning and problem solving skills; 6) Include adult supervision; 7) Commit to follow-up communication with the foundation (specific requirements are explained once the grant has been awarded).

Program Areas: Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education, Science/Environment, Social Studies, Other

Recipients: Public School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 12/31/2009

Amount: $250.00 - $2,500.00

Telephone: 404-522-4270

Website: http://www.captainplanetfoundation.org

Availability: All States

Check it Out: Grant Opportunity!

Grant Name: Laura Bush Library Grant

Funded by: Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries

Description: In order to promote a love of reading, the goal of the Laura Bush Foundation (LBF) is to provide books to school libraries and students that most need them. Consequently, funds are available only for library books and magazine/serial copies and subscriptions. The Laura Bush Foundation is unable to honor requests for staffing, shelving, furniture, equipment, software, videos, classroom book sets, or any kind of book guides, tests, or exams. The Foundation strives for wide geographic distribution in the support it offers, making grants of up to $6,000 to update, extend, and diversify the book collections of the libraries that receive them. All LBF grants are made to individual schools rather than to school districts, county systems, private organizations, foundations, or other entities. Only one application per school is allowed per year.

Program Areas: Library, Reading

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 12/31/2009

Amount: $6,000.00

Telephone: 202-263-4774

Website: http://www.laurabushfoundation.org/web2/index.html

Availability: All States

Check it Out: Grant Opportunity!

Grant Name: Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award

Funded by: National Gardening Association

Description: The award is open to any adult in the United States who wishes to garden with preschool to high school-aged family member(s) and feels that gardening is a great way to build lasting memories. A focus on nutrition, sustainability, and socialization is a plus. No prior gardening experience necessary. The garden can be established and grown in any suitable outdoor setting such as home, rooftop, deck, school yard, community garden, church garden, etc. What the award includes: Winning applicants will receive a $500 Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Award Package.

Program Areas: Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 1/10/2010

Amount: $500.00

Website: http://www.kidsgardening.org/grants/heinz.asp

Availability: All States

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Have a Program That Needs Additional Funding?

Fall is always an exciting time for schools -- new programs, renewed hope. And what would fall be without a glitch or two? Like the new, promising program that’s just getting off the ground... that you already realize is not properly funded. You know you’ll get good results from the program as it stands, but not nearly as good as you could get with some additional funding.

The solution?
Apply for a grant.
Not next semester.
Not next month.
Apply this week!

Don’t let a program that could really make a difference to your students falter because of a few thousand dollars that you can get with a few hours of intensive grant writing.

It’s not that unusual for a good program to be underfunded. A program might look well funded on paper during the planning stages, but you don’t really know how popular or successful that program will be until it gets started. You may have so many students show up for a new after-school tutoring program that you need five teachers to accommodate everyone instead of three. You may find that you that you need math manipulatives for a new elementary school math program that you thought weren’t necessary during planning. We once started a piano lab for our students in middle school and had to add both keyboards and class periods to take care of the huge interest.

Often you don’t even need a large amount of money. Sometimes an extra $3,000 to $5,000 can make a tremendous difference in the results you get from the program. For that kind of money, educators often tap into grant programs offered by local retail outlets such as Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, or Home Depot when those companies' programs match the school’s needs. Local foundations are another excellent source for this type of grant money. For larger, longer-term money, you may want to look for state or federal grants to support your program. Of course, getting state or federal grant money is usually more involved; it takes longer to complete the application and to receive the money if you are successful in winning the grant.

So here’s the plan for the rest of the semester:
--- Start looking closely at any program in your school that you feel could be very successful but is, at present, underfunded.
--- Calculate the amount of money you need.
--- Immediately begin searching for grants that fit the needs of your program.
--- Apply for at least two or three grants to be sure you get most of the money you need.
--- Start today.

Let me add one word of encouragement: For some strange reason, educators are not applying for as many grants this fall as they have in the past. They may be discouraged by the current economic climate, or they may simply be applying for fewer, larger, federal grants. Whatever the reason, your chances of getting your grant application funded have increased. If you start applying now, you can avoid a rush of applications that always come at the beginning of a new semester. Again, your chances of winning grant money are better right now than ever before!


Grant Name: Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™.

Funded by: Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation & Children’s TYLENOL®

Description: Recognizing the need to raise the status and visibility of quality child care, the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF) created the Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s TYLENOL® National Child Care Teacher Awards™. These awards acknowledge the critical role of child care teachers in providing quality early care and education. Child care teachers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are invited to apply. Fifty teachers are selected for their commitment and dedication to the children they serve. Of the top ten recipients, one is selected to receive the Helene Marks Award. As part of the application process, each applicant is asked to design an enhancement project for the children in their classroom illustrating the educational, social, and emotional benefits from the project. A committee of early childhood educators and specialists review the applications. Award recipients receive $1,000 - $500 for the teacher's personal use and $500 to implement the project. An award ceremony takes place each spring in Pennsylvania - hotel and transportation are provided for the recipients. The event celebrates the best and the most dedicated of our child care teachers.

Program Areas: Early Childhood

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 12/4/09

Amount: $1,000.00

Telephone: 610-992-1140

Website: http://www.tllccf.org/pr_nccta.php

Availability: All States



Grant Name: Allen Foundation Health Education Grants

Funded by: Allen Foundation, Inc.

Description: The Allen Foundation Grants are limited under the terms of the foundation's charter to projects that primarily benefit programs for human nutrition in the areas of health, education, training, and research. Priorities Include: To make grants to fund relevant nutritional research. To support programs for the education and training of mothers during pregnancy and after the birth of their children, so that good nutritional habits can be formed at an early age. To assist in the training of persons to work as educators and demonstrators of good nutritional practices. To encourage the dissemination of information regarding healthful nutritional practices and habits.

Program Areas: General Education, Health/PE

Recipients: Public School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 12/31/2009

Amount: $5,000.00 - $90,000.00

Telephone: 989-83205678

Website: http://www.allenfoundation.org/

Availability: All States



Grant Name: Finish Line Youth Foundation

Funded by: Finish Line Youth Foundation Grants

Description: Finish Line Youth Foundation focuses funding on organizations that provide opportunities for youth participation in the following areas: Youth athletic programs – Community-based programs addressing active lifestyle and team building skills. Camps – Established camps with an emphasis on sports and active lifestyle, especially programs serving disadvantaged and special needs kids.

Program Areas: Health/PE

Recipients: Public School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 12/31/2009

Amount: $1,500.00 - $5,000.00

Website: http://www.finishline.com/store/youthfoundation/guidelines.jsp

Availability: All States

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

You Should Be Applying for Grants Now!

