How to Get a School Grant

Quick Tips for Getting More Grant Money

2012-01-31T13:46:00.001-08:00

Here are 25 quick tipsfor getting more grant money:

1. Followapplication directions carefully. All ofthem.

2. Stayfocused on your need for grant money. Don’t add fluff or filler to your application.

3. Usea grant database to find grants quickly and easily.

4. Beforeyou write a grant, visit the grantor’s website.

5. Bepersistent. The more applications youcomplete, the greater your chance of getting grant money.

6. Determineyour school’s most pressing problems that could be aided using grant funding.

7. Applyfor less popular grants for less money. The competition is not usually as great.

8. Don’ttry to artificially match your needs to a grant. It’s usually a waste of time.

9. Beforeyou write a grant, get in touch with the grant contact person.

10. Makesure you list all the money and resources on your application that you haveavailable locally.

11. Writemultiple grants for a single project to make sure you get all the money youneed.

12. Competitioncan be fierce. Make sure yourapplication is of the highest quality.

13. Completeevery section of an application as if it were the only section.

14. Ifyou are not good with budgets, get a partner to do the financial part of the proposal.

15. Don’tfocus on money. Focus on studentachievement.

16. Collectall pertinent student data (economic status, failure rate, dropout rate, race,gender, etc.) before writing your needs assessment.

17. Apply for local and regional foundationgrants. There is usually lesscompetition.

18. Havevery clearly in your own mind what your school needs before you begin todescribe it to a grantor.

19. Developa program that is measurable and replicable.

20. Havea strong evaluation component that precisely measures the amount of improvementthe grant money helped you achieve.

21. Planningis extremely important in grant writing. Plan first, then write.

22. Readyour finished proposal as a grant reader would.It might surprise you.

23. Establisha timeline for applying for grants. Never miss a deadline.

24. Gethelp from those with the data you need.Don’t try to do everything yourself.

25. Makesure you let your computer check for spelling and grammar errors.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2012-01-31T13:14:00.001-08:00

GrantName: Innovationsin Reading Prize

Fundedby: National Book Foundation

Description: Each year, the National Book Foundation awards a number ofprizes of up to $2,500 each to individuals and institutions—or partnershipsbetween the two—that have developed innovative means of creating and sustaininga lifelong love of reading.

Program Areas: Reading

Recipients: Public School, Private School, Other

ProposalDeadline: 2/21/12

AverageAmount: $2,500.00

Website: http://www.nationalbook.org/innovations_in_reading.html

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2012-01-31T13:13:00.000-08:00

GrantName: SummerReading Grants

Fundedby: Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Description: Dollar General Literacy FoundationSummer Reading Grants provide funding to local nonprofit organizations andlibraries to help with the implementation or expansion of summer readingprograms. Programs must target Pre-K through 12th grade students who are newreaders, below grade level readers or readers with learning disabilities.

Program Areas: After-School, Library, Reading, Safe/Drug Free Schools

Recipients: Public School, Higher Education, Other

ProposalDeadline: 2/28/12

AverageAmount: Up to $3,000.00

Website: http://www2.dollargeneral.com/dgliteracy/Pages/summer_reading.aspx

Availability: All States

A Critical Two Months for Grant Writers

2012-01-12T12:31:00.000-08:00

The New Year has begun.It is typically a long grind from now until spring break. It is an excellent time to make progress withyour students. You should have fewdistractions and no extended holidays.It is also probably the very best time of the year to write grants foryour district, campus, or classroom.

During January and February you have moreflexibility as a grant writer than at just about any other time of theyear. Why? Because you have the opportunity to writegrants for three different segments of the school year. You still have time to write grants that canbe used during the spring semester. Youcan write grants that can be used for summer school. You can begin writing grants for the fallsemester. Only during the early fallsemester do you have this much opportunity, and often educators are so busywith the beginning of school, they don’t have time to write grants duringSeptember and October.

In one of my November posts, I told you that it wastime to begin assessing your programs so you could use that information yougained in your winter and spring grant applications. If you didn’t follow my advice then, you needto make sure you assess each of your programs immediately to measure studentgrowth during the first semester. If youdid your assessments in December, you are far ahead of the game and have allthe statistical information you need to apply for grants immediately.

If you intend to apply for grant money that can beused during the spring semester, I recommend that you find either foundation orcorporate grants with deadlines not too far in the future. You can apply for the grant, win the money,and actually receive your funding in time for it to impact your students in thecurrent semester. You should be able tofind several of these grants in the Discount School Supply® free grant database. Don’t procrastinate. If you need grant money in the near future,you have to begin working on your applications now, today.

If you’re looking for a summer school grant, youhave a little more time, but not much.Remember, you have to send in the application, get it approved, and getyour funding by the time summer school begins. Summer school grants are good to write in that you are usually helpingunderserved student populations, you’re helping to shore up either basic orhighly advanced skills, and/or you have an innovative program that you can’twait to try out. All of these make forgreat grant material. I’d try to have mygrant applications in for summer school no later than the end of February ormid-March.

Finally, if you are a long-range planner, and I hopeyou are, you can already see major needs for the fall semester. You may need to totally revamp a program orintroduce a completely new program to your school. You not only have all your assessment datafrom last year, you have current assessment data from last semester. You may be searching for larger amounts ofmoney that come only from federal grants, state grants, or some of the larger foundationand corporate grants. You still want tobegin your search for grants now and to begin writing those grants duringJanuary and February.

With so many school budgets being cut time aftertime, finding grant money has become absolutely necessary for manyschools. There is no better time for youto write grants than during January and February. The money is out there. Discount School Supply® provides you an excellent free database to find that money. Theonly thing holding back the process is you. Don’t be a procrastinator. Yourstudents deserve the best, and that probably means you need to write a few grants to supplement your budget. Startnow.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2012-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

GrantName: 7-12 Mathand Science Grants

Fundedby: Toshiba America Foundation

Description: The mission of Toshiba America Foundation is to promote quality scienceand mathematics education in U.S. schools. Grants are made for programs andactivities that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics,grades K-12. The Foundation focuses its grant making on inquiry-based projectsdesigned by individual teachers, and small teams of teachers, for use in theirown classrooms.

Program Areas: General Education, Math, Science/Environment, Technology

Recipients: Public School, Private School, Other

ProposalDeadline: 2/1/12

AverageAmount: $9,500.00 -$17,000.00

Website: http://www.taf.toshiba.com

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

GrantName: Big HelpGrants

Fundedby: NEA Foundation and Nickelodeon

Description: TheNEA Foundation – Nickelodeon Big Help Grants are available in the form ofStudent Achievement grants to K-8 public school educators. The Big Help Grantsprogram is dedicated to the development and implementation of ideas,techniques, and approaches for addressing four key concerns – environmentalawareness, health and wellness, students’ right to a quality public education,and active community involvement. The grants target these four concerns asareas of great promise in helping develop a sense of global awareness in 21st centurystudents that will encourage and enable them to make a difference in theirworld. Both the NEA Foundation and Nickelodeon are strongly committed tosupporting the development of these skills and attributes for America’sstudents.

ProgramAreas: General Education, Math, Reading,Science/Environment, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Private School

ProposalDeadline: 2/1/12

AverageAmount: $5,000.00

Website: http://www.neafoundation.org/pages/educators/grant-programs/nea-foundation-green-grants/

Availability: All States

Have Any New Year's Resolutions?

2012-01-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! The economy is not great. Youprobably don’t have the best budget you’ve ever had, but as an educator, theNew Year affords you the opportunity to make some choices and somechanges. You might want to go in a newdirection. Since you are not likely tohave a lot of extra money in the budget, that may mean that 2012 will be theYear of the Grant for you.

Of course, you could be a Doomsday enthusiast andfirmly believe the world as we know it will end in December, 2012. If you happen to fall into that group, youmay just want to enjoy yourself or start survival training. You probably believe that nothing you can dowill help to avert the disaster, so you are resigned to this final act of fate.

If you don’t belong in that small Doomsday Group,maybe you’re in the much, much larger StatusQuo Group. You probably believe thatnothing is going to change in your school regardless of how much effort you putforth, so it is best to just let things roll along as they are now and as theyhave always been. Besides, there’s nomoney for new programs or even enough money to significantly change the oldprograms that aren’t working. Nothingchanged last year. Nothing will changenext year. Nothing you can do now willchange the current year. If that’s yourthinking, then you’re as Status Quoas you can get.

The rest of you probably fall into my group: The New Year’s Resolution Group. You may have never stuck with a New Year’sresolution in the past, but you still make them because you are optimistic andbelieve things can change for the positive. In fact, you believe that you are an important part of your schoolsystem. Your thoughts and deeds can makeyour school a better place, and you are an important part of the changeprocess.

Granted, there is probably little or no money in thebudget for new programs or dramatic changes in the old programs, but that iswhy federal and state governments, foundations, and corporations give grantmoney to schools. Grant money shouldnever be used to sustain an unsuccessful program. Grant money should be used to develop new,promising programs or to fix the ones which can be significantly improved.

New Year’s resolutions can be powerfulmotivators. Write them down. Share them with your fellow educators. Solicit their help in reaching your goals. Your enthusiasm is likely to be contagiousand infect those around you.

Here’s the question: “Do you want to be a part of the small Doomsday Group, a part of thevery large Status Quo Group, or apart of the medium-sized, but powerful New Year’s Resolution Group?” Be a positive, optimistic educator, if notfor yourself, for every student you will touch for the remainder of this year. Make this year the year of change for yourschool, the Year of the Grant.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2012-01-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

GrantName: Kick Butts Day 2012 Mini-Grants

Funded by: Campaign forTobacco-Free Kids & United Health Foundation

Description:UnitedHealth Foundation is partnering with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids tooffer mini-grants for 2012 Kick Butts Day ( March 21, 2012) events. A programof the campaign's For Youth By Youth program, Kick Butts Day is an annualcelebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco use.On Kick Butts Day, youth organize and participate in events across the UnitedStates encouraging their peers to stay tobacco-free and educating theircommunities about the dangers of tobacco. This year, for the first time,mini-grants of $500 or $1,000 will be awarded to support Kick Butts day events.Anyone who is planning a 2012 event is encouraged to apply.

Program Areas: Safe/Drug Free Schools

Recipients: Public School,Private School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 1/27/12

Average Amount: $500.00 - $1,000.00

Website: http://www.kickbuttsday.org/getting_started/minigrants.php

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2012-01-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

GrantName: Teacher Award

Funded by: EnvironmentalProtection Agency

Description: TheWhite House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in partnership with theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is proud to announce the 2011-2012Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. As discussed in the“America’s Great Outdoors: A Promise to Future Generations” report, in order tomake environmental stewardship and conservation relevant to young Americans,environmental and place-based, experiential learning must be integrated intoschool curricula and school facility management across the country. Thisprogram recognizes outstanding K-12 teachers who employ innovative approachesto environmental education and use the environment as a context for learning fortheir students. Two teachers from each of EPA's 10 regional offices will beselected to receive this award.

Program Areas: Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: 1/31/12

Average Amount: $2,000.00

Website: http://www.epa.gov/education/teacheraward/

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2012-01-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Fuel Up to Play 60

Funded by: Fuel Up to Play 60

Description: Fuel Up to Play 60, the freein-school nutrition and physical activity program, is pleased to announce thatit is currently accepting applications for its nationwide, competitive fundinginitiative for schools enrolled in the in-school wellness program. All U.S.schools can enroll in the free program and are thus eligible to apply forfunding.

Program Areas: Health/PE

Recipients: Public School,Private School

Proposal Deadline: 2/1/12

Amount: $4,000.00

Website: http://school.fueluptoplay60.com/home.php

Availability: All States

Not Applying for Grants During the Holidays?

2011-12-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I discussed why this is a great time to write a grant for your school or classroom. Many grants have deadlines on or around December 31. You’ll have less competition because most people won’t be writing grants during the holiday season. You can write grants for the spring semester, summer school, or the fall semester. How much more incentive do you need?

When I wrote that blog, I knew many of you just were not going to buy it. Sure, I laid out a brilliant argument, but let’s face it. It is the holiday season. I know of only one group that enjoys the holiday season more than students. That would be educators.

I really had to watch myself when I was in the classroom because I was more tempted to shut things down than my students. Yes, I resisted the temptation. I was a good teacher and principal right up to the time we opened the doors for early release, but I can’t tell you it wasn’t a struggle.

And the last thing I wanted to do during the holidays was to think about work---lesson plans, students, or grants. It didn’t matter. I just wanted to relax and have fun. But you know what? It worked for me. I always came back in January energized and ready to work. It’s a tough but productive period between January and spring break. You will either reach your goals for the year or fall sadly behind depending on what you do during that period.

Here’s my advice. Do what I did. If you’re not going to write a grant during the holidays, don’t do any work that is school related. Recharge those batteries. Rest and relax. Enjoy your time. Do the things that make you happy and enjoy those around you.

Teachers and other educators have the most important job in the world. We often don’t get paid that way, but you know deep down that it is true. Building relationships with students and moving them forward as brighter, more capable human beings is tremendously important work. Sometimes it doesn’t seem that way. Sometimes it seems like you’re just holding the lid on until May or June when one group moves on and you prep for the next group in the fall.

Don’t sell yourself short. The work you do is important, and it is often exhausting. Use the holiday season to renew yourself. Come January, you crank it up again, and you need to be refreshed and ready to go. Besides, in my next blog, I’m going to be discussing New Year’s resolutions, and you can bet I will include grant writing on that list.

Not going to write a grant over the holidays? That’s okay. Those of you who do will likely be rewarded. But if you don’t, enjoy the holiday season. Rest and relax. Then come back in January breathing fire. We’ll get those important grants written then.

Happy holidays! May peace and joy abide in your heart.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-12-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: KSTF Teaching Fellowships

Funded by: Knowles Science Teaching Foundation

Description: The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation established its TeachingFellowship Program to support beginning teachers of high school math andscience and is one of the most generous and comprehensive teaching fellowshipsin the nation, providing tuition assistance, monthly stipends, support forprofessional development, and classroom materials.

