Grant Eligibility -- Using the DSS Grant Database

Before you apply for any grant, you need to determine if you are eligible for that particular grant. The free Discount School Supply MySchoolGrant^sm Database makes it easy for you to make that determination.

First go to the registration page. Put in your email address. Choose your state, your type of school or other, and the type of grant for which you’re searching. The database will give you a list of possible grants. For any grant that looks promising, click on “More info” under “Grant Details.”

This will give you a description of the grant, contact information, and grant eligibility. Eligibility will include public schools, private/charter schools, higher education, and/or other. “Other” is the designation given 501(c)(3)’s, other non-profits, and any for-profit organizations that may be listed.

Depending on the type of school or organization you represent, this will broadly let you know if you are eligible for that grant. Even if your type of school or organization is not listed there, however, I would still continue to do some research on eligibility if the grant looks really promising.

First, read the grant description closely. This description will sometimes narrow the eligibility to certain large cities or a particular geographic region within a state.
Next, you should click on the direct link to the website if one is listed. Complete eligibility information is always given on the grantor’s website if they have one. Read all the available information on the website thoroughly.

If you still have questions about your eligibility for that grant, use the phone number, email address, or mailing address to contact the grantor to make absolutely certain that you qualify for their grant money. I recommend making a phone call whenever possible to save time and avoid confusion. Never, ever begin applying for a grant until you know for sure that you are eligible for that grant.

Billions of dollars in grant money are distributed every year to schools and other organizations. The number one reason that these schools and organizations are not awarded the grants for which they apply is that they weren’t eligible for those particular grants to begin with.

You are likely eligible for hundreds and hundreds of grants that are listed in the free grant database provided by Discount School Supply. Use that database to its fullest extent to be sure you are indeed eligible for the grants for which you apply.

Check this out!

Grant Name: Pay It Forward Mini-Grants
Funded by: Pay It Forward Foundation
Description: The purpose of the Pay It Forward Mini-Grants is intended to fund one-time-only service-oriented projects identified by youth as activities they would like to carry out to benefit their school, neighborhood, or greater community. Projects must enclose a "pay it forward" focus - that is, they must be based on the idea of one person doing a favor for others, who in turn do favors for others, with the results increasing exponentially - to be considered in the grant making process.
Program Areas: Community Involvement/Volunteerism, All Other
Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Faith-Based, Other
Proposal Deadline: 2/15/09
Average Amount: $500.00
Email: direction@payitforwardfoundation.org
Website: http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/educators/mini-grant.html
Availability: All States