While your school's grant-writing program should have you applying for grants throughout the year, early fall is the best time of the year to apply -- especially this year, when school budgets are lagging so far behind needs. So, as many people's thoughts turn to the school football season, fall should be the time when all educators' thoughts turn to the lucrative grant-writing season. This year, you should plan to "gear up" early and submit at least two or three grant applications by the end of fall.

Why is the fall season "grant season"?

Fall is a great time to focus on grant writing for several reasons. First, more grants are available to schools in the fall than at any other time of year. Even though it is true that competition for these grants is stiff, so many grants are available (for such large amounts of money) that every school with needs should be filing several applications. Remember, billions of dollars in grants are given to schools every year. If you don’t apply, some school somewhere else will be getting your share of this money. Why should your school be left out?

Second, you have had the entire summer and early fall to review, digest, and analyze test scores and other relevant data from last school year. It is imperative that you use this data to prove that your school needs this grant money more than other schools that apply. You can collect data throughout the year to use in other applications, but the data from the previous full year is in the very best position to support most grant applications.

Third, the grant money you apply for in the fall will impact results throughout the current school year. Applying for grants during the second semester is fine, but that money can rarely be used to impact the education of your students during this school year. Fall grant money is often distributed in late fall and certainly by the start of the new semester. The key is to apply for grants that will bring in money as soon as possible so that it can have the greatest impact on your students as quickly as possible.

It is not difficult to get schools to agree that they need money. It’s not even difficult to get educators to agree that they should be writing more grants than they do. The most difficult job I have is convincing educators to get started now -- this month, this week. Sure, I know that school is in session, and there are at least a thousand things you need to do, but there is nothing you can do right now that will impact student learning more than gathering grant money to help you fund key programs above and beyond those the bare-bones budget supports.

Remember:
1) You need to apply for grants in the fall because more grants are available at this time than at any other time of the year.
2) You need to have excellent data from the previous semester and/or school year to support your applications.
3) The grant money you receive will have a direct impact on student learning in the current school year.

Those three strong reasons for applying for grants in the fall should motivate you to start searching for grants today. You’ll get the grant money -- or some other school will. Don’t your students deserve your very best effort?

Grant Name: PreK-6 Classroom Research Grants

Funded by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Edward G. Begle Fund

Description: The purpose of this grant is support and encourage classroom-based research in precollege mathematics education in collaboration with college or university mathematics educators. For 2010–2011, grants with a maximum of $6,000 each will be awarded to classroom teachers* currently teaching mathematics at the grades PreK–6 level. The research must be a significant collaborative effort involving a college or university mathematics educator (a mathematics education researcher or a teacher of mathematics learning, teaching, or curriculum) and one or more grades PreK–6 classroom teachers.

Program Areas: Math

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 11/13/09

Amount: $6,000.00

Website: http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=1330

Availability: All States

Grant Name: Exemplary Reading Program Award

Funded by: International Reading Association

Description: The Exemplary Reading Program Award recognizes outstanding reading and language arts programs at all grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school). Its purpose is to call the public’s attention to outstanding programs in schools throughout Canada and the United States. Each participating state and province can choose one winning school a year. All public, private, and parochial schools in the United States and Canada are eligible for the award provided the state or province in which the school is located has an Exemplary Reading Program Award Committee currently in place to judge program applications from that state or province, At least one faculty or staff member of that school is a current IRA member

Program Areas: Reading

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Faith-based

Proposal Deadline: 11/15/09

Amount: $500.00

Website: >http://www.reading.org/association/awards/professional_exemplary.html

Availability: All States

Friday, October 16, 2009

Consistency Is the Key

It is not unusual for schools to want or need grant money. Unfortunately, there’s a huge difference between wanting and actually receiving grants. The key to getting grant money -- and to keeping it coming -- is consistency. In the paragraphs that follow, I will identify three key areas where consistency counts when it comes to grants and grant writing.

First, to earn grants you must consistently assess school programs to identify weak or problem areas. You can’t do that just once a year or several times in one year and then stop. Assessment must be regular and ongoing. Some programs garner poor results from the start. Others may be successful for a while and then falter. It goes without saying that every program you use, whether it relates to reading, math, science, after-school, service learning, music... must be regularly assessed to ensure you’re reaching the goals you set. If you don’t do that, you won’t know you have problems and you won’t have the statistical documentation you need to successfully apply for grants.

Second, to win grants you must consistently search for the grants that align with your school's needs. Grants are not all announced at the first of the year or the start of the school year. New and updated grant information is announced on a daily basis. If you are not routinely (and consistently) monitoring grant sources, you’re going to miss some of the very best grant opportunities. You should look for grants on a weekly basis, or at the very least once a month, because many grants have fairly short deadlines.

Third, you must consistently apply for grants. Winning grant money is a numbers game. The more quality grant applications you put in the mail or send via the Internet, the greater your chances of winning grant money. Send in just one application and you may or may not be awarded grant money. Send in five applications and your chances have improved dramatically. Apply for ten grants and you’re almost assured of getting at least some grant money.

There has never been more grant money available. Consequently, there has never been a better time to apply for grants. And the best way to ensure that your school gets its share of this grant money is to be consistent.
  • Consistently assess the needs of your school.
  • Consistently search for grants that match closely with your school’s needs.
  • Consistently apply for those grants over the coming weeks and months.
Then, and only then, will you consistently win the grant money your school needs to correct its problems, build achievement, and ensure success.

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant

Funded by: Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation

Description: The Fall 2009 cycle is open for the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation Toolbox for Education grant program. Through the program, Lowe's will donate a total of $5 million to U.S. public schools and public school parent teacher groups at more than one thousand public schools. For the 2009-10 program, Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation will increase its focus on basic one-time project needs. Any individual nonprofit public K-12 school or parent group associated with a nonprofit public K-12 school is eligible to apply. Parent groups (PTO, PTA, etc.) that are applying must have an independent tax ID number and official 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. Groups that do not have 501(c)(3) status should apply through their school. Applicant school must be more than two years old. Preschools are not eligible. The program prioritizes funding requests that have a permanent impact such as facility enhancement (both indoor and outdoor) as well as landscaping/clean up type projects. Projects that encourage parent involvement and build stronger community spirit will be favored. Grants may be requested for amounts between $2,000 and $5,000.

Program Areas: Facilities/Maintenance, Health/PE, Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: 10/16/09

Amount: $2,000.00 - $5,000.00

Website: http://www.toolboxforeducation.com

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: AeroGrow Growing Kids Awards

Funded by: National Gardening Association

Description: The AeroGarden is an innovative solution for bringing gardening activities into the classroom. The AeroGrow Growing Kids Awards, sponsored by AeroGrow International, Inc., will provide 300 educators nationwide with this useful, hands-on tool to enrich and enhance the study of nutrition and life science in the classroom. This award is open to K-6 classrooms in the United States with a minimum of 15 students who plan to use indoor gardens to teach nutrition and life science. This year 300 schools will be selected to receive an AeroGrow Growing Kids Award. Each winning program will receive: an AeroGarden Classic valued at $150 and an AeroGrow Salad Greens Seed Kit.

