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