ProgramAreas: Math, Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School, Private School, HigherEducation, Other

ProposalDeadline: 1/11/12

Email: teachers@kstf.org

Website: http://www.kstf.org/programs/teaching.html

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-12-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Music Is Revolution Foundation Mini-Grants

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

Description: The Music IsRevolution Foundation administers a mini-grant program for Music Is Revolutionactivities designed by teachers to implement, support, and/or improve theirability to provide quality music education for their students. Mini-grants upto $500 are available to teachers for music education activities of all types.Only projects that clearly contain a music education focus that is, projectsbased on the concept of music education, through musical experiences,initiating students into a sense of their social, academic, and culturalidentity, and humanizing them through the emotional, cognitive, and/or physicalimpact of music will be considered. Applicants are encouraged to includeactivities that expose students to genres and styles of music not likely to beexperienced as a part of their normal daily lives, and to plan the project withinput from students, parents, and school administrators, so that the projectsupports the imaginations of the students while maintaining relevance to thecurriculum already in place.

ProgramAreas: Arts

Recipients: Public School

ProposalDeadline: 1/15/12

Average Amount: $500.00

Email: info@svengirly.com

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

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-12-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Sodexo Youth Grants

Funded by: Youth Service America and the SodexoFoundation

Description: Youth Service America and the Sodexo Foundation have announcedthey will award a hundred Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to youth-led serviceprojects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger onGlobal Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2012). The grant program seeks to fundservice projects that engage students' peers, friends, families, neighbors,Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative youth-inspiredsolutions to ending childhood hunger in their communities. Applicants mustbetween the ages of 5 and 25.

ProgramAreas: Family Services, Health/PE, Homeless

Recipients: Public School, Private School, Other

ProposalDeadline: 1/17/12

Average Amount: $500.00

Website: http://www.ysa.org/grants/sodexoyouth/

Availability: All States

Give Your School a Gift for the Holidays

2011-11-30T12:15:00.001-08:00

It’s a tough time for teachers right now. Between Thanksgiving and the December break, it’s hard to keep students focused on anything for very long. While you may not focus all that well during this time of year either, it is an excellent time for you to concentrate on getting at least one grant application written before the first of January. This is a great time to apply for a grant, and it may be your very best chance of being awarded grant money. I’ll give you three reasons.

First, quite a few national and regional grants have a deadline between now and the end of December. You should check them out on the Discount School Supply free grant database. If you can’t find one there, you should look on The School Funding Center site. Also, several grants will be listed at the end of this blog and the one coming out in mid-December. You will surely qualify for at least one of the dozens of grants that will be listed in one of these locations.

Second, while I recommend that you apply for grants right now, few educators will do so. That means you have less competition than at other times of the year. It’s the old ant and the grasshopper story. While others are playing and making merry, you will be getting ready for your future needs. They will complain about not having resources later, but it will be you that put the work in and you that will reap the benefits from the grant you receive.

Third, you can request grant money right now that can be used in the spring, during summer school, or even next fall. My recommendation is that you apply for money that can be used in the spring semester. It’s a shame when we see that something can be done in a better way to help students more, but we don’t have the money to put our ideas in place. By applying for grants now, you should be able to put your ideas in place in the spring semester instead of having to wait for summer school or the fall semester to help your students. The sooner, the better. By fall, you won’t even have the same students.

Grant writing is never easy, but if you already know a problem you’re having, and you have a solution in mind, December is a great time to apply for a grant or two to alleviate your problem. We talked about semester assessments in the last blog. Right now is a great time to use the information you gathered to prepare your grant application. The information is fresh. The need it documented. You just to use your feedback in a high quality grant application.

I know your excuse. I don’t have any more time than anyone else. I’m tired. I’ve never written a grant before. You’re right about one thing --- they are all excuses. It will be your ability to overcome these obstacles that will get you the grant in the first place. Remember, you’re applying in December because you will have less competition.

Take advantage of the season to give your students and your school an excellent holiday gift---grant money that you never pay back and that may change the lives of your students forever.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-11-30T12:12:00.001-08:00

Grant Name: The Captain Planet Foundation

Funded by: The Captain Planet Foundation

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

Program Areas: Community Involvement/Volunteerism, GeneralEducation, Science/Environment, Social Studies, All Other

Recipients: Public School, Private Schools, Other

ProposalDeadline: 12/31/11

Average Amount: $250.00- $2,500.00

Contact Person: TarynMurphy

Email: tarynm@captainplanet.org

Website: http://www.captainplanetfoundation.org

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-11-30T11:58:00.001-08:00

Grant Name: Kinder Morgan FoundationEducation Grants

Funded by: Kinder Morgan Foundation

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

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

Recipients: Public School, Private School, Other

ProposalDeadline: 1/10/12

Average Amount: $3,500.00 - $5,000.00

Contact Person: MaureenBulkley, Community Relations Coordinator

Email: km_foundation@kindermorgan.com

Telephone: 303-763-3471

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

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-11-16T14:55:00.001-08:00

GrantName: Disney Planet Challenge

Funded by: Disney

Description: Disney's Planet Challenge (DPC) is a project-based learningenvironmental competition for classrooms across the United States. DPC teacheskids about science and conservation while empowering them to make a positiveimpact on their communities and planet.

Program Areas: Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School,Private School

Proposal Deadline: 12/23/11

Average Amount: $1,000.00 -$16,000.00

Website: http://disney.go.com/planetchallenge

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-11-16T14:54:00.001-08:00

Grant Name: Project Orange ThumbGarden Grants

Funded by: Fiskars

Description: Fiskars, a global supplier ofconsumer products for the home, garden, and outdoors, has announced that theapplication process for 2012 Project Orange Thumb garden grants and makeoversin the United States and Canada is open. Fiskars' Project Orange Thumb providestools, materials, and other support to help communities reach their goals forneighborhood beautification, community collaboration, and healthy, sustainablefood sources. Fiskars will choose eleven recipients from the pool of grantapplicants. Ten will receive $5,000 in cash and tools, and one applicant willreceive a complete garden makeover. During a Project Orange Thumb gardenmakeover, Fiskars works with neighbors, business leaders, volunteers, andcommunity partners to transform a barren lot into a beautiful, productivecommunity gathering space — all in a single day. Applications will be acceptedfrom any nonprofit organization within the U.S. or Canada. All applicants willbe considered for a grant; however, only those that specify they are interestedand meet Fiskars' criteria will be considered for the garden makeover.

Program Areas: Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School,Private Schools, Other

Proposal Deadline: 12/5/11

Average Amount: $5,000.00

Website: http://www2.fiskars.com/Activities/Project-Orange-Thumb/Grant-and-Garden-Makeover-Application

Availability: All States

December Assessments - It's Time to Prepare

2011-11-16T14:50:00.001-08:00

It is very important for you to assess your grantprograms in December to make sure you are making appropriate progress. You don’t want to perform these assessmentstoo close to the days you get out for holiday vacation, but you also want to giveyour students every day you can to make as much progress as possible. You should also assess programs that may needgrant money in the near future.

I’m a firm believer in making assessments. In a school setting most worthwhile programscannot only be assessed, but they can also be improved. Just because you are making decent progressdoes not mean you can’t get a whole lot better.For this reason, you should go back and read the goals for any grantprogram you have in place. Then, eitherbuild or buy an instrument that will tell you exactly how much progress studentshave made in the fall semester.

If you have non-grant programs that you suspect areperforming poorly, you should also assess them. As we have discussed previously, the statistical information from formalassessments can go a long way in persuading grantors to give you the money youneed. In the same vein, this goodstatistical information can help you get additional money from a grantor. Grantors love to see their money actuallymaking a difference. If you are successfulonce with their money, you may very well be successful a second or third time.

I don’t believe assessments should be given on theday you get out for holidays. In fact, Idon’t think they should be given any time during the week you get out forholidays. Many students can’tconcentrate and their performance may not be indicative of how they could haveperformed under normal circumstances. Try to do your assessments the week before you get out.

When you develop assessment instruments, try tomeasure as many of your goals as possible. Disaggregate the information to be sure you are making adequate progresswith all groups. The information you get from your assessments should allow youto tweak your program in ways to turn it around if you are not making progressor to make even more progress by emphasizing the strong points of a successfulprogram.

Remember, if you are using grant money, you have anobligation to make as much progress with your students as possible. Grantors love to see positive programs, butmore than that, your students deserve the very best program you can providethem. All too many times I’ve seeneducators think they were makingexcellent progress, when in reality, their students were making little or noprogress, and the educators just didn’t know it because they didn’t have properassessment instruments in place.

Assessments are an important part of any grantprogram. December is an excellent timeto perform assessments. Make sure youhave your assessment program in place and ready for your students before theyget out for the holidays.

Can You Get Grant Money Locally?

2011-10-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

In my last post I gave you several places to look forgrants. Mainly I listed grant databasesavailable to you since I am convinced these databases are the most logicalplace to find grants these days. Hey, wemight as well use computers to their full advantage, and up-to-date,comprehensive grant databases just weren’t available 20 years ago.

Sometimes these databases, as good as they are, just aren’tgoing to list some of the grants that are available to you. Some grants are purely local, don’t have setcriteria, and are never publicly announced.

Most of my time in education was spent in a small EastTexas school district where I was a teacher, principal, and assistantsuperintendent for 20 years. In thattime, I asked for and got $15,000 for my middle school and then another $75,000for the district from one local business. How did I get that money? I justasked for it. I laid out a plan showingthat by investing this money in the local school system, the company would havebetter educated employees when the current students graduated in a few yearsand sought jobs locally.

In addition to that money, a well-to-do couple in ourcommunity gave the school district enough money to buy a vocational center forthe agriculture department, rebuild the press box at the football stadium, andto repair and update the baseball field.We didn’t even approach them. They came to us, gave us the money, and told us how they would like itspent. Their two children went to ourschool, and they just wanted to help.

Educators also often overlook the opportunity to ask forhelp from “big box” stores in their area. Most of these have regular corporate grant programs, but they don’talways advertise the $1,000 to $3,000 dollar grants they often give to localgroups. To find out if your localWal-Mart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc. has such a program, just goto the store and ask the manager. Ifthey do, ask what type of projects qualify. If they don’t, go to the next store. Most of the time your school or organization doesn’t have to lie withinthe city limits. In fact, if you are within a 50-mile radius and the city isyour regular shopping destination, you will usually qualify.

Even if you’re getting money locally, and the grantordoesn’t require a lot of paperwork, I still suggest you write out what type ofproblem you’re having, what you believe to be the best solution to yourproblem, and how the money the grantor is giving will be spent to help youreach your goals. I think anyone whogives money, whether an individual or a company, deserves to know how you spendyour grant money and how successful you are.

In fact, your ability to use local grant money successfullymay actually help you get even more money from the same local source in thefuture. Also, you might consider askingindividuals or companies that give you money if they or their employees wouldlike to be involved in the grant program.Many like to volunteer so they can be more involved locally with theschools.

You don’t always need a grant database to find grantmoney. Look close to home when you havethe opportunity. It might pay off morethan you could ever imagine.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-10-31T12:20:00.001-07:00

Grant Name: Run for Good

Funded by: Saucony

Description: The Saucony Run For Good Foundation iscommitted to improving the lives of children by helping to prevent and reduce childhoodobesity. We act to inform the public about its cause and prevention and providefunding to optimize the impact and success of community organizations thatpromote running and healthy lifestyle programs for youth. Eligible programsinclude those with participants who are 18 years of age or younger, have501(c)(3) status, and can demonstrate their program positively impacts thelives of participants through their increased participation in running.

Program Areas: Health/PE

Recipients: Public School, Private School, Other

ProposalDeadline: 12/13/11

Average Amount: $10,000.00

Website: http://www.sauconyrunforgood.com

Availability: AllStates

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-10-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Pathfinder Program

Funded by: Teachers in Space

Description: Every journey begins with a single step. ThePathfinder program is the first step in the journey toward our goal of puttinga thousand astronaut teachers into American classrooms. Pathfinders will be thefirst astronaut teachers to fly in space and return to the classroom.Pathfinders will not only fly in space, they will also help us design thethree-week training course for the large number of teachers who follow. We hopethat Pathfinders will also return each summer to help us teach the course. Canyou think of a more exciting summer job? Our first seven Pathfinders have beenselected and are currently participating in training and professionaldevelopment. We are now looking for three additional Pathfinders who areknowledgeable in science, technology, engineering, or math. The Pathfindercompetition is open to K-12 teachers of all subjects. Applicants are asked to submita proposal for an experiment that can be performed during a sub-orbital spaceflight and will be judged on these submissions as well as educationalbackground and experience. Finalists will be contacted for personal interviewsand additional screening.

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

Recipients: Public School, Private Schools

ProposalDeadline: 12/2/11

Website: http://teachersinspace.org/apply/apply.htm

Availability: All States

Good Sources for Grant Information

2011-10-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

If you write grants or intend to start writing grants, it is always good to have a number of resources to help you. With the advent of the Internet, many of those resources are free and can be accessed within minutes of when you need them. I want to recommend a few websites and one book you can use which should greatly assist you in your grant-writing efforts.

First, I’d recommend that you use all of the free resources that Discount School Supply® provides. You can use their free school grant database that gives you information on grants in the following categories: after-school, arts, early childhood, migrant, professional development, reading, special education, and science/environment. This database is very comprehensive for these categories, and you should be able to find any grant available to your school by using it.

For information about finding, applying for, and securing grants, you should use this blog sponsored by Discount School Supply®. Seventy blog posts are listed covering a variety of topics. When you have time, you should go back to the very first one and read all of them. You can find these blogs at: Schoolgrant.blogspot.com.