Program Areas: Health/PE, Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 10/24/09

Amount: $150.00

Website: http://www.kidsgardening.com/grants/GrowingKids.asp

Availability: All States

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Making the Call

September is here, and students are back in school. This is the time of year many educators apply for grants. This period is a good time to apply because writing a grant proposal can take considerable effort, and while students get settled in, you may have more time now than later for grant writing. If you're going to do all the work that goes into applying for a grant, you should give yourself every chance of focusing on and winning that grant.

One of the least utilized but most effective ways to increase the chances of getting your grant proposal funded is to make a phone call and speak directly to the contact person listed for that grant. Typically, this contact person will be more knowledgeable about the grant than anyone else. You might even get tips to better your chances for receiving the grant. At the very least, you can get more information from the contact person, and the more information you have about the inner workings of a grant the better your chances of getting that grant money.

A phone call is especially helpful when you are applying for foundation grants. Many foundations are run by a small board, and the contact person usually sits on that board and helps decide which grant applications to fund. The contact person can tell you if your project really fits the scope of the foundation. Matching your need with the intent of the foundation is absolutely critical, and a phone call can often save you tremendous time and effort. In some cases, you'll abandon your application to the particular foundation because you'll find that the fit is not there. More often, you'll be able to make your application much clearer and more persuasive by having one or more conversations with the contact person.

State and federal grant applications are much more complicated than those offered by foundations. For that reason, a phone call to the contact person can help tremendously as you plan. That contact person can clarify parts of the complex grant application. If you truly understand the information the application seeks, you can pinpoint your narrative and make your application much more clear and concise. Since almost all of these grants are competitive, speaking with the contact person may give you just the advantage you need to gain a higher score than other schools competing for the same money.

Please be aware that some granting entities ask you not to call them. Quite often they give an email address as an alternative to a phone number. Even though a phone call is typically more productive, use whatever means of communication is available to get all the information you can before you apply for a grant.

The easiest way to get contact names, phone numbers, or email addresses for a grant is to use a good grant database such as the one Discount School Supply offer to you for free. However, you should be able to track down the information by using a search engine to find online grant announcements, which often include contact information.

I give information about applying for grants on a daily basis. I can't give you better advice than to "Make the call."

One phone call will tell you:
1) if you should apply for the grant, and
2) how to apply more efficiently and effectively if the grant is a good match for your school's needs.

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Teacher Grants

Funded by: The Kids in Need Foundation

Description: Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to provide innovative learning opportunities for their students. The Kids In Need Foundation helps to engage students in the learning process by supporting our most creative and important educational resource — our nation's teachers. All certified K-12 teachers in the U.S. are eligible.

Program Areas: Math, Reading, Science/Environment, Technology, All Other

Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter Schools

Proposal Deadline: 9/30/09

Average amount: $100 - $500

Contact Person: Penny Hawk

Telephone: 877-296-1231

Email: info@kidsinneed.net

Website: http://www.kidsinneed.net

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: State Farm Youth Advisory Board Grants

Funded by: State Farm Youth Advisory Board

Description: Grants given exclusively for service-learning in the areas of: 1) driver safety, 2) environmental responsibility, 3) financial literacy, 4) access to higher education/closing the achievement gap, 5) disaster preparedness.

Program Areas: After-School, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, Family Services, Science/Environment, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 10/2/09

Average Amount: $25,000 - $100,000

Contact Person: Matt Maloney

Telephone: 309-766-7554

Email: matthew.maloney.mm2e@statefarm.com

Website: http://www.statefarmyab.com/

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants

Funded by: National Endowment for the Humanities

Description: The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) invites applications to the Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants program. This program is designed to encourage innovations in the digital humanities. By awarding relatively small grants to support the planning stages, NEH aims to encourage the development of innovative projects that promise to benefit the humanities.

Program Areas: Library, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 10/6/2009

Average Amount: $5,000 - $50,000

Email: odh@neh.gov

Website: http://www.neh.gov/grants/index.html

Availability: All States

Friday, August 21, 2009

Getting an Edge on Your Grant Competition

To consistently win competitive grant money, you must have an edge on your competition. One easy way to do that is to make sure you thoroughly address every part of a grant application. If you leave out a part-- or simply put in "fluff" to meet the application requirements-- it is likely your grant application will not be competitive and you will not receive money.

Let's say you are going to fill out an application for a reading grant... The grant application has seven parts, and one part deals with community involvement. You are trying to write a grant for a reading lab that, in your initial planning, would not require community involvement. The other six parts of the application are worth 95 percent; the community involvement part is worth only 5 percent. You simply decide not to fill out the community involvement part of the application because the rest of your application is strong enough that the 5 percent won't matter. That would be a devastating mistake.

Many grants are so competitive that the funded applications have scores of 97 percent or higher. Those other grant writers knew that in order to be competitive they needed every single point they could muster.

But you say, "I'd never leave a section of a grant application blank. I'd put something in there whether we intended to implement it or not." That's the second biggest mistake you could make. Believe me, grant readers are pretty good at sniffing out the fluff and the disingenuous. Now for the solution: In the planning stages, even before you begin to write your grant, make sure you have a good, strong, balanced program that more than meets the criteria for every required section. Be sure that every required area actually enhances your program.

Be sure the community is involved in your reading lab in a way that will make your reading scores increase and make the community feel as if they played a role as partners in the new program. In essence, regardless of the requirements of the grant, you should write each section as if it is the only section the grant readers will score. Make each section that good and that vital to the overall program, and you will get the points you need to win most of the grants you write.

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Technology Grants for Rural Schools

Funded by: Foundation for Rural Education and Development

Description: Technology Grants for Rural Schools program was created to help meet the growing need for innovative technology in the classroom. The grants are funded by a donation from Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative (RTFC) and strive to help public schools in rural areas served by OPASTCO members bring modern computers to every classroom, connect schools to the information superhighway and make sure that effective and engaging software and online resources are an integral part of the school curriculum.

Program Areas: Technology Recipients: Public School Private/Charter School Proposal

Deadline: 9/14/2009

Total Amount: $50,000.00

Average Amount: $10,000.00

Website: http://www.fred.org/pdfs/2009techgrant_web.pdf

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: ING Foundation Educational Grants

Funded by: ING

Foundation Description: As part of their commitment to educators, ING honors excellence in education through a series of programs and sponsorships.

