As is probably the case in many school districts, money is tight. In my district, it often seems like technology is the first budgetary area to be cut. We are encouraged to apply for grants. Has anyone had positive experiences with grant writing? Can anyone provide any resources to help me find grants for technology and any suggestions or guidance on how to write a successful proposal?
Kate-
I am sure this is a huge issue for everyone even though administrators love to talk about all the technology they have in their schools they have a difficult time parting with the money to do it. Unfortunately I do not have any suggestions for finding that elusive cash flow. I do know from the grant person at our school that it is a full time job if you want it done right. Sorry I can't offer better advice.
Mary
Hey Kate! I have never written a grant, but teachers at my school have gained MANY things through Donors Choose. You should check it out!
gina_ripley
Hi Kate! I do not believe that I am much help but would love to hear from others who do have experience with grant writing. With all of the grad courses, I have to admit that learning the "how to's" of grant writing are at the bottom of my "To Do" list. I do know that our district applied for and received the Classroom for the Futures grant from PDE this year. I really do not know what all it entailed in the preparing for it but ours is a two-year grant with receiving technology resources and professional development. I'm sorry I can't be of more help!
Janell
Howdy Kate!
Would you believe that I JUST took a grant writing workshop last week through our Intermediate Unit?! Library budgets are often cut even before technology so I am really feeling a crunch. The place we worked through for finding grants to start with was the PDE website. Though this is PA's site, most of the grant opportunities are national. It looks like you are in PA so I would check PDE. I was afraid of grant writing because of the data required and the accountability factors. The workshop should us where all of the data we need is kept online and gave us pointers on accountability. Does your IU offer anything like this? Maybe you could request it as a professional development topic. I would bet there are otehrs who would appreciate it, too. Good luck! - D
Hi Kate,
I have helped with a few grant proposals for my previous school but I am not sure how much help I will be. I live in Canada so the grants I applied won't likely help you. The guidelines for acceptance were laid out almost like a rubric so when we made our applications we made sure to include big bolded sections with those headers. We also included research and references to backup what we intended to use the funding for. I also took look at PA and I would check out:PDE Grant Guide. IMB likes to give out money in Canada to schools, that might be worth looking into. The Grant Center on Education World might worth looking into too. Here is a site with some grant writing tools.
Hope this helps!
Megaen
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Hi Katie!
I have never written a grant before either, we have folks on staff that are specially trained for that sort of thing. I do know that there are lots out there, just keep looking! If I get any leads (we are emailed what the district guys are going for) I will send them your way.
Great looking wiki!
Tari
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At our Learning Center in Canada, we've developed a very close relationship with our local Rotary Club. They have a grant program to help schools upgrade their technology and have been very generous. Last year we added a lot of small stuff like mikes and webcams and such and also a installed Abobe Premier Elements on 15 machines so the kids have easy access to movie-editting software. They also have a scholarship program. We have invited them to the school to watch the kids work with "Rotary equipment" and to view their end-products and are making a nice plaque for the entry way to thank them for their support. If you know anyone who is a Rotarian, Kate, I'd start there and see if they will 'adopt' you.
There is also a huge fund that should have come to your state and district from the Microsoft settlement. That's supposed to support the purchase of equipment.
~Sue
The concept of a grant, as it exists in the USA, is foreign to the Canadian education system. Each province has complete jurisdiction over education, with the Federal government only having a role in post-secondary education. However, as Sue has pointed out, finding sponsorships from business can be a very good way to augment local school projects. The trick is to know how to tap into these.
Technology budgets for schools will take a major hit in the Province of Ontario this year, we are told. Hoping it's not too severe!
Rod
We actually just wrote a grant for our after-school program and received a large sum of money to spend on these students. Unfortunatly, our guidance counselor wrote the grant, but our job was to find it.
I found one through Sprint which may help. It stresses the importance of technology in the classroom!
http://www.sprint.com/responsibility/commitment.html?id8=vanity:community
Have fun and hopefully someone in your building can help you write it if you are unsure!
~Breanne
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I have never written a grant myself, but I know there are a lot of them out there and there is money to be had. Best Buy is always offering a few thousand dollars to classrooms that can prove a need for technology. My advice to you would be to find the grant you want to apply for, gather all of your information, and find someone in your district who can guide you through the process and point out the paperwork that needs to be filed within your district so that you don't go through all of your efforts for nothing.
Good luck! Pam Oliveira (pamoliveira)