If you need a school grant database that includes categories not listed by Discount School Supply®, you might want to subscribe to the more comprehensive School Funding Center Grant Database. It includes 30 different categories and is the largest and most up-to-date school grant database in the United States. It basically includes every grant available to every school in the country. If you just want to look at grants for teachers or the classroom, go to School Grants for Teachers.

If you are looking for samples of winning grant proposals, you might want to purchase them at The Grantsmanship Center. They have an entire library of winning grant applications that you can order with many, many categories from which to choose. If you want to see a few free sample grant proposals, you can find those at The School Funding Center.

Finally, if you want solid information on finding grants, writing proposals, and doing everything it takes to win grant money, I suggest you purchase my book, WRITE SUCCESSFUL GRANTS FOR YOUR SCHOOL: A Step-by-Step Guide. It is filled with tips, links, and sample grant proposals. You can order it for just $37.00 by clicking on the title link above. Very few books deal just with school grants. Most give you an overview of grant writing in general, but this book contains all the information you need to successfully write grants for your classroom, school, or district.

Writing grants is not an easy job. You need all the tools you can get to make the work easier and more efficient. Use the links above to get all the information and help you need. You can be successful, and you can get the help you need for free or at a very low cost.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-10-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Company Grants

Funded by: State Farm Companies Foundation

Description: State Farm is committed to meeting the needs of our communities by focusing our giving in three areas: Safe Neighbors (safety), Strong Neighborhoods (community development), and Education Excellence (education).

Program Areas: Adult Literacy, After-School, Arts, At-Risk/Character, Community Involvement, Volunteerism, Disabilities, Early Childhood, Family Services, General Education, Health/PE, Homeless, Math, Professional Development, Reading, Safe/Drug Free Schools, Science/Environmental, Social Studies, Special Education

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

Proposal Deadline: 10/31/11

Average Amount: $10,000.00

Website: http://www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/grants/cogrants.asp

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-10-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Community Impact Grants Program

Funded by: Home Depot Foundation

Description: Grants, up to $5,000, are available to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public schools or tax-exempt public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their community. Grants are given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services.

Program Areas: At-Risk/Character, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, Facilities/Maintenance, Health/PE, Science/Environment

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

Proposal Deadline: 10/31/11

Average Amount: $5,000.00

Website: http://www.homedepotfoundation.org/how-we-help/grants.html

Availability: All States

Proving You Have a Problem

2011-10-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

Applying for grant money is a competitive task. You don’t put on pads and knock heads like your students do in their football games, but winning grant money is no less competitive. To make sure grant readers know that you have a problem and that you understand that problem, you need good solid information to back up your claims.

The information you need to detail your problem can come from a number of sources including: standardized testing, state testing, free/reduced lunch counts, dropout rates, disciplinary records, attendance reports, ACT/SAT scores, grade records, teen pregnancy rates, surveys, and a host of other sources that should be readily available to you. Grant writers use statistical information from standardized tests and free/reduced lunch counts more than any others when applying for grants.

Nationally- and state-normed standardized tests are so useful because the information is usually disaggregated into grade level, classroom, male/female, advantaged/disadvantaged, minority/non-minority, and several other categories. This allows you to see exactly who is doing well and who is falling behind. This information also tells you how far some of those groups are falling behind. In other words, disaggregated data from standardized tests supply you with a treasure trove of information that is perfect to use when you are trying to detail the problems your school is having on a grant application.

Just as widely used on grant applications are the numbers for the economically disadvantaged in a school, usually derived from free/reduced lunch counts. Parents have to submit financial information to schools in order for students to qualify for free or reduced meals. It is no surprise to most educators when these same economically disadvantaged students (not as individuals, but as a group) are the very ones who show up with the lowest standardized test scores. Many people want to argue the difference in scores results from minority/non-minority or rural/urban/suburban status, but most of the time, the big difference in these scores comes down to the level of income in the home.

Many grants are won or lost because of the poverty level of your students. Don’t overlook the fact, however, that even if you just have 10% of your students that are economically disadvantaged, if that 10% is struggling, you may be able to apply for grant money to help them.

Even though low test scores and low-income are the main statistics you want to use on a grant application, you can also supply some rather unusual and convincing data from other sources. We wanted to put a piano lab in a middle school where I was principal. We surveyed local churches in our small town as to the difficulty they had in securing pianists for their services. We found they had a very difficult time. That was good information for us to use on our grant application for a piano lab.

It’s very important to give good information about the problems you have when you’re filling out a grant application. Most of the time that information will come in the form of statistics. Be sure you supply the best most detailed data that you can. Grant writing is competitive. Giving grant readers a clear picture of the problem you’re having will often help you beat that competition.

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-10-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: GRAMMY Signature Schools

Funded by: GRAMMY Foundation

Description: Does your school deserve a GRAMMY? And a little bit of cash for your music programs to go along with it? If your school has a totally great music program with a fantastic music teacher or two thrown in -- it does. Or if you are keeping music classes in your school despite that fact that you barely have a budget for sheet music much less instruments – it does. GRAMMY Signature School awards are given to high school music programs that are keeping music programs alive and well despite budgets and school politics. Each school gets a GRAMMY Award and a cash prize of up to $10,000. Schools compete in different categories based on excellence or need. We have GRAMMY Signature Schools from every size city and town across the country.

Program Areas: Arts

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 10/22/11

Average Amount: $5,000.00 - $10,000.00

Website: http://www.grammyintheschools.com/programs/grammy-signature-schools

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-10-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: CVS Community Grants for Public Schools – Creating Inclusive School Settings

Funded by: CVS

Description: To ensure that we make a positive impact, the 2010 Community Grants Program will focus on a few key areas. One area is on public schools for children with disabilities that promote a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs. CVS is devoted to supporting organizations that enrich the lives of children with disabilities through inclusive programs. Through the Community Grants Program, CVS works to ensure that students are not left behind in school. Proposed programs must be fully inclusive where children with disabilities are full participants in an early childhood, adolescent or teenage program alongside their typically developing peers.

Program Areas: After-School, Disabilities, General Education

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: 10/31/11

Average Amount: $5,000.00

Website: http://www.cvscaremark.com/community/ways-we-give

Availability: All States

Do You Have What It Takes?

2011-09-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

At the start of any school year many teachers and administrators decide they need to find grant money for their schools. With the budget cuts that many schools have seen the last couple of years, I’m sure that this year will not be an exception. Many educators will want to find grant money. The question becomes, “Do you have what it takes to go out and get the grant money you need?”

I believe that any school can find grant money if its educators want it badly enough. But any educator who is going to be a successful grant writer must have three characteristics: desire, determination, and persistence. Without these characteristics, you might find some grant money, but you will not consistently do so.

First, to be successful, a grant writer must have a strong desire to solve a problem. Typically, this problem will involve a deficiency in the educational program at your school and must be solved in order for students to achieve to their potential. It doesn’t matter if your students are behind in math, reading, science, social studies, writing, or in the arts. As a grant writer, you must look on your problems and your deficiencies as unacceptable and have a strong desire to find the grant money to eliminate those deficiencies.

Second, if you are going to be a successful grant writer, you must have determination. You must identify your problem, find a logical solution, seek out grantors that give money for your type of problem, and fill out their grant applications properly and proficiently. You must dig up the data that supports your contention that you have a problem. You must research until you find a viable solution to your problem. And you must search and study until you find the proper grants that match well with your problem. These are not easy tasks, and you must show marked determination if you are to be successful as a grant writer.

Finally, you must be persistent. It is rare to have a problem at a school, write one grant, receive the grant money, and have your problem corrected. More often, you must write multiple grants to be assured of getting enough grant money to tackle your problem. It is only beginning grant writers who believe that finding a single grant opportunity will be enough to solve their problems with one stroke. And besides, what school has only one problem?

Any school can get grant money. I won’t say that it will be easy or that you’ll get grant money the first time you try. But if you are a person who truly desires to make your school a better place, who is determined to make a difference by writing grants, and who is persistent enough to continue to apply for grants until your problems are solved, then you will be a successful grant writer.

The question is, “Do you have what it takes to be a successful grant writer?”

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-09-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

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 School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 9/30/11

Average Amount: $100.00 - $500.00

Contact Person: Penny Hawk

Telephone: 877-296-1231

Email: info@kidsinneed.net

Website: http://www.kidsinneed.net/grants/index.php

Availability: All States

Check It Out: New Grant Opportunity!

2011-09-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: K-6 Science and Math Education Grants

Funded by: Toshiba America Foundaiton

Description: The mission of Toshiba America Foundation is to promote quality science and mathematics education in U.S. schools. Grants are made for programs and activities that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics, grades K-12. The Foundation focuses its grant making on inquiry-based projects designed by individual teachers, and small teams of teachers, for use in their own classrooms.

Program Areas: Math, Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 10/1/11

Average Amount: $20,000.00

Telephone: 212-596-0620

Email: foundation@tai.toshiba.com

Website: http://www.toshiba.com/tafpub/jsp/about/HowApply.jsp

Availability: All States

Supplant vs Supplement

2011-09-02T10:50:00.002-07:00

Supplant means to “take the place of.” Supplement means to “add something to complete a thing.” For almost any grant you write, it is important for you to begin a new program or to supplement a program rather than to supplant one. While most grantors make that fact very plain in their grant literature, some are not as explicit. Regardless of that, you can rest assured they do not want you using their money to supplant a program you already have in place.

Most grantors are interested in helping you to improve academic performance in some way. You can usually do that by implementing a new program that has shown promise in other schools or by expanding a program that has been successful in your own school. You usually have to come up with the money for that new or expanded program. Grantors often supply that money.

Supplanting a program is different. That means you put a new program in the place of an old one. To do that, you should be able to use the money that you were using for the old program to put the new one in place. If you do, it is unlikely you would need grant money.

Some schools try to write grants that allow them to supplant one of their current programs in an effort to shift their money to another curriculum area. An abundance of reading grant money might be available at the time, but the school really needs money to shore up its math program. The grant writer applies for a reading grant for enough money to fund the reading program that is already in place, then the district shifts that budget money over to the math department so they can improve their math program with a promising supplemental program.

In theory this sounds like a workable plan for the school. In fact, it is a form of fraud. At the very least, it is deceitful. Grantors are usually very specific about what they are trying to accomplish with their giving, and to deceive them is wrong. You might very rarely see a grantor who is willing to add money to your general budget, but it is unusual to find such a grant.

It is important in your application to let grantors know you are supplementing a program rather than supplanting one. In your narrative, I recommend that you clearly describe how you plan to begin a new program or supplement a current program in order to improve that academic area in your school.

If you do not currently have an after-school program that tutors math students who are struggling, then you are supplementing your regular math program when you set up your tutoring program. If you do not currently have a computer lab that allows students who are struggling to better understand instructional concepts, then you are supplementing your math program when you set up such a computer lab. There are many ways to supplement a current program to improve it.

You should always clearly understand how a new or supplemental program will improve your overall academic program and clearly explain that in your grant application. If you struggle to prove that your grant program is truly supplemental, then it probably isn’t.

You will not often hear the terms “supplement” and “supplant” discussed at school, but you should hear it often if you are involved in writing grants. Thousands of grants supply money to schools for you to begin new programs or supplement academic programs to improve them. Only a handful of grantors are out there who would even consider providing money for you to supplant a program with their funds.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-09-02T10:50:00.001-07:00

Grant Name: Let’s Play Playground Construction Grants

Funded by: KABOOM! & Dr. Pepper Snapple Group

Description: A National Partner of KaBOOM!, Dr Pepper Snapple Group has made a $15 million, three-year commitment to the organization as part of the company’s Let’s Play initiative. Let’s Play is a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group designed to get kids active nationwide. Together through Let's Play, DPS and KaBOOM! will build or fix up 2,000 playgrounds by the end of 2013, benefiting an estimated five million children across North America. For more information about Let's Play, visit letsplay.com Dr Pepper Snapple & KaBOOM! are excited to offer $9,000 grants to qualifying organizations to be used toward the purchase of Imagination Playground in a Cart. The total cost of the Imagination Playground in a Cart is $11,100 plus shipping and handling (approximately $2,000). Please read through the information about Imagination Playground in a Cart, eligibility for the grant, and grant commitments to see if your playspace can receive and support this grant. In order to complete the application, fill out the Parts I – IV and submit no later than September 30, 2011.

Program Areas: Health/PE

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter Schools

Proposal Deadline: 9/30/2011

Average Amount: $9,000.00

Email: grants@kaboom.org

Website: http://kaboom.org/build_playground/get_funding/grants

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-09-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

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, All Other

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other Proposal

Deadline: 9/30/11 Average Amount: $250.00 - $2,500.00

Contact Person: Taryn Murphy

Telephone: 404-522-4270

Email: tarynm@captainplanet.org

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

Availability: All States

Setting Goals for the New School Year

2011-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Goal setting is an important part of education. Without goals we meander around wasting a lot of time. We’re in a boat without a paddle. We’re on vacation without a map. You get the picture. Goals are important.

In your school or classroom, you are not likely to make the progress you should unless you set good, attainable goals. Using assessment data from the end of last year or the first of this year, you should determine exactly where your students are and then determine just how far you can take them by the beginning of June, 2012.

It might also be worth your while to set some goals for individual students as well. Although most school and classroom goals are set based on average gains, it is important to remember that when students get out of school, it’s not what the group learned on average that’s important, it’s what each individual student is able to accomplish.

Not too many weeks after you set your goals, you should be able to determine whether you have the time and resources to reach your goals by the end of the school year. Often teachers and principals decide they need extra resources in the form of grant money in order to meet their goals. If you don’t set goals, it is harder to track progress. By the time you determine you’re not making enough progress, it might be too late to apply for grant money.

Which of your programs require goals to be set? All of them. It doesn’t matter if you’re teaching reading, social studies, music or PE. Every program should have set goals. Students who are not on a pace to reach your goals should get extra time and attention. If you aren’t able to give these students the time and attention they need to meet your goals, then that may be the reason for applying for grant money or forming partnerships with local businesses. Businesses often want to supply volunteers as well as giving money to a local effort.