Program Areas: Arts, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education, Health/PE, Math, Reading, Science/Environment, Social Studies, Vocational Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter Schools, Higher Education Proposal

Deadline: 9/5/09

Average amount: $200 - $400,000

Telephone: 770-980-6580

E-mail: ingfoundation@us.ing.com

Website: http://www.ing-usa.com/us/aboutING/CorporateCitizenship/index.htm

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Kinder Morgan Foundation Education Grants

Funded by: Kinder Morgan Foundation

Description: Grants are primarily directed to educational programs for youth in grades K-12. Funding is provided to local, state, provincial and regional educational institutions, libraries, and programs that provide ongoing support such as Junior Achievement. The foundation also supports youth programs provided by local arts organizations, symphony orchestras, museums, and others. Initial approach is to contact the foundation for application form, which is required.

Program Areas: Arts, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education, Library, Math, Reading, Science/ Environmental, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Other Proposal

Deadline: 9/10/09

Average Amount: $3,500 - $5,000

Telephone: 303-763-3471

E-mail: km_foundation@kindermorgan.com

Website: http://www.kindermorgan.com/community/km_foundation.cfm

Availability: All States

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Closing the Gap: Your Ticket to Grant Money

One of the easiest ways to acquire grant money for your school is to find an achievement gap to close. Almost every school has some type of achievement gap; and many granting entities are interested in investing their money to help close those gaps. Find the gap(s) in your school and you might be on your way to some grant money.

Typically, serious achievement gaps exist between economically advantaged and disadvantaged students. Gaps of that nature can be found in many, many schools. Differences of 2 years or more in reading and math levels are frequently found when the achievement of economically disadvantaged students is compared to those who are not.

Other gaps may exist between minority and non-minority students and between suburban, rural, and urban students. Minority, rural, and inner-city students may appear to lag in achievement because of their race or where they live but, on closer observation, it is often their economic status that produces gaps.

Some gaps can be traced to reduced expectations on the part of parents, educators, or the community as a whole. Grant money may be useful in implementing programs to reduce those gaps too.

Another achievement gap, which is typically not explained by economics, is one that can exist between male and female students in the mathematics and science areas. All too often that gap can be tracked to lower expectations by teachers and the larger educational community. Grant money can help schools build high expectations and achievement for all.
Achievement gaps can usually be pinpointed by comparing test scores of various student groups. If you find one or more of the achievement gaps I've mentioned in your school or classroom, remember that the existence of that gap provides an excellent reason to apply for grants to help reduce or eliminate it.

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Striving Readers Program

Funded by: U.S. Department of Education

Description: The purpose of the Striving Readers program is to 1) raise literacy levels of adolescent students in Title I-eligible schools with significant numbers of students reading below grade level and 2) build a strong, scientific research base for identifying and replicating strategies that improve adolescent literacy instruction.

Program Areas: Reading

Recipients: Public Schools

Proposal Deadline: 8/10/09

Average Amount: $750,000 to $1.3 million

Contact Person: Marcia Kingman

Telephone: 202-401-0003

Email: Marcia.kingman@ed.gov

Website: http://www. ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/applicant.html

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: NEA Foundation Green Grants

Funded by: NEA Foundation

Description: Over the past decade, the NEA Foundation has invested more than $5.9 million in grants to support and grow the ideas of more than 2,000 educators nationwide. Public school educators PreK-16 are invited to apply for the popular Student Achievement and Learning & Leadership grants at www.neafoundation.org/grants. A new online application makes applying easier and more convenient than ever. For those grant writers who have questions, the Foundation has posted an instructional video to guide grant writers through the process step by step. Deadlines for applications are June 1, October 15, and February 1. This year, the Foundation will emphasize "green" grants, because some of the most innovative and impactful projects involve students learning about and engaging in environmental preservation and protection. From publishing books on ecological restoration to designing lessons on renewable energy, NEA Foundation grantees are getting results.

Program Areas: Science/Environment

Recipients: Public Schools

Proposal Deadline: 10/15/09

Average Amount: $2,000 to $5,000

Website: http://www.neafoundation.org/grants.htm

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Union Pacific Education Grants

Funded by: Union Pacific Foundation

Description: Giving on a national basis in areas of company operations to support zoos and aquariums and organizations involved with arts and culture, education, the environment, health, youth development, human services, community development, and leadership development.

Program Areas: Arts, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education,
Health/PE, Library, Professional Development

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 8/15/09

Average Amount: $1,000 to $200,000

Telephone: 402-271-5600

Average Amount: $1,000 to $200,000

Email: upf@up.com

Website: http://www.up.com/found

Availability: All States

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Four Basic Steps for Winning School Grants

Winning grant money for your school is not nearly as difficult as many educators think. It requires work -- as does anything else worthwhile -- but if you follow four basic steps consistently and persistently, you will win grant money for your school.

Step 1: First, you need to determine the main problem(s) that needs to be addressed on your campus or in your district. That problem usually reveals itself when you assess programs you are using. If you look at your annual goal for a program, and your assessment indicates you did not come close to achieving that goal, you have identified a definite problem. Additionally, you might need to address new situations that crop up -- problems such increases in students with ADHD or autism, a large increase in teen mothers, or an increase in the number of students who speak limited English. So, first step, you need to identify the problem you would like to address with grant money.

Step 2: Next, you need to match the problem identified to a granting entity that is interested in helping with that type of problem. That granting agency might be the federal government, your state government, a foundation, or a business. Those four provide 99 percent of all grant money in the United States. Your best bet for tracking down an appropriate granting entity is to use a school grant database, subscribe to a school grant newsletter, or use search engines such as Google on the Internet. The fastest and most efficient way to match your needs with appropriate grants is by using a grant database. The cheapest way is by using the Internet.

Step 3: Once you have identified potential granting agencies, you must develop a plan to solve or alleviate your problem using the grant money for which you will apply. You must convince the potential grantors that you understand your problem and you know how to fix it. They also need to know if you are using their money exclusively or if the district, campus, or other grantors will also be providing money. Your plan will need to include concrete, measureable goals so both you and the grantor will know if your problem was appropriately addressed and whether or not the money helped improve -- or solve -- the problem you identified.

Step 4: Finally, you must put together a quality grant application. You don't have to be a professional grant writer. If you can read, write, and follow directions well, you should be fine. If you are new to grant writing, and you're applying for a large state or federal grant that is highly competitive, it may be in your best interest to hire a professional grant writer until you get more experience. Grant applications vary greatly. Applications for business or foundation grants are generally shorter and easier to complete. Grant applications for state and federal governments tend to be much longer and much more involved. Don't let that discourage you though. Just complete one section at a time thoroughly and completely. Also, make sure your application reaches the grantor by the grant deadline.

That's it. Four steps. Seems simple enough. Yet whole books have been written on those four steps. And, as simple as those four steps seem, thousands of campuses and districts have never applied for a single grant.

