Grants,
Fellowships, and Awards
Grant
Tips from the NACP Grant Expert
Grant
writing is like the chicken and the egg dilemma. Do you start with a great
project idea and no funding source, or begin by identifying a possible funding
source to then develop a project to match?
Why
not do both?
Brainstorm
a list of great ideas and look for funding sources to match. At the same time
examine all possible funding sources and see if one of your ideas could be
modified to fit their requirements. Here are our best tips!
1.
Be Organized AND Follow Buzz Grants–
After you visit the website pages listed, bookmark your favorites on your web
browser with the due date at the beginning of the bookmark title. This way you
can see which grants are coming up soon. Bookmark the grants that you know you
and your school can qualify for (i.e. low income, Title 1, High school, location grants, etc.)
2.
Be Mindful of the Reader –
Some grants have distinguished board members who review them while other grants
are read by the plumber next door, (everyday people read Donorschoose grants)
so when writing, use terms and language that will be understood by that
particular audience. Don’t use teacher lingo (NCLB, IEP, etc) with non-teachers
- or at least spell them out.
3.
Be Succinct with Official Grants –
Most grants that have official reviewers read hundreds to thousands of
submitted grants. Submitting a grant is not the time to utilize your creative
writing skills and/or phrases. Get to the point and state the need, the project
and other responses specifically asked by the grant committee. Do not write
flowery colorful statements to state something matter of fact.
4.
Donorchoose.org (DC) Grants –
Everyone has his or her own style with DC grants but this is what works for me.
Since readers of these grants are everyday people and/or corporations looking
to give a lending hand to students in need, you have more wiggle room to
connect on an emotional level with your writing. DC requires you to describe
student need (basically that school funds are low or students don’t have access
to requested materials) while this is an important beginning part of your
proposal DON’T go into a four page essay about how your students are
disadvantaged. You want to certainly connect to their emotions but the power of
your proposal should be in the project and how it will benefit the students
(why they need these materials). Most of my proposals are succinct yet still
successfully connects the reader to my disadvantaged students. People may not
have all day to read Jproposals
and some search for short yet powerful projects to sponsor.
5.
Be Realistic with Supply Request –
If you’re writing a grant that requires an itemized list of supplies for a
project that you have not done before, carefully plan to make sure you will not
be short on supplies or have an excess of supplies. Grant reviewers frown upon
projects that request too much money for a simple project, so be sure to do
your research and explain your need for the requested supplies.
6.
Sample Other Past Winning Projects –
Numerous grant sites post past winning proposals and projects on their site for
public view. Therefore, while you aren’t copying a
past winning project, you can be inspired and cognizant of the elements needed
to create a winning project.
7.
Use Their Key Words –
Terms like ‘inner city’, ‘low-income’, and ‘Low SES’ are often used
interchangeably when describing the requirements of a grant. Try to use the key
words that the grant description uses when describing your student base. If you
are trying for the ‘Urban Teacher Award’, use the word ‘urban’ to describe your
student’s community (if applicable) instead of another word.
8.
Don’t Give Up On the First ‘NO!’ –
The first few grants I wrote were not accepted and I had the option of not
applying anymore or to “keep on truckin”. Now, five years later, every grant or
fellowship I have applied for in the past two years has been accepted. So don’t
give up!
9.
Keep Submitted Grants and an Updated Resume – If a grant is not accepted with one program, save it to
possibly submit to another program if the requirements are acceptable. Many of
the teacher fellowships need resumes, so it is imperative to keep your resume
up to date. Email me if you would like to see a copy of mine. Also, sign up for
grant search engines in order to directly receive grants and fellowship
information.
10.
Think Outside the Box! –
Try to submit projects that are unique and will be a special experience for
your students. I received a FEDCO grant to take my students to tour UCLA and
study math and architecture by drawing all the geometrical shapes of Royce
Hall. They then had to build their own college campus that incorporated
mathematical and geometrical skills acquired on the UCLA field trip. Unique and
never done before!
Fellowship
Advice: - If you are
able to go on weeklong fellowships, then I would certainly advise that you do.
Some are only a week and some last up to a month or more! Being able to travel,
learn, and collaborate with some of America’s best teachers in different parts
of the country (and the world) is an invaluable experience that will enrich
your career and your life. Most of the previous tips apply for fellowships but
the most important one is to be set apart. Why does this fellowship want YOU to
be a part of their cohort? What can YOU offer to the overall experience? Be
unique, be excited, and most of all, be YOU!
Some
of these fellowship trips can be used as tax write-offs as well (but please
seek tax advice from a professional tax accountant for specific details). Some
fellowships pay everything (hotel & flight) for you upfront and other
fellowships have you pay for those fees upfront and then they give you a
stipend at the end of the fellowship (like the NEH fellowships). Either
way...still worth it!
Last
Words: Your students
deserve the best and you deserve to be able to give them the best. During these
hard economic times, don’t become discouraged because funds are low but become
tenacious in finding different ways to make things happen. Be proactive and
diligent and it will pay off for you and your class. Feel free to email me with
any questions or clarifications. I can email this document to you so you can
easily cut and paste the web addresses in your browser. Thank you and WRITE ON!
God bless!
Genein
Letford,
NEW Academy Canoga Park
Websites and Resources
GRANT
RESOURCES
Updated April 4th, 2014
Grants Alert (Follow on FB and Twitter @grantsbuzz )
Teachers Count –Grant Search
Engine
GRANT
WEBSITES
TEACHING
FELLOWSHIPS
(Travel during the summer to learn!)
Teaching Awards
(Win money for you and your school for being a GREAT teacher!!)
(Win money for you and your school for being a GREAT teacher!!)
...and
so much more! Google them!
The money and opportunities are out there for your class...now go GET THEM!
The money and opportunities are out there for your class...now go GET THEM!
Genein
Letford, NEW Academy Canoga Park
© Genein Letford
CC Photo Credits:
EntrePollo - Chicken Egg
Seed Money Team Jenkins