With most districts throughout the country having to cut school budgets this year, it is important that you set goals in your classroom or school. Start working toward those goals immediately. If it appears you will not be able to reach your goals with the limited resources you are given, take aggressive action by applying for grants and forming business partnerships within your community.

You don’t just set goals on New Year’s Day. For educators New Year’s Day comes a second time in August or September. Your students are depending on you to set worthwhile goals for them to achieve and then to make every effort to see that each and every one of them is successful.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-08-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: After-School Grants

Funded by: DoSomething.org

Description: School is back in session, but sometimes it's what kids do after school that makes the biggest impact on their lives. Do Something and JCPenney have teamed up to support youth-led after programs and school projects across the country. Types of projects this grant funds: Projects started by young people who are providing after school activities that help youth in their community. How much?: Ten $500 grants and five grand prize $1,000 grants. Each winner will also receive a limited-edition Flirtitude Tote.

Program Areas: After-School, At-Risk/Character, Community Involvement/Volunteerism, General Education

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

Proposal Deadline: 9/15/11

Average Amount: $500.00 - $1,000.00

Website: http://www.dosomething.org/grants/afterschool

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-08-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Ezra Jack Keats Minigrant Program

Funded by: Ezra Jack Keats Foundation

Description: The grants support programs that encourage literacy and creativity in children and may be used for activities such as: bringing in guest authors, illustrators, or storytellers; puppet making, book making, or other projects; book writing contests, etc. Application is online and must be printed and mailed to the address listed below.

Program Areas: Arts, Library, Reading, All Other

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: 9/15/2011

Average Amount: $500.00

Address: Ezra Jack Keat Minigrant Program, 450 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Website: http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/

Availability: All States

Keep Your Eyes Open for Grant Opportunities

2011-08-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

As you prepare to go back into your school and your classroom this month, keep your eyes open for grant opportunities. What problems can you find that will need grant money to help you solve them. Remember, a good grant-writing campaign always begins with problems that you are trying to solve at the district, school, or classroom level. By keeping your eyes open for these problems in August, you may find an opportunity to apply for a number of grants.

What kinds of problems might you see? You might have more children who are obese in your classroom this year. You might have more special education students who are mainstreamed into your class. You might find that more of your students can’t buy the school supplies they need. You may have fewer students who speak English. You may find that your budget has been cut so severely that you don’t even have the supplies you need for the year.

These are the kinds of problems you may be able to see quickly and find grant money to help you alleviate or solve. You have a choice. You can face these problems and try to find grant money to help you, or you can wake up in a few weeks, admit you have these problems, and face the reality that you will have to deal with them for the entire year without adequate funds.

You are fortunate in that Discount School Supply provides you with a free school grant database to find grant money. If you happen not to find a suitable grant there, you might want to check out School Grants for Teachers. This website concentrates on providing grant information strictly to classroom teachers.

Regardless of which grant database you end up using, your first step is to identify the problems you are likely to face this year, then to use a good database to find grant money to help you. A number of sites have evolved during the last few years such as DonorsChoose.org and KidsandClassrooms.com which allow teachers to place wish lists online so donors can find school projects that they want to support.

It’s not going to be many weeks before you are so busy that you will have little time to think about grants. As you get your list of students, your assignments, and your supplies, this is an excellent time to take an inventory to see if you will need help in the form of grant money this year and just how much help you might need.

The start of each school year is always a time of new hopes and bright beginnings. As we draw closer to this exciting time, just make sure you have an eye out for possible problems and always remember that grant money may help you find the solution to those problems.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-08-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Bikes Belong Grant Program
Funded by: Bikes Belong Coalition

Description: The Bikes Belong Grant Program strives to put more people on bicycles more often by funding important and influential projects that leverage federal funding and build momentum for bicycling in communities across the U.S. These projects include bike paths and rail trails, as well as mountain bike trails, bike parks, BMX facilities, and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

Program Areas: Health/PE

Recipients: Public School, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 8/26/11

Average Amount: $10,000.00

Telephone: 303-449-4893

Email: mail@bikesbelong.org/grants

Website: http://www.bikesbelong.org/grants

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-08-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Donald Samull Classroom
Funded by: Herb Society of America

Description: Public and/or private 3rd through 6th grade teachers, with classes of a minimum of 15 students may apply for an indoor or an outdoor herb garden grant. The Herb Society of America in cooperation with Prepara® chef's performance tools will award five (5) schools each year indoor herb growing stations. The classrooms selected will receive four (4) Prepara® Power Plant pro indoor soil-less gardening stations and educational materials to use in the classroom. The Prepara® Power Plant pro gardening station is all that is needed to grow herbs indoors. Each gardening station will include the unit, grow sponge, nutrient, seeds and the grow lamp. The Herb Society of America will provide the educational materials. The Herb Society of America will select four (4) schools/classrooms to receive $200 "Seed Money" to establish an outdoor herb garden. The funds may be used for supplies such as soil, plant trays, containers, child or youth sized tools, etc. The school may need to seek additional funding and support from other sources. The Herb Society of America will provide the educational materials and herb seeds.

Program Areas: Science/Environmental

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 9/1/2011

Average Amount: $200.00

Address: 9019 Kirtland Chardon Rd., Kirtland, OH 44094

Telephone: 440-256-0514

Website: http://www.herbsociety.org/resources/samull-grant.html

Availability: All States

Be Aggressive: Use a Grant Database

2011-07-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

I worry about schools not being aggressive enough about finding the grants they need. The budget shortfalls these days are just too critical to ignore. Schools are cutting, cutting, cutting, yet they often don’t seem to understand that an aggressive grant-writing program can do a lot to add money to the system without having to raise local or state taxes.

You can tell if your district is aggressively looking for grants. Ask these questions: Do you have one or more full-time grant writers on your district staff? Do you subscribe to a large grant database that provides timely information about available grants, or do you just sit back and wait for grant announcements to come in the mail? Is grant information made available to all teachers and principals in the district so they can apply for their classrooms and campuses? Do you have a grant committee that meets regularly and looks for applicable grants?

Grant money doesn’t appear out of thin air. You have to have a vision of what that grant money will do for your students and then go out and work for it. It doesn’t matter if you are responsible for a classroom, a campus, or a district. Grant money is available out there in some form, but you do have to spend the time to find it, apply for it, and use it to the greatest benefit of your students. If you are using Google to find grants, you’re just pretending to look for grants. If you’re serious, you have to use a good, comprehensive school grant database.

You are extremely fortunate if you are a registered user of the free grant database provided by Discount School Supply. For the categories that it lists, you can be sure that the listings are comprehensive and up-to-date. If you need grants in other categories, your best bet is to subscribe to The School Funding Center Grant Database. Its only advantage is that it lists thirty grant categories, and it, too, is both comprehensive and current.

Regardless of which database you choose to use, you should really spend some time searching it thoroughly. You should do enough research to determine which grants truly match the problems you are having at your school. From the database, go to the grantor’s website. Read about their mission, exactly what they support, and how much money they give. Even call them to discuss your problem or project if you think it’s appropriate and want to make sure you have a match.

This is a perfect time to look for grants. Students are out for summer vacation, and you don’t have the distractions you would normally have to weather. As we approach the fall semester, more and more grants will be listed in these grant databases. Don’t let others apply and get the money that should come to your school.

Yes, times are tough. Budgets are being cut every day. Probably the only way your school will be able to keep up is through a very aggressive campaign to write grants at the district, the campus, and the classroom levels. Do your part. Start searching those grant databases for the money that you and your school need.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-07-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: National Grant Program

Funded by: Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

Description: The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is pleased to announce our 2012 National Grant competition. The Foundation's grant-making program seeks to develop or expand projects designed to support the development of literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their children. A total of approximately $650,000 will be awarded; no grant request should exceed $65,000.

Program Areas: Adult Literacy, Reading

Recipients: Public School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 9/9/2011

Average Amount: $65,000.00

Address: 1201 15th Street NW, Suite 420, Washington, DC 20005

Telephone: (202) 955-6183

Website: http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/site/c.jhLSK2PALmF/b.4425435/k.544A/Current_Funding_Opportunities.htm

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-07-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Program Development Grant

Funded by: Society of Women Engineers

Description: A grant opportunity for teachers to encourage girls to pursue engineering and technology studies. Proposals must be new, innovative programs.

Program Areas: Math, Science/Environmental, Technology

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 9/1/2011

Proposal Deadline Description: September 1, November 1, February 1, May 1

Average Amount: $5,000.00

Contact Person: Kathy Mergl

Email: pdg-chair@swe.org

Website: http://www.swe.org/SWE/ProgDev/index.html

Availability: All States

4 Ways to Become an Effective Grant Writer

2011-06-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Applying for grants is a skill. Just like any other skill, you must have at least basic knowledge in grant writing and then practice what you have learned again and again. Getting enough practice is easy since you can apply for any number of grants. It is a little more difficult getting that initial knowledge you need to become an effective grant writer.

The key to good grant writing is to fully understand the basic components of winning grant proposals. Then, you have to practice using that core knowledge until you get better and better at painting a picture of the problems your school has and convincing grant readers that you have viable solutions to those problems.

The first and most efficient way to become a good grant writer is to work side-by-side with someone who is already excellent at completing grant proposals. That way you have a personal trainer. You get to see first-hand how that person crafts each paragraph of the grant application and each line of the grant budget. Nothing will teach you faster than sitting by a patient master with the opportunity to ask questions and have every bit of your work reviewed as you complete it. If you have access to a master grant writer, do your very best to get that person to train you.

If you don’t have access to someone who can train you individually, you might want to consider taking a grant-writing course or seminar. These courses and workshops are offered at college campuses and at hotel sites. They can be fairly expensive especially if you have to travel. Be sure that that you get your money’s worth. Check the person’s credentials for teaching such a course. If someone is going to teach you the skill of completing successful grant proposals, I don’t think it’s too much to ask that person to have completed at least ten successful proposals of his/her own. If you are going to just get a presenter that teaches the course from a manual, you might as well do a self-study course. If you are paying tuition, you should be paying for the expertise and success of the presenter.

It has also become quite popular to take classes on the Internet. Once again, if you are going to try that approach, make sure the person running the grant-writing class is a successful and experienced grant writer. You might also want to speak by phone to someone who has already completed the Internet course to see how successful he/she has been in the real world of grant writing since completing the course. These courses are very easy to find by simply using Google. Just type in “grant writing courses” and you’ll find a number of them listed in a variety of formats.

If you have to go the poor person’s route and you have little or no money to spend on formal classes, I recommend that you read a book such as mine: Write Successful Grants for Your School: A Step-by-Step Guide. Read slowly and internalize what you read. When you start to complete applications on your own, use the abundance of links that take you to sample applications that others have successfully completed. You should never copy anything from some other person’s application, but it certainly is helpful to look at several narratives and budgets from similar applications before you complete one on your own. A number of good grant-writing manuals are available. It is helpful, however, to stick to the ones that deal strictly with school grant proposals so that you get very specific information on completing those types of proposals.

If you are not already an experienced grant writer, you have four choices if you want to become a successful grant writer: 1) train side-by-side with an experienced mentor, 2) take a college course or a seminar with an experienced grant writer, 3) take an Internet course from an experienced grant writer, or 4) purchase a step-by-step guide to school grant writing, then read as many sample grants as possible as you complete your first few applications.

Remember, completing grant proposals the right way is a skill. First, get the basic knowledge that you need from a mentor, a live course, an Internet course, or a good manual, then you must practice, practice, practice until you fully develop your own skill as a grant writer.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-06-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: 7-12 Math and Science Grants

Funded by: Toshiba America Foundation

Description: The mission of Toshiba America Foundation is to promote quality science and mathematics education in U.S. schools. Grants are made for programs and activities that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics, grades K-12. The Foundation focuses its grant making on inquiry-based projects designed by individual teachers, and small teams of teachers, for use in their own classrooms.

Program Areas: General Education, Math, Science/Environment, Technology

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 8/1/11

Average Amount: $9,000.00 - $17,000.00

Contact Person: Laura Cronin, Director

Email: foundation@tai.toshiba.com

Telephone: 212-596-0620

Website: http://www.taf.toshiba.com

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-06-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Global Youth Service Day & Semester of Service Lead Agency Grants

Funded by: Youth Service America (YSA) & State Farm

Description: YSA (Youth Service America) and State Farm are proud to support up to 100 Global Youth Service Day & Semester of Service Lead Agencies for GYSD 2012 (April 20-22, 2012). Lead Agencies are local, regional, or statewide organizations across the United States, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, or New Brunswick that increase the scale, visibility, and impact of Global Youth Service Day by leading GYSD in their city, region, or state. Lead Agencies convene a planning coalition of at least 10 partner organizations that collectively engage at least 600 youth volunteers in service on GYSD, engage local media and elected officials, and plan a high profile signature project or celebration of service. Lead Agencies receive a $2,000 GYSD planning grant sponsored by State Farm, travel support to attend the Youth Service Institute, and ongoing training and technical assistance from Youth Service America to ensure a successful Global Youth Service Day or Semester of Service. Past Lead Agencies have leveraged their position as a GYSD Lead Agency to strengthen their programs, form new partnerships, expand their volunteer base, garner media attention, gain support from local public officials, and secure additional funding.

Program Areas: Community Involvement/Volunteerism

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

Proposal Deadline: 7/15/11

Average amount: $2,000.00

Contact Person: Mike Man

Email: mman@ysa.org

Website: http://www.ysa.org/grants/leadagency

Availability: All States

7 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Apply for a Grant

2011-06-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

It’s not easy to get motivated to fill out grant applications. I know that. I spent twenty years in public schools as a teacher and an administrator. Asking for money shouldn’t be an educator’s job. After all, we signed on to teach children, to bring light into their lives, and to build a love of learning within their hearts. Unfortunately as the years roll by, you may find yourself discouraged, underpaid, and pulling money out of your own pocket to fund the basic needs in your classroom or building.