If there is one overriding rule in grant writing, it's this: you will never get a grant for your school if you never apply. So (1) identify a problem that needs attention, (2) identify a grantor(s) who can help solve your problem, (3) develop a plan to solve the problem, and (4) write a quality grant application. Those four simple steps can bring tens of thousands -- if not hundreds of thousands -- of grant dollars your way. You don't need magic. You don't need luck. You just need determination and work to get your share of school grant dollars.

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Technology Inspired Le@ding Store Donation Grants

Funded by: Best Buy Stores

Description: Donations are given to schools, libraries and after-school clubs. Donations are made in the form of product or Best Buy Gift Cards. Local store employees decide how to support their community.

Program Areas: After School, General Education, Math, Reading, Science/Environment, Social Studies, Technology

Recipients: Public School, Private School

Proposal Deadline: None

Amount: $500 - $2,000

Telephone: 612-291-6108

Website: http://communications.bestbuy.com/communityrelations/our_programs.asp

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Adopt-A-Classroom Educational Grants

Funded by: Adopt-A-Classroom

Description: Teachers who register at the Adopt-a-Classroom Website can be adopted by an individual, a business, or a foundation. Once adopted, teachers will receive $500 worth of credit to purchase items that enrich the learning environment, including classroom technology.

Program Areas: General Education, Science/Environment, Social Studies

Recipients: Public Schools

Proposal Deadline: None

Amount: $500.00

Telephone: 877-444-7666

Email: rhegberg@adoptaclassroom.com

Website: http://www.adoptaclassroom.com

Availability: All States

Friday, June 12, 2009

The Case for Writing Classroom Grants

Many classroom grants offer sums in the $500 to $1,000 range. That's really not much money, but if used properly that money can change a classroom as much or more than $500,000 can change a district.

I am a firm believer in encouraging teachers to write grants, no matter how small the sum. For teachers who have earned grant money in this way, it is much less about the money and so much more about the change and the excitement the grant money can generate.

While this blog has many readers who occupy district-level administrative positions, including district grant writers, thousands of readers are classroom teachers. If you are a district grant writer or an administrator, I hope you pass this blog along to classroom teachers in your building or district. It might amaze you how much grant money can be generated if enough teachers have access to information about the classroom grants that are available.

As I said above, grants are not really about the money. They are more about change, creativity, and hope. Classroom teachers can often stretch $500 to $1,000 a very long way. It doesn't matter if it comes from Target, Wal-Mart, Lowes, DonorsChoose.org, or a host of other businesses and foundations that offer classroom grants. A small grant can make a big difference to a classroom with a creative teacher.

I've known teachers who purchased a special set of books, organized a unique field trip, developed an unusual set of math manipulatives, purchased unique art supplies, developed an anti-litter campaign, or started a number of other interesting programs that would never have happened without the money from a small classroom grant. It's amazing how much some of those teachers accomplished with unexpected, outside-the-budget money. What would you do in your classroom with an extra unbudgeted $1,000?

It's interesting to me how many foundations and businesses offer smaller classroom grants. Millions of dollars are funneled to classroom teachers in this way. Many grant givers have chosen this route because they want to have a direct impact on the needs of individual classrooms and students. They feel they can do so much more by giving $500 to 100 teachers than by giving $50,000 to a district. They often view the small classroom grants they give as seed money. If that small amount of money can have a large impact on one classroom, perhaps a district will end up seeing sense in routing that same amount of money to other classrooms for the same impact.

Applications for classroom grants are usually short, and they can often be completed online. They require very little time to complete and are not nearly as complex as larger grants. Since most classroom teachers spend at least $500 of their own money on classroom materials each year, it could be well worth their while to give up an hour or two to complete a couple of simple applications that might yield that much grant money for their classrooms each year.

Getting a small classroom grant can make a big difference to teachers, classrooms, and students. It's not just the money that matters. It's the excitement that money can generate when injected into the classroom. It's free money on which small classroom dreams can be built.

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity!

Grant Name: Captain Planet Foundation Education Grants

Funded by: The Captain Planet Foundation

Description: The foundation supports projects that 1) promote understanding of environmental issues; 2) focus on hands-on involvement; 3) involve children and young adults ages 6-18 (elementary through high school); 4) promote interaction and cooperation within the group; 5) help young people develop planning and problem solving skills; 6) include adult supervision; 7) and commit to follow-up communication with the foundation (specific requirements are explained once the grant has been awarded).

Program Areas: Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education, Science/Environment, Social Studies, Other

Recipients: Public School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 6/30/09, 9/30/09

Amount: $250.00 - $2,500.00

Telephone: 404-522-4270

Contact Person: Taryn Murphy

Email: tarynm@captainplanetfdn.org

Website: http://www.captainplanetfoundation.org/

Availability: All States

Check It Out! Grant Opportunity!

Grant Name: Redwood Education Grant

Funded by: Save the Redwoods League

Description: Firsthand visits to a redwood park, particularly as children during family visits, have traditionally nurtured support for redwood forest conservation. Current trends in changing population demographics within the state and nation, as well as shifting lifestyle and cultural preferences, are decreasing general public exposure to the outdoors, including the redwood forest. Save the Redwoods League believes that if people experience the majesty and ecological complexity of the redwoods, they will be inspired to support the protection of the redwood forest. These experiences may also nurture a greater conservation ethic in other areas of their lives.

Mission: The Education Grants Program was established in 2000 to foster a deeper understanding of redwood forests through personal visits and educational experiences among a broad, diverse audience.

Program Areas: Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 6/30/09

Amount: $500.00 - $3,000.00

Telephone: 415-362-2352

Contact Person: Susan Ingersoll

Email: education@savetheredwoods.org

Website: http://www.savetheredwoods.org/education/edgrants.shtml

Availability: All States

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

A Good Time To Write Grants: Summer Vacation

I have a true appreciation for the value of summer vacation. I was, after all, an educator for twenty years. It's a great time to relax with your family and recharge your batteries. It's a time for reading good books, lying on a beach somewhere, or heading to a resort or spa. But summer vacation is also an excellent time to apply for grants for your classroom, campus, or district.

Why should you spend part of your summer vacation applying for grants? There are many reasons. First and foremost, there is less competition for grants because most educators don't give up their vacation time to write grants for their schools. Less competition means a greater chance of getting a grant request funded. It's a simple arithmetic: the number of grants is static and fewer people are applying. Your chances of being funded go up.

While there are quite a few state and federal grants available at this time of year, most foundation grants have at least one of their deadlines during the summer months. That means you can apply for those foundation grants before the summer deadline, be awarded the grant, and have the grant money available for the fall semester.

You might also want to look for foundation grants that have no deadlines. Since there are no specific deadlines, almost all educators will apply for them between September and May. When you apply for this type of grant during the summer, you could stand a greater chance of winning grant money because there is so much less competition.

Since foundation grant applications are much shorter and simpler than state or federal applications, you could apply for several foundation grants in the same time it would take to apply for just one state or federal grant. The more applications you submit, the greater your chances of winning grant money.

One other reason educators should write grants in June, July, and August is that there are far fewer distractions during the summer. Since very few districts have full-time grant writers, almost any educator applying for grants during the school year has many other responsibilities. Since grant writing is not that person's primary responsibility, it makes it easy to procrastinate or put grant writing off entirely. On the other hand, the summer vacation period is more relaxed for most educators. It is so much easier to write successful grants when you don't have competing responsibilities and can concentrate on one job at a time.

I'm not suggesting you spend your entire summer vacation in an office applying for one grant after another. Instead, take a couple of days each week or a couple of weeks during the summer and apply for several grants. Come fall or the second semester when you have that extra grant money to improve your programs, you'll be glad you did.

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Computers for Learning

Funded by: U.S. General Services Administration

Description: This is not a grant for money, but instead for computers for your school. In order to encourage and promote the reuse of computers, GSA is proud to sponsor the new re-engineered Computers for Learning (CFL) website. The CFL program evolved as a guide for implementing Executive Order 12999, Educational Technology: Ensuring Opportunity for all Children in the Next Century. The Executive Order encourages agencies, to the extent permitted by law, to transfer computers and related peripheral equipment excess to their needs directly to schools and some educational nonprofit organizations. The CFL program specifically matches the computer needs of schools and educational nonprofit organizations with excess equipment in Federal agencies.

Program Areas:
General Education, Technology

Recipients: Public School, Private Schools, Faith-based, Other

Proposal Deadline: no deadline

Website: http://computersforlearning.gov/htm/hp_aboutprogram.htm

Availability: All States

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Qwest Foundation Grants

Funded by: The Qwest Foundation

Description: The Qwest Foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives of customers and the communities we serve. It's more than just caring; it's a commitment to making a difference. The Qwest Foundation awards grants that generate high impact and measurable results through community-based programs in the area of pre-K through 12 education. We encourage you to learn more about the Foundation and request funding for your program. School districts, 501(c)s, or state boards of education may apply for these grants.

Program Areas: After-School, At-Risk/Character, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, Early Childhood, General Education, Health/PE, Reading, Safe/Drug-Free Schools, Science/Environmental, Social Studies, Special Education

Recipients: Public School, Other

Proposal Deadline: No deadline

Average Amount: $10,000.00 - $500,000.00

Website: http://www.qwest.com/about/company/community/foundation.html

Availability: All States

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Reward for Good Assessment – Grant Money

Last time, I wrote that late spring is a critical time for writing summer-school and fall grants. It is also a critical time for assessing all the programs you already have in place. By this time in the school year, you should have at least a semester or a full year of data. You should know whether or not you've met your goals. Assessment of your efforts during late spring is important information that will drive your next round of grant writing.

As regular readers of this blog are no doubt aware, I write frequently about assessment. I don't apologize for that because good assessment is essential to writing good grants. The following are four ways in which strong assessment can help you acquire the grant money you need.

First, good assessment lets you know where you've missed the mark. It can help pinpoint the obstacles to achievement that your district or campus faces. To get a handle on those obstacles, they have to be measured. How many students are failing? Is attendance rising or falling? Are disciplinary problems getting more serious each year? Did the new reading program close the gap between disadvantaged students and others? There are a multitude of areas that need to be assessed in any school. To write that grant application, first and foremost you need to be able to document where achievement gaps exist.

Good assessments also let you know how bad the problems have gotten. For example, it is a problem if your attendance went down by 1 percent during the last year. It's a huge problem if it went down by 7 percent. It's a problem if your failure rate is 5 percent. It is a big problem if your failure rate went from 5 to 10 percent during the past year. The larger problems are usually the ones that warrant grant money. If the problem is large enough, it is doubtful that enough money can be diverted from the regular budget to cope with a serious or widespread problem.

Assessments allow you to match up problems with granting entities that are interested in helping you solve those problems. Some grants are primarily for helping disadvantaged students catch up in reading or math. If your needs assessment shows you have that particular problem, it makes it easy to match your needs with a grantor. The same is true for problems in readiness, technology, the arts, or almost any other area. By clearly defining your problems with a needs assessment, finding grant money becomes much easier and less time consuming.

Finally, good assessments give you data you need to support your grant application.Exactly how big is the problem you're trying to fix? Exactly how much will it cost to implement a program that shows promise of addressing that problem? This type of data comes from a thorough needs assessment and goes a long way in your application to convince others that you are fully aware of the problems you face and that you have a good plan for fixing them.

It's true that now is the time you should be writing grants for your summer-school and fall-semester programs. It is imperative, however, that you do a thorough needs assessment at this time of year so you can measure the problems you have, use that data to find the grant money you need, and successfully apply for that grant money.

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: DonorsChoose.org Grants

Funded by: DonorsChoose.org

Description: DonorsChoose.org is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit web site, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, whom we call Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund.

Program Areas: Adult Literacy, After-School, Arts, At-Risk/Character, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, Disabilities, Early Childhood, ESL/Bilingual/Foreign Language, Facilities/Maintenance, Family Services, General Education, Health/PE, Homeless, Indian, Journalism, Library, Math, Migrant, Miscellaneous, Professional Development, Reading, Safe/Drug Free Schools, Science/Environmental, Social Studies, Special Education, TAG, Technology, Transportation, Vocational

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: no deadline

Website: http://www.donorschoose.org/teacher/index.html

Availability: All States

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Ben & Jerry Grants

Funded by: Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, Inc.

Description: The foundation supports organizations involved with the environment, employment, health, agriculture, housing, youth citizenship, civil rights, community development, civic affairs, minorities, women, immigrants, economically disadvantaged people, and the homeless. Special emphasis is directed toward programs designed to facilitate progressive social change and environmental work.

Program Areas: Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education, Health/PE, Homeless, Science/Environmental

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: No deadline

Average Amount: $200.00 - $1,000.00

Contact Person: Debby Kessler, Administrative Assistant

Telephone: 802-846-1500

Website: http://www.benjerry.com/foundation/index.html

Availability: All States

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

April & May -- The Perfect Time To Apply for Grants

Spring is a critical time for schools and grant writing. Between now and the end of the school year you should be applying for grants for both summer school and the fall semester. Unfortunately, just when educators should have their keyboards smoking from turning out all those grant applications, many of you are gradually shutting down your grant-writing activities as summer approaches. That's why I think this is a good time for me to review 1) the reasons you should apply for grants in the first place and 2) why spring is an ideal time of year to be doing that.

Why should you apply for grants anyway? It's a lot of work to pull together a grant application. And it's even more work if you're fortunate enough to receive the grant: you have to keep records, prove that you've spent the money properly, and record the results of your program. Even if those results are not positive. So why would you even put yourself through the grant-writing process?