Try not to be discouraged. I believe teachers are still the most influential people on the planet. I have many conversations with past students, and it still amazes me how much they remember about my class and about me. My wife retired three years ago after teaching first grade for thirty-four years. She still gets more hugs and smiles than the law allows, often from large men a foot taller than she is. They love her. She taught them to love school. She taught them to read.

While teaching is a tremendous vocation, it can still get discouraging when money is not available from your district to fund the activities and projects you know your students need. You need to motivate yourself to write grants to supplement the money in your budget. Here are seven ways to get motivated to write those grants:

1) Write a grant for a very special project that you have personally always wanted to do but could not get the district to fund. This is very motivational because it’s all about you and something you want personally.

2) Write down new skills that your students will be able to develop by using grant money to enhance your budget. You may need to buy special materials or get help in your classroom to make sure students develop these new skills. Think about how these new skills could change your students’ lives.

3) Apply for a grant with a partner. It’s always easier to do a chore when you have some help. You should share the burden of writing the grant and the joy of what you both accomplish with the grant money.

4) Write a grant that will allow you and your students to have a very special experience. You might go on a very unusual field trip, bring in a motivational celebrity to your school, or build something together that your students will never forget.

5) Write a grant to keep from spending money out of your pocket. Then, buy yourself a gift with the money you didn’t have to use for school supplies.

6) Write a grant centered around the bottom few students you’ve had the most trouble reaching. This might be a program to get help from parent volunteers, an after-school tutoring program, or a program to buy computers and software that might help you reach these difficult students.

7) Let others know you intend to apply for a grant. Just like a New Year’s resolution, you’re more likely to complete your grant application if others know you’ve made a commitment to apply for a grant.

Grants shouldn’t really be about the money you’re going to receive. They should be about student achievement and the positive impact that a grant will have on your students. However, sometimes we need a little extra motivation to complete those applications. Maybe one of the above seven motivators will be just what you need to start completing a grant application this week. Don’t delay. Apply for that money you need and stop getting it out of your own pocket.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-06-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Touching Lives Through Theatre Grants

Funded by: Pioneer Drama Service

Description: Pioneer Drama Service is proud to offer Touching Lives Through Theatre™ Grants available for the upcoming 2011-12 school year. Because we believe so strongly in the power of theatre to make a difference in a student's life, we are awarding a total of $5000 of grants in the form of Pioneer Drama credit to qualifying middle and high schools. Each grant is intended to help create a complete drama experience for students in a school and must be used to stage at least one theatrical production. Grants will range from $100 to $500 of credit at Pioneer Drama Service, which is to be used for production materials, royalty fees, texts, DVDs and makeup. Grant funds will be awarded by August 15, 2011 and must be spent in their entirety by June 15, 2012.

Program Areas: Arts

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: 6/30/11

Average Amount: $100.00 - $500.00

Website: http://www.touchinglivesthroughtheatregrants.com

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-06-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

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/Environment, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 7/10/11

Average amount: $3,500.00 - $5,000.00

Telephone: 303-763-3471

Contact Person: Maureen Bulkley, Community Relations Coordinator

Email: km_foundation@kindermorgan.com

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

Availability: All States

Classroom Grants for Classroom Memories

2011-05-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

While the majority of school days are taken up by routine lessons and mundane tasks, I believe that teachers and principals should strive to give students very positive memories of their time in a particular class or building. Students often remember special projects and particular activities far longer than the day-to-day grind that makes up most of the school year. While it is true that some teachers just have a more vibrant, fun personality than others, that doesn’t keep any teacher from developing engaging activities that students will remember for the rest of their lives. The good news is that you may be able to get grant money to help fund your special project.

Now don’t get me wrong. Each of these projects should have a very specific purpose and be centered on students developing skills or acquiring knowledge not already in place. Every project and every unit that you develop should have a pre- and post-test of some type to determine each student’s starting point at the beginning of the project and measuring the growth of each student during the project. Units involving Native Americans and dinosaurs abound in elementary schools because students like them, but I wonder how many of these units teach and track the skills that students should be developing? They certainly have plenty of potential for helping students learn skills and acquire important knowledge. It’s really up to the teacher to make sure these components are included and measured.

If grantors are going to give you money to develop a unit or a project, you can bet they will want to know the positive results that you achieve. Grantors have helped teachers develop gardens at their schools, install piano labs, set up outdoor science labs, build service-learning units, establish mobile computer labs, participate in a series of unusually productive field trips – the list goes on and on. If you can develop a unit or project that is unique and particularly meaningful to students, you have a good chance of finding a grant partner.

To get started, you need to think of a fun, productive project that gives you an opportunity to teach a skill that is included in your curriculum. You then need to set the scope of the project including some sort of pre- and post-test so you can measure growth. You need to give a lot of thought to the activities that will enable all of your students to develop the skills and learn the information you require them to learn. Once you get the entire project planned from start to finish, you should use a grant database to find a possible sponsor for your project. If you do not find a grantor in a month or two of searching, you might want to find a local sponsor for your project. This could be a local business, your own PTA or PTO, a wealthy individual in the community, or even an interested parent who might have the money to spare and needs a tax deduction.

I think it is important when developing your project and seeking a grantor to keep in mind that you want your students to remember this project for the rest of their lives. In the middle school where I was principal in Northeast Texas, we called it “making memories.” I encouraged every teacher to develop one such project every year. We were fortunate because even though we were a poor school, we brought in enough money through grants and business partnerships that we could fund almost any project our teachers developed.

As a result of our “making memories” program, every student raised his or her mother a plant for Mothers’ Day in our school greenhouse. One hundred seventy-five of our five hundred students took free piano lessons every day in our piano lab. Our eighth graders were treated to a robotics program in one of our two computer labs. One hundred of our students participated in a service learning class where they helped in our local hospital, senior center, elementary school, or our sheltered workshop every day. Those are just a few of the projects our teachers initiated. I can tell you that although years have passed, our students still fondly remember each of those projects.

It is important that students have positive memories of their time at your school. These positive memories tend to make them better students as they move through the educational process. Take the challenge and begin thinking about the special project that you can initiate next school year.

Remember, you’re not going to necessarily have the money to initiate the project you develop. Try to find grant money using a good school grant database, develop a business partnership locally, or find an individual to sponsor your project. Make those memories and don’t let anything get in your way.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-05-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Finish Line Youth Foundation

Funded by: Finish Line Youth Foundation Grants

Description: Giving on a national basis in areas of company operations, supporting organizations involved with athletics and youth development. Special emphasis is directed toward programs designed to promote active lifestyles and team building skills; and camps designed to promote sports and active lifestyles, and serve disadvantaged and special needs kids.

Program Areas: After-School, Disabilities, Health/PE, Special Education

Recipients: Public Schools, Higher Education, Other

Proposal Deadline: 6/30/11

Average Amount: $1,000.00 - $75,000.00

Telephone: 317-899-1022, Ext. 6799

Email: youthfoundation@finishline.com

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

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-05-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

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, All Other

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 6/30/2011

Average Amount: $250.00 - $2,500.00

Telephone: 404-522-4270

Email: tarynm@captainplanetfdn.org

Website: http://www.captainplanetfoundation.org

Availability: All States

A Simple "Thank You" Will Do

2011-05-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

It is always appropriate to thank a granting entity for the money they give to your school. Foundation boards are pleased to know they have chosen grateful schools with worthwhile projects, but state and federal grant contact persons like to receive a school’s positive feedback, too.

When you first receive grant money, it is a good time to acknowledge the gift. Another good time for a “thank you” is when you complete your grant program or it is nearing completion.

Always remember when you are thanking a grantor that it is not about the money. Grants are about student achievement, student growth, and student change. When you first receive your grant money, it is good to write a short letter thanking the grantor for the funds and reminding them of the changes you will be able to make because of their gift. Although the details of your program will have been listed in your application, reminding a grantor of the good that their funding will accomplish is always a plus. Make sure your excitement is evident. Your program would not have been possible without the support of that grantor.

As a grant program is winding down, you should also send a thank-you letter to your grantor. The details of the growth and change that have taken place because of the grant program should be sent in an evaluation report, but a thank-you letter can express your appreciation and enthusiasm for the positive impact the grant had on your students in a way that is not possible in a formal report.

Thanking a grantor can help in other ways. By creating a positive relationship with a grantor, you may very well be able to apply for more grant money from this same granting entity. By the end of the grant program, you will have demonstrated your gratefulness for their gift, but you will have also shown them both formally and informally that any money they give to your school will be put to excellent use. You should let them know that the grant they gave you was not just more money thrown at a problem, but it was used in ways to improve the education and the lives of your students.

Would you be more likely to give additional money to a school that thanked you as a grantor at the beginning and end of the program you funded and showed you positive results or to a school that just sent in a required evaluation report?

Send thank you letters to any grantor that gives you money. First, it is the right thing to do. Second, it gives you a chance to show appreciation from both you and your students. Third, it may very well help you receive more money in the future from that same grantor.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-05-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Saucony Run for Good Foundation Grants

Funded by: Saucony Run for Good Foundation

Description: The Saucony Run For Good Foundation is committed to improving the lives of children by helping to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. We act to inform the public about its cause and prevention and provide funding to optimize the impact and success of community organizations that promote running and healthy lifestyle programs for youth.

Program Areas: Health/PE

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

Proposal Deadline: 6/12/11

Average Amount: $10,000.00

Website: http://www.sauconyrunforgood.com/

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-05-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Big Help Grants

Funded by: NEA Foundation and Nickelodeon

Description: The NEA Foundation – Nickelodeon Big Help Grants are available in the form of Student Achievement grants to K-8 public school educators. The Big Help Grants program is dedicated to the development and implementation of ideas, techniques, and approaches for addressing four key concerns – environmental awareness, health and wellness, students’ right to a quality public education, and active community involvement. The grants target these four concerns as areas of great promise in helping develop a sense of global awareness in 21st century students that will encourage and enable them to make a difference in their world. Both the NEA Foundation and Nickelodeon are strongly committed to supporting the development of these skills and attributes for America’s students.

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

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 6/1/11

Average Amount: $5,000.00
Website: http://www.neafoundation.org/pages/educators/grant-programs/nea-foundation-green-grants

Availability: All States

Can I Apply for Grants During Summer?

2011-05-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Not only can you apply for grants in the summer, I hardily encourage it. Most educators will be vacationing and taking it easy. That means it is the perfect time for you to apply for grants because there will be less competition for grant dollars. That makes your job easier.

As we go into summer, as you relax and recharge those batteries, I challenge you to spend just a small part of your vacation time finding and writing grants for your classroom or school. It is a great feeling to win money for a program. You and your students reap the benefits. You might have extra materials, a chance to use different learning styles, or the opportunity to develop unique learning environments that may never have been possible within the regular school budget.

Although some state and federal grants can be written during the summer, you may want to focus on foundation grants. Many have quarterly deadlines that end in the summer making them great for summer grant writing.

Because school money is really tight these days, you will need to find as many foundation grants as you can that fit your situation. You should always begin with the free grant database that Discount School Supply provides you. It is comprehensive and lists just about every grant available to you in the selected categories.

Using this database and writing during the summer gives you two advantages that many schools will not have. It's time to put those advantages to work. Start looking today at the types of problems you will have when the fall semester begins. Match those problems with the foundation grants available in the Discount School Supply free grant database, and then apply for several of those grants.

You may not get money from every grant, but if you apply for several, you have a good chance of getting money from one or two. You must begin planning now so that when school is out, you are ready to start completing those applications and getting them in the mail.

Start today! The grants you get may make this the best summer vacation you’ve ever had.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-05-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Yes To Seed Fund Grants

Funded by: Yes To Seed Fund, Whole Foods Market

Description: Yes To Seed Fund + Whole Foods Markets are partnering to plant gardens in your schools! With a joint mission of giving kids fun and engaging ways to learn about nutrition and the importance of fruits and veggies, we will be giving away five $2,000 Seed Fund Grants in each participating Whole Foods region to local schools, plus five $500 "Starter Garden" grants to schools nationwide! All Yes To products in participating Whole Foods stores are 20% off, and a portion of proceeds of all sales go to the Seed Fund! Click 'Apply Now' to see how YOUR school can apply to win one of these Seed Fund Grants!

Program Areas: Health/PE, Science/Environment

Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter Schools

Proposal Deadline: 5/31/11

Average Amount: $500.00 - $2,000.00

Website: http://www.yestocarrots.com/yes-to-seed-fund.html

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-05-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Learning & Leadership Grants

Funded by: The NEA Foundation

Description: These grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: 1) Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research. 2) Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. Applicants must be practicing U.S. public school teachers in grades K-12, public school education support professionals, or faculty and staff at public higher education institutions. Preference will be given to members of the National Education Association. The NEA Foundation encourages grant applications from teachers with less than seven years of experience in the profession, and education support professionals. Applicants: Mail the original and five (5) copies of your application t o the address listed below. Please do not staple or bind your application. Applications that do not comply with the guidelines or that include materials not specifically requested by The NEA Foundation will not be reviewed. Applications sent by e-mail or fax, or incomplete applications, will not be reviewed.

Program Areas: General Education, Professional Development

Recipients: Public Schools, Higher Education

Proposal Deadline: 6/1/2011

Average Amount: $2,000.00 - $5,000.00

Telephone: 202-822-7840

Email: info-neafoundation@lost.nea.org

Website: http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/Learning&Leadership Guidelines.htm

Availability: All States

It's That Time of Year!

2011-04-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone? It is already mid-April, and it’s not that long before the 2010-11 school year will draw to a close. While I’ll always tell you it is time to be writing grants, I also want to emphasize that it is the time of year to assess each of the programs in your classroom, your campus, and your district. It is very difficult to complete a grant application if you do not have good statistical information about each program you are trying to initiate or improve.