The most immediate and seemingly logical answer to that question is, "For the money, of course." But don't be too hasty with that response. The best, most successful grants are not usually written with just the money in mind. True, money can help move along the change process, but if your purpose for writing grants is truly to better the lives of students and teachers, the chance for success in doing that improves dramatically with a grant program in place.

What challenges are your students facing? What do they need help learning in your school? What behaviors are they exhibiting that might get in the way of achievement? Can your students read at grade level? Can they speak English well enough to live productively in American society? Are your teachers trained well enough to truly educate every child in their classrooms? Get passionate! Write a grant to change lives. That passion and determination will come across in your grant application, and it will show up in the results you eventually achieve.

It's time to write those summer school and fall semester grants now. Don't put it off. Don't shut down early because summer is just around the corner. Get that keyboard humming. Apply for several grants in April and May -- not just for the money, but for the positive change you can affect in the lives of your students and teachers.

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Literacy and Education Grants

Funded by: Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation

Description: Literacy and education grants to help children are awarded twice a year for specific programs with measurable outcomes. We desire to provide support for children in literacy and education programs such as summer reading programs, early childhood education programs and literacy programs for children with special needs. The grant request deadlines are at the end of February, May, August, and November.

Program Areas: After-School, Disabilities, Early Childhood, Reading, Special Education

Recipients: Public School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 5/31/2009

Proposal Deadline Description: End May, August, and November for 2009

Average Amount: $1,000.00 - $10,000.00

Website: http://www.buildabear.com/aboutus/community/grants/

Availability: All States

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Does Your Campus Need a Grant Committee?

Individual school campuses can often benefit from having a grant committee. Committees can do needs assessments, gather supportive data, and even prepare quality grant applications. While committees can move slowly and get bogged down with mundane issues, they can also be catalysts for great change. If your campus is not receiving grant money each year from at least one or two sources, that may be a sign that you should establish a grant committee.

It's a simple fact that most school districts do not have full-time grant writers. That means grant information coming into the district is handled by someone who has many other duties. Grant information worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to a district can sit around unopened for weeks at a time, often until it is too late to apply for the grants in question. It's even worse at the campus level; it is very rare for grant information to filter down from the district to campus level.

Not only will an aggressive grant committee receive all grant correspondence sent to it, members of the committee will also be charged with seeking out grant opportunities that are tailor-made for the campus. By closely tracking grant announcements that come in through the mail, newsletters, and grant databases, grant committees can find dozens of grant opportunities that would otherwise go undetected. Your campus will never get the grant money it needs if it's not aware of all the opportunities available.

A good grant committee can also serve another valuable purpose: it can help assess the needs of the campus. It takes time to survey the faculty and the students, study national and state test scores, evaluate attendance and disciplinary data, and sort through a host of other data. But that data is the very information that can tell schools where problems exist and where grant money can be best directed to result in positive change. A good grant committee can help review the data, recommend helpful programs, and find grants to underwrite the cost of programs.

Finally, the grant committee can either appoint some of its own members to complete grant applications or find a professional grant writer who will work with the committee. If someone within the campus committee is going to write the grants, that person should -- if at all possible -- receive an extra stipend. Almost everyone who works in a school setting already has a full-time job. If a person is going to use nights, weekends, holidays, or summers to write grants, that person should be paid for the effort.

Since few districts and fewer campuses have full-time grant writers, it makes sense to form a grant committee at the campus level. Those committees can receive all correspondence related to grants, assess problem areas that may be addressed with grant money, find appropriate grants for the campus, and include a member(s) who can complete the grant application or oversee a professional grant writer outside the committee.

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity


Grant Name: LEGO Children’s Fund Grants

Funded by: LEGO Children’s Fund

Description: The LEGO Children’s Fund will provide quarterly grants for programs, either in part or in total, with a special interest paid to collaborative efforts and in providing matching funds to leverage new dollars into the receiving organization. We will give priority consideration to programs that both meet our goals and are supported in volunteer time and effort by our employees.

Program Areas: After-School, At-Risk/Character, General Education, Health/PE, Math, Reading, Science/Environment, Social Studies, TechnologyRecipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other Proposal Deadline: 5/1/2009 Proposal Deadline Description: Quarterly deadlines are Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1, Nov.1 Average Amount: $500.00 - $5,000.00

Email: legochildrensfund@lego.com

Website: http://www.legochildrensfund.org/Guidelines.html

Availability: All States

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Is There Any Grant Money Still Available?

Is grant money drying up because of the recession? Without hesitation, I can definitely say, "No, it is not." I know that for a fact because the Discount School Supply free grant database currently lists more grants than ever. Thousands of grants are available to all types of schools, but grant seekers need to understand the different types of grants that are available and where to look for them.

There are three basic types of competitive grants:1) federal grants, 2) state grants, and 3) foundation or private grants. "Competitive" means that each grant offering begins with a total amount of money, schools apply for a portion of that money, and the schools with the greatest need and the best applications are awarded the grant money for which they applied. In other words, you have to compete for the money available. Some schools win the grant money, some don't.

While many educators were afraid that federal grant money would virtually disappear because of the deteriorating economy, the exact opposite is true. The word is out that spending for education may very well be the one topic on which Democrats and Republicans can agree. Within the next few months, and continuing through the next several years, expect to see a large number of federal grant announcements. Information on those grants is often sent to your district's central office, so you may have to use your own initiative to find information about new federal grants.

As far as state grants are concerned, it is true that many states are having a difficult time financially and may not have a lot of money to fund grants. The fact is, however, that quite a bit of federal grant money is actually distributed through your state education agency. Regardless of your state's financial problems, you will still see an increase in state grants as each state is given the task of dispersing a portion of the large amount of federal grant money that will become available. Again, information on these grants is typically sent to your district's central office. If you're not in the central office, you may have to track down news of these grants yourself.

Finally, most of the thousands of foundations that give grant money to schools will continue to do so. For one thing, they are required to give a certain amount of grant money each year in order to keep their tax-exempt status. While it is true that some foundations may give less money than they have given in the past, they will still be sponsoring grants at some level while other foundations will grant more than ever before. Unfortunately, foundations do not typically advertise their grant programs. You have to search out these opportunities in a grant database or find them on the Internet.

If you are interested in applying for grant money for your school, you will be applying for federal grants, state grants, or foundation grants. Take it from someone who keeps his ear close to the ground, grant money is still definitely available and may very well increase in the near future. Who gets all that grant money? Schools that concentrate first on getting comprehensive information about each grant as soon as it is announced will get their share. Schools that write good, strong, competitive grant proposals well before the deadline will get their share. And schools that consistently and persistently apply for grants -- month after month, year after year -- will get their share. By doing all of those things, you can make sure your school gets its share of available grants, too.

Check it Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Books for Children Grants
Funded by: The Libri Foundation

Description: The Foundation supports the concept that children who learn to enjoy reading at an early age continue to read throughout their lives. In order to develop a love of reading, children must have access to books which stretch their imaginations, touch their emotions, expand their horizons. The Foundation works with the library's Friends of the Library or other local organizations because we believe in community involvement and want to encourage and reward local support of libraries. The Friends, or other local sponsors, can contribute from $50 to $350 which the Foundation matches on a 2-to-1 ratio. Thus, a library can receive up to $1,050 worth of new, quality, hardcover children's books through the Foundation's "Books for Children" program.

Program Areas: After-School, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, Early Childhood, Library, Reading
Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other
Proposal Deadline: 4/15/2009
Proposal Deadline Description: Jan. 23, April 15 and Aug. 15; annual deadlines
Contact Person: Ms. Barbara J. McKillip, President
Address: P.O. Box 10246, Eugene, OR 97440
Telephone: 541-747-9655
Email: libri@librifoundation.org
Website: http://www.librifoundation.org/#GUIDE
Availability: All States

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Another Way To Strengthen Your Grant Proposal

When a grant reader feels that your grant project is likely to successfully address your school's problems, your application will normally rank high among their list of finalists. Last time, I discussed referencing a school with a similar population and a similar problem as a model for your own grant program. That is one way to strengthen your grant application.

Another somewhat similar way to strengthen your grant proposal is to use a successful pilot program in your own school as a model for a larger program funded by grant money. To do this, you obviously have to do two things first: 1) set up a pilot program that addresses the issue you have identified in your school, and 2) make sure it is successful and can be replicated on a larger scale.

Let me give you an example: When I became a middle school principal, our math scores were poor, especially at the seventh-grade level. After examining many alternatives, we decided that the Saxon Math program would benefit our students. On average, our seventh-graders were almost two years behind according to their standardized math scores. We didn't have a lot of money to spend to fix the problem, so we decided to pilot the Saxon Math program in one classroom. At that time, Saxon had a pilot program of their own that gave us 15 math books for a classroom when we purchased 15 books at the regular price.

We made sure that the pilot classroom was representative of our larger population. We made sure all of the classes were taught in a similar fashion except the pilot class that used the Saxon Math program exclusively. And we closely monitored results throughout the year. When our students were retested in the spring, the progress of the pilot class was far superior to the other classes. In fact, they had almost erased their two-year lag.

You may not agree with using the Saxon Math program. At the time it was fairly controversial. That's not the point. The point is that it worked for us as a pilot program, and we were then able to use that success in a grant application that netted us thousands and thousands of dollars to implement the program in all our other math classrooms. It worked very well there, too. We knew it would based on the results of our pilot program.

We used our pilot for math, but you can use a pilot program for anything: early childhood, discipline, reading, science, PE, or social studies. The subject of the pilot doesn't matter, but your pilot should be representative of the population with the problem, and it must be scalable. If it is, and you can show success with it for at least a semester, you have a very good chance of getting grant money to expand your program.

You can strengthen your grant application by referencing the success of a program in a similar school with similar problems, but the best way to strengthen your grant proposal is with the results of a successful pilot program in your own school. This method takes a little longer to develop, but it almost assures those who evaluate your grant proposal that your expanded program using grant funds will be successful.

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Captain Planet Foundation Education Grants

Funded by: The Captain Planet Foundation

Description: The foundation supports projects that: 1) Promote understanding of environmental issues; 2) Focus on hands-on involvement; 3) Involve children and young adults 6-18 (elementary through high school); 4) Promote interaction and cooperation within the group; 5) Help young people develop planning and problem solving skills; 6) Include adult supervision; 7) Commit to follow-up communication with the foundation (specific requirements are explained once the grant has been awarded).

Program Areas: Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education, Science/Environment, Social Studies

Recipients: Public Schools, Other

Proposal Deadline: 3/31/09

Average Amount: $250.00 - $2,500.00

Contact: Taryn Murphy

Telephone: 404-522-4270

E-mail: tarynm@captainplanetfdn.org

Website: http://www.captainplanetfoundation.org/

Availability: All States

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Strengthen Your Grant Proposal

The grant proposals with the greatest chance of being funded are the ones the grant readers believe have the best chance of being successfully implemented. In other words, if you are able to convince those reading and evaluating your grant proposal that you will actually be successful in correcting the problems you address in the proposal, you are much more likely to be awarded the grant money.

Any grant program is essentially a change program. There are two ways to increase the likelihood of success in any change program. The first is to copy a program that is already successful as closely as possible. The second is to pilot a small change program of your own first and then seek grant money to expand it based on the success you achieved in your pilot program. When I was principal of a middle school in Northeast Texas, we were able to capture grant money in both ways. In this post we will look at emulating another school’s program to strengthen your grant application. Next time we’ll look at using a pilot program in the same way.

If you are going to write a grant based on the success of another school, it is important that you have similar populations and similar problems to overcome. It doesn’t help to say you are going to improve your reading scores just like an adjacent school when their students were one grade level behind and yours are two grade levels behind, and they have 20% at-risk students when you have 60%. The problems don’t match, and the student population doesn’t match. A grant reader would have no reason to believe you would achieve similar success.

On the other hand, if a neighboring school has reading scores very similar to yours and their student population is similar, too, you have every reason to believe you can achieve the same success they did if you base your grant program on the same program they did and implemented it in the same way. You should include their positive results in your grant application, stressing the similarities in the two schools. Sell the idea that you can implement a similar program and get similar results.

We implemented a number of highly successful programs in the middle school I mentioned above when I was principal. In a three year period, we had more than 150 different schools visit our campus to get information about our successful programs. Many of those educators went home and implemented similar programs. Many applied for grants and used our statistics to strengthen their grant proposals.

Many visitors viewed us as great innovators. They were amazed at our successes with the difficult populations we served. The truth is that we rarely initiated a program on that campus that had not already been proven successful with a similar population in one or more other schools in Texas.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you apply for grant money to help solve a problem at your school. Find a successful school with a population similar to your own and use their successes to help strengthen your own grant proposal. I strongly recommend this approach. I’ve used it myself. It works.

Check This Out! Grant Opportunity

Grant Name: Access to Artistic Excellence

Funded by: National Endowment for the Arts

Description: To encourage and support artistic excellence, preserve our cultural heritage, and provide access to the arts for all Americans. This category supports projects that provide short-term arts exposure or arts appreciation for children and youth as well as intergenerational education projects.

Program Areas: Arts

Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter Schools, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 3/12/09

Average Amount: $5,000.00 - $150,000.00

Website: http://www.nea.gov/grants/apply/Artsed.html

Availability: All States