Typically when we think of assessments, reading and math come to mind. That’s not unusual. It is unlikely that there is a nationally-normed test or a state test out there that does not include reading or math. It is true that these are important programs, and some would argue they are the most important programs. In terms of getting grant money, however, your reading and math assessments will typically only help you get grant money for your reading and math programs.

If you have an after-school program focused on tutoring, you have to measure the success of that program. Were you able to raise the grade averages of the students who regularly attended tutoring? Did their attendance improve because of the extra attention you were giving them? What were the goals of your after-school program? Did you reach them? Some type of assessment has to be in place for you to measure progress. This statistical data can help you get grant money to expand your program or to start a new program.

Did you have a special program focused on nutrition and exercise to help with the child obesity problem that is so much in the spotlight right now? Did your program produce leaner, healthier students? Did you keep attendance figures? How about height and weight charts? How often did you have parent conferences to promote your program at home as well as at school?

In short, you should not have a program in your classroom, campus, or district that is not measured extensively. Progress should be measured in terms of individual students and for groups of students. Progress should be measured in terms of individual teachers and for groups of teachers. When you assess programs in the proper way, you should have no trouble seeking out and finding grant money that will help you expand or improve promising programs.

Congress is having a tough time right now defending where all our tax money goes. If you properly assess your programs, you will have no such problems with your local taxpayers. You will also be able to tell granting agencies that give you money exactly where their dollars were spent and the precise impact that their money produced.

Without a doubt your ability to assess your current programs will have a huge impact on your ability to compete for grant money in the future. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to begin a new program or fix one that is not working as well as it should, grantors will know you are on top of things when you provide statistical information that documents individual and group growth.

Your final assessments for the 2010-11 school year should begin soon. You don’t want to do them too early and deny yourself some of the growth that could have occurred, but you also don’t want to wait until the last week when you don’t get the best effort from your students. Regardless of your timetable, make sure you measure every aspect of your program that you can possibly measure. Then, use that information to find as much grant money as possible to improve or expand your programs.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-04-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Elmer’s Teacher Tool Kit Grant

Funded by: Elmer’s Products, Inc. and the Kids In Need Foundation

Description: The Kids In Need Foundation introduces a new teacher grants program sponsored by Elmer's Products Inc., an industry leader in adhesives, arts and crafts, office and educational products. You can apply for an Elmer’s Teacher Tool Kit grant that can range from $100 to $500. The grants will be given to teachers who wish to conduct classroom projects selected from a catalog of more than 500 projects. There is also a link to this application on the Elmer’s website, www.elmers.com, and X-ACTO website, www.xacto.com. This year, approximately 250 grants sponsored by Elmer’s will be provided to teachers nationwide for projects to be completed during the upcoming 2011-2012 school year. For 13 years, Kids In Need has been funding exceptional classroom projects through our Teacher Grants program. Now the funding to conduct these projects in your own classroom will be available. We believe creative lesson plans should be an active part of any school’s core curric ulum, something Elmer’s believes, also. Together we will provide teachers with the tools to strengthen critical thinking skills, creativity, and core knowledge among students.

Program Areas: Arts, General Education, Math, Reading, Science/Environment, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 4/30/11

Average Amount: $100.00 - $500.00

Website: http://kinf.org/elmers/

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-04-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Early Childhood Reading Grants

Funded by: Target

Description: Reading is essential to a child's learning process. That's why Target awards grants to schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations to support programs such as after-school reading events and weekend book clubs. Together we're fostering a love of reading and encouraging children, preschool through third grade, to read together with their families.

Program Areas: Early Childhood, Library, Reading

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 4/30/11

verage Amount: $2,000.00

Website: http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031821

Availability: All States

Where Do I Go To Look for Grants?

2011-03-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

You should be looking for grants right now. The way most state finances are currently shaping up, there are likely to be many state budget shortfalls. Unfortunately, this does not bode well for schools anywhere in the country. One of the best ways to overcome fewer dollars from the state is to actively apply for grants at the district, campus, and classroom levels. It’s not the ideal way to fund new programs or ones that need revamping, but it sure beats not having the money that you need.

I have a mantra when it comes to looking for grants. Spend your time completing grant applications, not looking for grants. You need to be able to find all available grants quickly and easily. You then need to be able to match your needs with the available grants, again quickly and easily. There is only one way to find grants and match them to your needs this way – by using a comprehensive grant database.

Several school grant databases are available to you. Without a doubt your first choice should be to use the free school grant database provided by Discount School Supply. You can use it by going to http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Community/Grants.aspx and putting in your email address.

This database is comprehensive for the areas it covers and includes federal, state, foundation, and corporate grants. It lists grants in the areas of: After-School, Arts, Early Childhood, Migrant, Professional Development, Reading, Science/Environment, and Special Education. If you are looking for grants in any of these areas, this is by far your best choice for two major reasons. It is comprehensive and it’s free.

If you need grant information for areas other than those listed above, I recommend going to The School Funding Center. Their database lists thirty different categories from which to choose, and it is also comprehensive in that it lists every federal, state, foundation, and corporate grant in each area. The one drawback to using The School Funding Center database is that it is subscription-based and costs several hundred dollars per year to use.

If you are just looking for federal grants and do not plan to use either of the databases above, I recommend that you use Ed.gov. It lists federal grants available to schools in any category. It is not as easy to use as the two databases above, but it lists all federal grants, and it is free.

If you are looking specifically for state grants, you should go to your state education agency website. Some states that fund a lot of grants have a searchable grant database. If your state sponsors only a few grants each year, the site may simply list the grants that are available.

Finally, if you are searching strictly for foundation grants, you might want to use The Foundation Center. It has a comprehensive listing of foundation grants available to schools as well as other organizations. It also is subscription-based and can cost several hundred dollars per year to use.

So here’s the long and short of it. You need to be looking for district, campus, and classroom grant money now because many state budgets will cut the amount of money sent to schools this year. Your best bet is to use the Discount School Supply grant database because it is comprehensive in the areas that it covers and it is free.

If you can’t find the grants you need there, you should move through the list of available grant databases I have listed above until you find the grant or grants that matches your school’s needs. Do this now so you will have the money you need when the fall semester begins.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-03-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: 2011 ING Unsung Heroes®

Funded by: ING North America Insurance

Corporation Description: Are you an educator with a class project that is short on funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great ideas into reality for students. For more than 10 years, and with $3.0 million in awarded grants, ING Unsung Heroes has proven to be an A+ program with educators. The program’s “alumni” have inspired success in the classroom and impacted countless numbers of students. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000.

Program Areas: Disabilities, Early Childhood, General Education, Health/PE, Library, Math, Reading, Science/Environment, Social Studies, Special Education, TAG, Technology Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter Schools Proposal

Deadline: 4/30/11

Average amount: $2,000.00 - $25,000.00

Website: http://ing.us/about-ing/citizenship/childrens-education/ing-unsung-heroes

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-03-31T11:10:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: Shade Structure Program

Funded by: American Academy of Dermatology

Description: The American Academy of Dermatology's Shade Structure Program awards grants in the amount of $8,000 each for the purchase of permanent shade structures designed to provide shade and ultraviolet (UV) ray protection for outdoor areas. The AAD also provides a permanent sign to be displayed near the shade structure that promotes the importance of sun safety. The AAD receives support for this program from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Co.

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

Recipients: Public Schools, Other Proposal

Deadline: 4/22/2011

Average Amount: $8000.00

Website: http://www.aad.org/public/sun/grants.html

Availability: All States

Should Principals and Teachers Apply for Grants?

2011-03-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Last time I wrote about forming grant committees at a campus and district level. I want to talk a little more about grants at the campus level – campus and classroom grants. I believe more and more schools need to write these smaller grants in order to supplement declining budgets.

Grants don’t have to be huge to make a difference. Target has given out 5,000 field trip grants worth $5,000,000 each year for the last couple of years. Each grant is only $500.00, but field trips are also one of the first items that schools routinely cut from their budgets. It is not unusual for local Wal-Mart managers to hand out $500 - $1,000 grants locally for special school or community foundation projects. Neither grant is a large amount of money, but $500 - $1,000 at the right time can make a huge difference for a campus or classroom project.

It is unfortunate that some districts won’t allow principals and teachers to apply for grants. Some grants require the district to continue funding a program once the grant money runs out. When principals and teachers apply for these types of grants without informing the district of the continued obligation, it can really get sticky. Normally, the local school board must approve the money to continue a grant program. Because of the problems such a scenario can cause, some districts simply refuse to allow teachers and principals to apply for grants.

I believe a much better way to handle this situation is for central administration to have a review process wherein principals and teachers can apply for grants, but they must have the prior approval of the superintendent, assistant superintendent, or the district’s grant coordinator depending on the size of the district. Once a district administrator has signed off on a grant, that removes the element of surprise once grant money starts arriving, or it’s time for the district to continue funding a program when grant funds are depleted.

I would never say that all of the shortfalls in today’s budgets can be made up by writing campus or classroom grants, but I do think they can help. They can also get teachers and campus administrators more involved in the funding process. It’s a great feeling to help your campus find and win money that helps to improve instruction.

When I was the principal of a small middle school (500 students) in Northeast Texas, we were able to bring in more than $300,000 in a 3-year period in grant and partnership money. My teachers never spent their own money for supplies. We always had money to improve programs or to try new ones. None of that $300,000 came from our regular budget. It was money over and above the money the district gave us.

The principals and teachers at your campus may not be able to bring in that much money. On the other hand, you might be able to bring in much more than that. I can tell you this. If you never write a grant, form a partnership with a local business, or do any kind of fundraising, you won’t bring in any extra money to supplement your budget. You have to take action.

You might say that grant writing is not your job. Maybe it’s not. As a principal, I always thought our campus should do anything we possibly could to give our students a better education. I hope you believe that, too. Winning campus and classroom grants can supply you with more money, and it can also give you a great sense of accomplishment.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-03-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

Grant Name: It's All About The Fruit Grant

Funded by: Jamba Juice and the National Gardening Association

Description: Passionate about supporting schools and communities by promoting health, wellness and physical activities, Jamba Juice is sponsoring the It’s All About the Fruit grant program to provide schools with fruit trees to create engaging nutrition and gardening experiences. Observing and exploring fruit production gives a deeper understanding and appreciation for this essential element of our diet. Recipients will be selected based on plans to promote nutrition education, ideas for incorporating fruit tree activities into the curriculum, and ability to sustain the program over multiple years. The grant is open to schools and community garden programs in the United States gardening with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. 20 recipients will receive fruit trees valued at $500 and the Jamba Juice It’s All About the Fruit Youth Garden Guide. Trees will be selected based on recommended varieties for each area.

Program Areas: Science/Environmental

Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 4/11/11

Average amount: $500.00

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

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-03-15T08:56:00.001-07:00

Grant Name: Academic Enrichment Grants

Funded by: McCarthy Dressman Education Foundation

Description: The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation offers Academic Enrichment Grants designed to develop in-class and extra-curricular programs that improve student learning. The Foundation considers proposals that foster understanding, deepen students' knowledge, and provide opportunities to expand awareness of the world around them. The Academic Enrichment Grants provide funding for programs that nurture the intellectual, artistic and creative abilities of children from low-income households. The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation awards grants to individuals in amounts up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of three years, provided the eligibility requirements continue to be met.

Program Areas: After-School, General Education, Math, Reading, Science/Environmental, Social Studies

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 4/15/11

Average Amount: $10,000.00

Email: info@mccartheydressman.org

Website: http://www.mccartheydressman.org/academic.html

Availability: All States

The Perfect Time for a Grant Committee

2011-03-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

I’ve written a time or two on this blog about forming grant committees. This is the perfect time for you to form your own grant committee at the campus or district level if you don’t already have one. If you do already have one, make sure it’s functioning properly.

Unfortunately, the fiscal climate for schools does not seem to be getting much better. Every superintendent I’ve heard from lately speaks of little else besides budget shortfalls and tightening budgets. One of the only ways many districts will be able to increase expenditures next year or even keep their budgets at the same level will be through an infusion of grant money. If you are in one of those districts and anticipate that you will need money on a district, campus, or even a classroom level, you need to be making plans now in order to win the grant money you need.

Most grants are competitive. To be able to submit grant applications that will be funded, your school must understand its most pressing problems, gather statistical information to prove you have problems, develop solutions to these problems, and develop budgets to remedy these problems. It doesn’t matter if your problem is an increasing gap in test scores between at-risk students and those who are not, an alarming decline in your reading scores, or increasing truancy numbers. You must define these problems, find solutions, and finance those solutions.
Good grant committees can do all of these things and much, much more. A grant committee can help define a school’s problems and use a comprehensive grant database to match grantors with those problems. Committees can find outside grant-writing help, fund the training of district or campus personnel in grant writing, or even have individuals or teams of committee members fill out grant applications.

While it is true that poor grant committees can slow the entire process down and get little accomplished, good grant committees tend to quickly focus on major problems, do intensive searches to find appropriate grants, and find grant writers who work quickly and efficiently to produce quality grant applications well before the grantors’ deadlines.

No more than 10-15% of all school districts in the United States have full-time grant writers. Almost no individual campuses have them. If you don’t have a full-time grant writer (and maybe even if you do), you need a grant committee to assess needs, find appropriate grants, and to assign someone to apply for those grants.

As school funding gets tighter over the next year or two, grant money will become more and more important to your district and your campus. I suggest that you form an active grant committee now.

Yes, times are tough. Grant money is becoming more and more important to schools everywhere. Get ahead of the game and ahead of the competition by forming your grant committee this week, not later than this month. Meet often at first. Assess those problems. Find grants that will fund your solutions. Get those grant applications in the mail in March, April, May, and throughout the summer.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-03-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Educator Grants and Scholarship

Funded by: Air Force Association

Description: The Air Force Association (AFA) helps provide educational opportunities for America’s youth. These opportunities were initiated to help ensure that future generations of Americans: * Appreciate the important role of aviation and space in America’s future * Have the technical knowledge necessary to understand aerospace issues * Have the educational background required to pursue aerospace careers To accomplish their educational goals, the AFA communicates directly with the American public about the importance of maintaining a sound aerospace infrastructure and the importance of maintaining a strong Air Force to ensure national security. Another important part of their educational efforts is to support the educational objectives of the Air Force and CAP. As part of that support, the AFA recognizes outstanding contributions in the field of aerospace education. To support CAP’s aerospace education programs, the AFA provides aerospace education grants for Civil Air Patrol units. Since 1996, the AFA has provided over $240,000 to CAP units and teachers to help fund their aerospace education programs.

Program Areas: Science/Environment

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: 3/31/11

Average Amount: $250.00

Email: ae@capnhq.gov

Website: http://www.capmembers.com/aerospace_education/aem_specific/educator_grants_and_scholarship_information.cfm
Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-03-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

Funded by: National Science Foundation

Description: The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the highest recognition that a kindergarten through 12th-grade mathematics or science teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Enacted by Congress in 1983, this program authorizes the President to bestow up to 108 awards each year. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Awards are given to mathematics and science teachers from each of the 50 states and four U.S. jurisdictions. The jurisdictions are Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense Schools; and the U.S. territories as a group (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). The teachers are recognized for their contributions to teaching and learning and their ability to help students make progress in mathematics and science. In addition to honoring individual achievement, the goal of the award program is to exemplify the highest standards of mathematics and science teaching. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education.

Program Areas: Math, Science/Environmental, Technology

Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 4/1/11

Average amount: $10,000.00

Email: info@paemst.org

Website: http://www.paemst.org/controllers/home.cfc?method=view

Availability: All States

The Final Step: Beating the Grant Deadline

2011-02-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

Over the past several issues we have discussed in detail how to find appropriate grants for your school and how to complete applications that help ensure your school receives the grant money it needs.

The final step in this process is to complete your application and get it in the mail at least one week prior to the deadline. If you don’t meet a grantor’s deadline, the granting entity will not consider your application. What a waste -- and what a disappointment -- to do all that work and not even have your application considered!

While getting your grant application in on time may not seem like a big deal, you might be surprised how many grant writers wait until the very last minute to mail their applications. One grant-writer friend of mine is a famous procrastinator. She often pulls all-nighters to finish grant applications on time. She lives in East Texas, and there have been times when she has sent her husband on the 300-mile mad dash to Austin because it was the only way she could beat the deadline for a grant sponsored by the Texas Education Agency. I have to say that she is a great grant writer. She wins a very high percentage of the grants she writes. But why go through all that stress and torment when you could simply do a better job of planning?

It takes a lot of preparation and hard work to write and submit a good grant application. The last thing you need is to be stressed at the end of the process because of a looming deadline. Before you ever begin to fill out a grant application, you must create a plan -- a timeline -- that leaves time to fine-tune the application before mailing it. A plan with a little padding leaves room for emergencies, too. You can never fully predict emergencies that might come up at your school or in your life that could take precedence over completing a grant application. So creating a plan -- and sticking to that plan as much as possible -- will help ensure that your grant application arrives safely and on time.

With the potential for emergencies in mind, you should always set a deadline for completing your grant application a minimum of one week before it is due. Even a week will not guarantee that a mailed application will arrive on time. You also need to be absolutely certain whether the deadline the grantor established refers to the postmark on the application or the date when the application must reach the grantor’s office. If you do not know that information, call or email the grant’s contact person to make certain.

One more word of warning: be careful about trusting guaranteed delivery times. Those guarantees usually mean you will get your shipping fee back if your package does not arrive on time. That’s great for what it’s worth, but getting your $20 mailing fee refunded while missing your chance at a $250,000 grant won’t help your students. Just remember that “Overnight” does not necessarily mean overnight. And “Guaranteed Delivery” does not mean that your shipper can absolutely guarantee that your package will arrive on time.

The responsibility for ensuring that your application arrives on time sits squarely on your shoulders. You must create a schedule for writing your grant, and you have to keep to that schedule. As you create and follow that schedule, be sure to allow plenty of time for your grant application to reach the grantor several days before the published deadline.

The Seven Steps
Over the last few months, we have discussed the seven steps needed to find, research, and write successful grant applications. Those steps include
1. finding a problem in your school that needs correcting,
2. developing a solution to the problem,
3. finding a grant that fits your situation,
4. confirming that you are eligible for that grant,
5. gathering the application and all the data you will need to complete your grant application,
6. actually completing the application, and
7. getting your application to the grantor by the grant’s deadline.

If you consistently follow those seven steps, you will consistently win grant money for your school. Whether you write one grant or 20 grants this year, follow that process. It will make you more successful as a grant writer than you ever imagined.

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-02-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: National Igniting Creative Energy Challenge

Funded by: National Energy Foundation

Description: The National Igniting Creative Energy Challenge is an educational competition designed to encourage students to learn more about energy conservation and the environment. Student entries must reflect the theme "Igniting Creative Energy" and demonstrate an understanding of what an individual, family, or group can do to make a difference in their home or community.

Program Areas: Science/Environmental

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 3/4/2011

Average Amount: $1,000.00

Address: IGNITING CREATIVE ENERGY NATIONAL ENERGY FOUNDATION 4516 South
700 East Suite, 100 Murray, UT 84107

Website: http://www.ignitingcreativeenergy.org/

Availability: All States

Check It Out: NEW Grant Opportunity

2011-02-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Improving Literacy Through School Libraries

Funded by: U.S. Department of Education

Description: The purpose of this program is to improve student reading skills and academic achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials; well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media centers; and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists.

Program Areas: Library

Recipients: Public School

Proposal Deadline: 3/28/2011

Average Amount: $30,000.00 - $500,000.00

Website: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/lsl/index.html

Availability: All States

Step 6: Completing Your Grant Application the Right Way

2011-02-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

I started a seven-step series of blog posts a couple of months ago giving exact details of how to find grant money and write winning grant proposals. I’ve made a couple of posts since step five, but I’m now ready to finish the series. You can find the related posts listed in the sidebar if you wish to review the first five steps.

Once you’ve completed the first five steps in the grant process, you are ready to start filling out the grant application. You have already done a tremendous amount of work. You’ve identified a problem in your school that needs correcting, developed a solution, found a grant that fits your situation, confirmed that you are eligible for that grant, and gathered the application and all the data you will need to complete your grant application.

Completing an application is not all that difficult if you’ve done your homework -- but it’s almost impossible if you haven’t. Your primary concern as you begin the application process is to carefully follow all instructions. You don’t want to be disqualified for something as simple as using the wrong type font or font size in your application. And, yes, some grantors are that particular.

Be sure to include four major components in any application regardless of how the application is laid out.

· Describe the problem you have at your school with sufficient statistics to prove that you truly have a problem.

· Give a detailed summary of your solution to this problem and give statistics or other information to show why you believe your solution will produce positive results.

· Include an evaluation component to show how you will track progress throughout the program and exactly how you will determine the gains that were made at the end of the program.

· Include a budget that shows where every dollar of the requested grant money will be spent.

Regardless of the way an application is organized, be sure you carefully complete every section. Some applications may have sections that don't seem to apply to your situation. You have to remember, however, that competitive grants are generally scored on a point system. Every section of the application is worth a certain number of points. If you don't complete a section, you get no points for that part of the application. Many applications are so competitive that a score of "zero" on one section will likely eliminate you from the competition.

As you complete the application, you might come to a section that asks you to describe the community involvement aspect of your plan. But what if you hadn't planned on having a community involvement component? You must realize that if community involvement was not important to the grantor, it would not be a part of the application. If the section is there, it behooves you to go back to the solution you've developed and add a community involvement component. If you leave that section blank, you are not likely to be among the final competitors for the grant money.

Each section of a grant application is so important that you need to complete it as if it were the only section you were submitting. Why? Because you need to earn every point possible to stay competitive in your hunt for grant money.

As you complete your application, avoid using "cut and paste" information provided by vendors. Yes, they have great writers who prepare those descriptions, but you are doomed if the same descriptions show up on several applications for the same grant. The scorers see it as evidence that you are relying on a canned solution to your problem rather than personalizing your solution to fit your school's needs. Similarly, you need to be careful about centering your whole grant request around a single commercial product. Grant money is typically awarded to those schools that seek money to establish well-rounded programs with multiple components -- not to schools that just want money to buy a single product.

Also, be sure you complete the application with language that is clear and concise. Don't try to sound fancy or more educated than you are. You're not trying to convince the grant readers how smart you are. You are trying to show them that you understand the problems at your school, and that you've come up with what you believe to be the right solution. To begin to put that solution into place, you need their grant money. It's also always a good idea to let the grant readers know how much district money and other resources will be applied to the problem. Again, be straightforward, clear, and concise.

Completing a grant application is not all that difficult if you've done the necessary preliminary work. It's exciting to know that you are in competition with other grant writers to get money for your school. If you closely follow the directions that accompany the application, lay out your problem clearly, describe your solution in detail, include an effective evaluation component, and develop a budget that is realistic and all-inclusive, then you will win grant money most of the time.

You will also get better with practice. As soon as you finish one application, start looking for your next grant. If you follow the steps that I've laid out over the past few posts, when it comes time to sit at your desk to complete a grant application, you'll find that applying for most grants is really not that difficult.

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-02-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Skatepark Grants

Funded By: Tony Hawk Foundation

Description: The primary mission of the Tony Hawk Foundation is to promote high-quality, public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States. While we realize that not every area can afford to build big, expensive skateparks, we feel strongly that public skateparks should be designed and constructed by experienced contractors. We also believe that local officials should treat public skateparks the same way they treat public basketball courts or tennis courts, meaning that anyone may show up and use them anytime, unsupervised. The applicant must be a 501(c)(3) public charity or a state or local agency (including public school systems or public projects).

Program Areas: Facilities/Maintenance, Health/PE

Recipients: Public Schools, Other

Proposal Deadline: 3/1/11

Average Amount: $1,000.00 - $25,000.00

Website: http://www.tonyhawkfoundation.org/grant_application.asp

Availability: All States

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-02-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Horace Mann Educator Scholarship Program

Funded By: Horace Mann Educators Corporation

Description: This scholarship is open to any K through 12 educator of any discipline teaching at least 30 hours a week. You must reside in the United States; residents of Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York and Hawaii are excluded. You must enroll in classes at a two- or four-year accredited college or university. Scholarships will be paid directly to each recipient’s college or university for tuition, fees and other educational expenses.

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

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 3/1/11

Average Amount: $500.00 - $5,000.00

Telephone: 217-788-5732

Website: https://www.horacemann.com/teacher-lounge/educator-scholarship-opportunities

Availability: All States

Step 6: Completing Your Grant Application the Right Way

2011-02-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

I started a seven-step series of blog posts a couple of months ago giving exact details of how to find grant money and write winning grant proposals. I’ve made a couple of posts since step five, but I’m now ready to finish the series. You can find the related posts listed in the sidebar if you wish to review the first five steps.

Once you’ve completed the first five steps in the grant process, you are ready to start filling out the grant application. You have already done a tremendous amount of work. You’ve identified a problem in your school that needs correcting, developed a solution, found a grant that fits your situation, confirmed that you are eligible for that grant, and gathered the application and all the data you will need to complete your grant application.

Completing an application is not all that difficult if you’ve done your homework -- but it’s almost impossible if you haven’t. Your primary concern as you begin the application process is to carefully follow all instructions. You don’t want to be disqualified for something as simple as using the wrong type font or font size in your application. And, yes, some grantors are that particular.

Be sure to include four major components in any application regardless of how the application is laid out.

· Describe the problem you have at your school with sufficient statistics to prove that you truly have a problem.

· Give a detailed summary of your solution to this problem and give statistics or other information to show why you believe your solution will produce positive results.

· Include an evaluation component to show how you will track progress throughout the program and exactly how you will determine the gains that were made at the end of the program.

· Include a budget that shows where every dollar of the requested grant money will be spent.

Regardless of the way an application is organized, be sure you carefully complete every section. Some applications may have sections that don't seem to apply to your situation. You have to remember, however, that competitive grants are generally scored on a point system. Every section of the application is worth a certain number of points. If you don't complete a section, you get no points for that part of the application. Many applications are so competitive that a score of "zero" on one section will likely eliminate you from the competition.

As you complete the application, you might come to a section that asks you to describe the community involvement aspect of your plan. But what if you hadn't planned on having a community involvement component? You must realize that if community involvement was not important to the grantor, it would not be a part of the application. If the section is there, it behooves you to go back to the solution you've developed and add a community involvement component. If you leave that section blank, you are not likely to be among the final competitors for the grant money.

Each section of a grant application is so important that you need to complete it as if it were the only section you were submitting. Why? Because you need to earn every point possible to stay competitive in your hunt for grant money.

As you complete your application, avoid using "cut and paste" information provided by vendors. Yes, they have great writers who prepare those descriptions, but you are doomed if the same descriptions show up on several applications for the same grant. The scorers see it as evidence that you are relying on a canned solution to your problem rather than personalizing your solution to fit your school's needs. Similarly, you need to be careful about centering your whole grant request around a single commercial product. Grant money is typically awarded to those schools that seek money to establish well-rounded programs with multiple components -- not to schools that just want money to buy a single product.

Also, be sure you complete the application with language that is clear and concise. Don't try to sound fancy or more educated than you are. You're not trying to convince the grant readers how smart you are. You are trying to show them that you understand the problems at your school, and that you've come up with what you believe to be the right solution. To begin to put that solution into place, you need their grant money. It's also always a good idea to let the grant readers know how much district money and other resources will be applied to the problem. Again, be straightforward, clear, and concise.

Completing a grant application is not all that difficult if you've done the necessary preliminary work. It's exciting to know that you are in competition with other grant writers to get money for your school. If you closely follow the directions that accompany the application, lay out your problem clearly, describe your solution in detail, include an effective evaluation component, and develop a budget that is realistic and all-inclusive, then you will win grant money most of the time.

You will also get better with practice. As soon as you finish one application, start looking for your next grant. If you follow the steps that I've laid out over the past few posts, when it comes time to sit at your desk to complete a grant application, you'll find that applying for most grants is really not that difficult.

Grant Name: Skatepark Grants

Funded by: Tony Hawk Foundation

Description: The primary mission of the Tony Hawk Foundation is to promote high-quality, public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States. While we realize that not every area can afford to build big, expensive skateparks, we feel strongly that public skateparks should be designed and constructed by experienced contractors. We also believe that local officials should treat public skateparks the same way they treat public basketball courts or tennis courts, meaning that anyone may show up and use them anytime, unsupervised. The applicant must be a 501(c)(3) public charity or a state or local agency (including public school systems or public projects).

Program Areas: Facilities/Maintenance, Health/PE

Recipients: Public Schools, Other

Proposal Deadline: 3/1/11

Average Amount: $1,000.00 - $25,000.00

Website: http://www.tonyhawkfoundation.org/
Availability: All States

Grant Name: Horace Mann Educator Scholarship Program

Funded by: Horace Mann Educators Corporation

Description: This scholarship is open to any K through 12 educator of any discipline teaching at least 30 hours a week. You must reside in the United States; residents of Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York and Hawaii are excluded. You must enroll in classes at a two- or four-year accredited college or university. Scholarships will be paid directly to each recipient’s college or university for tuition, fees and other educational expenses.

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

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 3/1/11

Average Amount: $500.00 - $5,000.00

Telephone: 217-788-5732

Website: http://www.horacemann.com/teacher-lounge/educator-scholarship-opportunities

Availability: All States

A Great Time To Find Grants for Your School

2011-01-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

It’s always a good time to seek out and write grants for your school or classroom. The very best time to find grants for your school, however, is right now -- January and early February. This is true for several reasons: 1) More grants are available at the first of the year, 2) Many new grants are available, and 3) You can apply for grants for the spring semester, summer school, or the fall semester.

Generally, more grants are available at the beginning of the year than at any other time during the year. Grants have deadlines throughout the year. Some have several deadlines. But almost all grant programs are announced or renewed at the first of the year. Granting entities like to get the word out about their grant programs, build new links to their programs on their websites, and make changes to streamline their grant programs. The first of the year is the natural time to accomplish all of these tasks. You should take advantage of the increase in the number of opportunities in January to find money for your classroom or school.

January is also a logical time to announce new grants. The federal government, state governments, corporations, and foundations often take advantage of the New Year to announce new programs and new grants for those programs. Take advantage of these new opportunities they announce and make available to help your school.

One of the very best reasons for finding and writing grants in January is that you have great flexibility for finding the money you need for the current semester, summer school, and/or the fall semester.

If you need money for the spring semester, find grants with short deadlines so you can apply and get the money while it can still impact student learning during this school year. If you don’t need money for the spring, it’s certainly not too early to apply for summer school money. June will be here before you know it. And if you’re looking for money for fall programs, you do have a little more time for planning and can look for grants with deadlines further out, but January is still the time to start the process to make sure you have your money in hand when the fall semester does roll around.

January is absolutely the time to be thinking about grants. Use the free grant database that Discount School Supply so generously offers you and find the grants you need for this semester, summer school, or for the fall. Find that grant money that your classroom or school so desperately needs. Every dollar you find will enhance the educational experience of your students.

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-01-17T10:39:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Welch’s Harvest Grants

Funded by: Welch’s

Description: 100 Schools won a garden last year. Now your school can win too! As a family farmer-owned company that is proud to grow and nurture grapes, Welch's values the importance of healthy eating. Hands-on experiences with planting, tending, and growing gardens provide a dynamic setting for learning and benefit kids of all ages. Now in our second year partnership with Scholastic and the National Gardening Association, Welch's will support school garden programs through Welch's Harvest Grants. We are pleased to invite you to submit an application for your opportunity to win a valuable garden for your school. Entries will be judged by experts at the National Gardening Association and two schools in every state will be selected to receive a Welch's Harvest Grant. Winning schools will receive a customized indoor or outdoor garden package filled with a variety of tools, seeds, educational materials, and more. Five (5) $1,000 gardens and ninety-five (95) $500 gardens will be awarded. Deadline for submission is February 11, 2011, so we encourage you to start working on your grant application today.

Program Areas: Health/PE, Science/Environmental

Recipients: Public School, Private/Charter School

Proposal Deadline: 2/11/11

Average Amount: $500.00 - $1,000.00

Website: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3752777

Availability: All States

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-01-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Learning & Leadership Grants

Funded by: The NEA Foundation

Description: These grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: 1) Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research. 2) Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. Applicants must be practicing U.S. public school teachers in grades K-12, public school education support professionals, or faculty and staff at public higher education institutions. Preference will be given to members of the National Education Association. The NEA Foundation encourages grant applications from teachers with less than seven years of experience in the profession and education support professionals. Applicants: Mail the original and five (5) copies of your application to the address listed below. Please do not staple or bind your application. Applications that do not comply with the guidelines or that include materials not specifically requested by The NEA Foundation will not be reviewed. Applications sent by e-mail or fax, or incomplete applications, will not be reviewed.

Program Areas: General Education, Professional Development

Recipients: Public Schools, Higher Education

Proposal Deadline: 2/1/11

Average amount: $2,000.00 - $5,000.00

Telephone: 202-822-7840

Email: info-neafoundation@list.nea.org

Website: http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/Learning&Leadership_Guidelines.htm

Availability: All States

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-01-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: The Big Read

Funded By: National Endowment for the Arts

Description: The Big Read,a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest, is designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. The Big Read provides participating U.S. communities with grants and comprehensive resources that support their efforts to read and discuss a single book or the work of a poet. Seventy-five organizations in communities of varying sizes across the United States will be selected to conduct month-long, community-wide reads from September 2011 through June 2012. Organizations may apply for grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000. Grant size will be determined based on community population, number of activities planned, and overall strength of the application. Grants must be matched at least 1:1 with nonfederal funds. Grant funds may be used for such expenses as book purchases, speaker fees and travel, salaries, advertising, and venue rental. Applicant organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations; a division of state, local, or tribal government; or a tax-exempt public library. Eligible applicants include such organizations as literary centers, libraries, museums, colleges and universities, art centers, historical societies, arts councils, tribal governments, humanities councils, literary festivals, and arts organizations. Applicant organizations that are not libraries must partner with one. K-12 schools and school districts, whether public or private, may not be lead applicants but are strongly encouraged to partner with libraries, literary centers, museums, and other eligible applicants.

Program Areas: Library, Reading

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

Proposal Deadline: 2/1/11

Average Amount: $2,500.00 - $20,000.00

Telephone: 612-238-8010

Email: TheBigRead@artsmidwest.org

Website: http://www.neabigread.org/application_process.php

Availability: All States

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2011-01-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: Special Olympics Get Into It® Grants

Funded by: Youth Service America

Description: Special Olympics is partnering with Youth Service America to offer Get Into It® grants that bring together students of all abilities to fight childhood obesity in their schools and communities. The Get Into It® curriculum helps to develop a service-learning program that gives youth the opportunity to make a change. The program awards grants of $500 and $1000 to help youth create and implement local, hands-on programs to fight childhood obesity. Each grant also engages participating youth in service-learning, an effective teaching and learning strategy that supports student learning, academic achievement, and workplace readiness. Get Into It® grant projects launch on Spread the Word to End the Word Day (March 2, 2011) and culminate on Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011). All 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply. The application must be completed by a teacher and a unified pair of students (one with and one without an intellectual disability).

Program Areas: Disabilities, Health/PE, Special Education

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

Proposal Deadline: 1/19/11

Average amount: $500.00 - $1,000.00

Telephone: 202-296-2992

Email: info@ysa.org

Website: http://www.ysa.org/getintoit

Availability: All States

New Year’s Resolutions: It’s Grant Time

2011-01-04T11:31:00.000-08:00

I like New Year’s resolutions. Though most people don’t have a great track record for keeping these yearly commitments, I believe in them for two reasons. First, I am an optimist and think that people should always strive to do more and be better each day, each month, each year. Second, New Year’s resolutions are the beginning of a plan. If we make a plan, there is a chance that something wonderful may happen. It might not, but it could. Without a plan, nothing will happen. I can guarantee that.

I encourage you again this year to make New Year’s resolutions as they relate to your school’s grant program. I am going to suggest three such resolutions, and I hope you will decide to adopt one or more of them as you attempt to help your school gain grant money during 2011.

My first suggestion for a New Year’s grant resolution is to write your first grant if you’ve never written one. It doesn’t matter what the purpose of the grant is or how much money you receive. The first grant you ever write is the most difficult, and you have to get it written before you can write your second, third, and fourth grants. Make a resolution to find a grant and apply for it in January. Once you get that first one out of the way, you can then decide on other grants to write later in the year.

If you are a more experienced grant writer, I suggest your New Year’s grant resolution be a little more specific. I suggest you determine the greatest problem your school, campus, or classroom is having and determine how you can remedy or at least alleviate that problem by winning grant money for your school. You might be able to overcome the problem by writing just one grant during 2011, or you may have to write several to have the impact you desire. Make a commitment to seek out that main problem and begin writing grants by the end of January or the beginning of February to solve that problem.

My third suggestion for a New Year’s resolution is also for more experienced grant writers. I recommend that you make a resolution to develop an overall plan for writing grants for your school. You might not end up writing all of the grants that this plan entails, but every school should have a plan that coordinates the manner in which a school determines its largest problems, develops plans to correct those problems, and then goes after grant money to fund those programs. If you don’t have a plan in place, most grant efforts become a scattered affair that have little impact on the problems a school faces.

These are my main three recommendations for 2011 New Year’s resolutions. You may adopt them. You may not. Please at least consider them as you head into this promising New Year. And if those above do not suit you, you might want to consider some of the following resolutions:

To develop a grant committee at your district or campus.

To set a dollar amount that you want to receive in grants.

To set the number of grants you want your school to receive.

To hire a part-time or full-time grant writer for your school.

To find a granting entity in your community for a multi-year relationship.

To attend grant-writing training.

To find a grant-writing partner.

Yes, each of these ideas is the beginning of a plan. Each of them will eventually help you bring in more grant money to your school. Each of them is forward-looking and optimistic. But that’s okay, because we are all educators in one way or another, and I don’t see how you can be an educator and not be forward-looking and optimistic.

Step 5: Obtaining the Grant Application and Gathering Information

2010-12-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Over the past several weeks I have shared steps one through four to follow as you attempt to secure grant money for your school. Those first four steps include: 1. Understanding the hurdle(s)/issue(s) your school faces. 2. Developing a solution to address those issues. 3. Finding all possible grants to fund your solution. 4. Matching your needs with likely grant sources. If you missed the information on any of those four steps, you can access past blogs on the right-hand side of this page.

Step five is obtaining the actual grant applications for your top one or two grant matches and gathering all the information you need to complete those applications.

First and foremost, you need to understand a grantor’s application process and obtain an application form far enough in advance of the deadline so you are not rushed when it comes time to fill it out. If you plan ahead, you are much more likely to submit a competitive grant application.

You should be aware that different organizations use different types of grant applications. Quite a few foundations require no more than a letter that details your school's problem, your planned solution, and a budget that details the money you need. That letter takes the place of a formal application. In other cases, some groups of foundations use common grant applications. But most foundations, states, and federal agencies use unique, detailed applications for each grant they sponsor. Grant seekers must obtain the specific application(s) required to apply for each grant.

The type of application required for each grant you seek is typically listed on the grantor’s website. In many cases, you will find, complete, and submit your application without ever leaving the grantor’s site. More often, however, grantors provide applications you can download to your computer and print out at your convenience.

Finally, some grantors require you to submit a request for an application in writing. If the grantor has a website, an email usually meets this requirement, and the application will be mailed or emailed to you. If the grantor does not have a website, both the request for an application and the return of the application will be accomplished using regular mail.

It's important to know all the details of the application process up front so you can plan your time well and not be rushed.

Once you obtain the application, read it thoroughly -- several times. Concentrate on the different kinds of information you will need in order to complete the application. Although quite a bit of the application will require you to supply information in narrative form, you will likely need statistics from several sources to verify your need for help. You will also have to develop a budget for your project.

Before you actually begin completing an application, gather all the reference materials and statistical information you will likely need and find a quiet place to work. Make time so you can complete the application without interruption. You don't want to interrupt your writing every 15 minutes to look for some vital piece of information that you should have at your fingertips. Your writing should flow, and it will only do so if you’ve gathered all the tools and information before you sit down to write.

You will be two steps ahead of your competition if you have carefully read the application and gathered all the materials you will need to complete it without interruption. Good planning is a vital part of the grant application process.

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2010-12-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

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, Technology

Recipients: Public Schools, Private/Charter School, Other

Proposal Deadline: 1/15/11

Average Amount: $500.00 - $5,000.00

Email: legochildrensfund@lego.com

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

Availability: All States

Check it Out: NEW Grant Opportunity!

2010-12-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

Grant Name: NEA Youth Leaders for Literacy

Funded by: Youth Service America

Description: Youth Leaders for Literacy will award 30 young people from across the U.S. each with $500 grants. Successful projects will be youth-led and address an established literacy need in the applicant's school or community. The projects will launch on NEA’s Read Across America Day on March 2nd and culminate on Global Youth Service Day, April 15-17. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply. Youth ages 5-25 are welcome to apply along with an adult ally (an adult ally is a non-controlling mentor who offers support and guidance in the fulfillment of the service project).

Program Areas: Library, Reading

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

Proposal Deadline: 1/5/11

Average Amount: $500.00

Telephone: 202-296-2992

Email: info@ysa.org

Website: http://www.ysa.org/grants/nea-youth-leaders-literacy

Availability: All States