Grant Writer's Workshop

Teachers.Net October 1, 1998 Focus Grant Writer's Workshop with Evelyn Kelley

Grant Writing Tips - Evelyn Kelley http://www.bhm.k12.al.us/schools/inglenook http://www.scott.net/~ekelley/grants/ Writing Grant Proposals http://www.teachers.net/archive/grants.html

Mary K&1 - Welcome to our Grant Writing Workshop with Evelyn Kelley
Mary K&1 - Evelyn presented this information at the 1998 Alabama State Technology Convention. http://scott.net/~ekelley/grants
Mary K&1 - Evelyn, would you like to give us an introduction concerning the information that you will be sharing with us tonight?
Evelyn/AL First - The information I have is the basic steps of how to put together information for writing grants. I have a web resource page for grants, but often local banks, foundations in your own area will have money for you to write for.
Mary K&1 - What is the first step that one must take?
Evelyn/AL First - Yes. I will share that last year I had $10,000 grant money for my school. It was a multicultural grant for the entire school. Of course I got to choose things especially for my classroom, internet connection especailly.
Evelyn/AL First - First step, decide what you want - and what you want to do with the material. Start a wish list and put everything down that would cover your "lesson plan".
Evelyn/AL First - Lesson plan will give you direction of how you will use it in your classroom, can it be shared with others in the school, and how much is your limit in the grant application. Evaluation is covered here as well, an important part in writing a grant proposal.
Evelyn/AL First - Most grants want a 50 words or less summary. This would be like your objective in your lesson plan. Any questions so far.
Mary K&1 - Is there a specific form to the "lesson plan"?
Evelyn/AL First - If you have a special piece of equipment (computer) one must have a creative way to get one. Lesson plan is just an easy format in setting up a description of what you want to get. A lesson plan has objectives, materials, introductory activities, evaluation, implementation, and who it reaches, all attributes of grant applications.
Tanya - I need to know where to find grants available.
Evelyn/AL First - I have a web page with some grant resources. What state are you from? My web page is http://www.bhm.k12.al.us/schools/inglenook - Check grant information on the web page
Mary K&1 - After the plan is written, what's the next step?
Evelyn/AL First - First is objectives, what you are going to do with the materials. How many children can the materials serve is really important. This is in proportion to the amount available. $2000 may not serve by 75 children where $8000 may serve 450 children. They want the most for their money.
Tanya - Is there a particular time of year most grants applications are due?
Evelyn/AL First - Yes, most grant usually are posted on quarters. Some are all year with open dates. But usually Aug, Dec, March, May are good months to check for grants.
Evelyn/AL First - What particular curricumlum are you wanting to get funds for, Science, Math,?
Kathleen - Is it a waste of time to approach a business with a grant proposal even though they haven't advertised or otherwise offered grants?
Tanya - I integrate my curriculum and need money for books, technology and field trips.
Evelyn/AL First - No, but usually a letter describing what you want, examples of the children's work and how this equipment could help them would be more appropriate for individual business.You do not have this with grant proposal applications.
Evelyn/AL First - Approaching businesses also deals with a fiscal calendar year. I recently called a business and they are making their budget for 99 as of Oct 1. It never hurts to ask for help for education.
Kathleen - Tammy/MI went to her local Walmart with a proposal for take home bag supplies and she received about $150 worth of materials from the store.
Evelyn/AL First - Tanya, if you can focus on one topic, for instance, Marine Life, then incorporate the books you want, maniuplatives, films, videos, computer with cd's that would cover the theme, you can incorporate technology in a grant proposal. Many will "not" cover field trips because of liability so I would not put those in the proposal myself.
Evelyn/AL First - The steps would be to do what I just mentioned. Find a topic, your materials, and get creative in how to use them. Write it down. Then apply it to the questions of the grant.
Tanya - What about outside experts to come to the school (sort of an inhouse field trip)?
Evelyn/AL First - Guest speakers would be great, you include the community, family, parents is the key word here, and that broadens the students exposure in education. More people involved sponsored by the grant.
Mary K&1 - So far, we write the plan which includes the objectives, what's next?
Evelyn/AL First - After objectives, you list what you want, how you are going to use it in your room. And, how many children will be served, will it reach parents, community members, etc.
Evelyn/AL First - A timeline would be next, how you will implement the grant. Will you purchase the materials over the summer, etc. How will you share it with other teachers? Evaluation.
Kathleen - Should you list the cost of the items at this stage?
Evelyn/AL First - The cost and a description will be in the budget which is usually at the end. They do not want vendor names, catalog numbers, etc. The want exampled: record player $159.00. Be honest with the price and include shipping in your price.
Evelyn/AL First - You can round off figures but be honest and do not inflate the price. What happenes if the item is not there the next year when you get the Money? Substitue as long as it meets grant theme criteria and can be used.
Tanya - So if you apply for a grant in say December you should plan for its implementation in the next school year?
Evelyn/AL First - Evaluation is one of the most important steps. This can be observation, building a portfolio, video tapes of the activites, newspaper articles, making a scrapbook to show the influence or experienes of the children from these materials. They may come see your evaluation materials.
Kathleen - Can you list personnel (salary) or is it unusual for a grant such as is usually available to educators to provide $$ to pay people to administer the proposed activity or program?
Evelyn/AL First - I evaluated my last grant awarded in May 1997, implemented in June `1997, started in school in 1998, composed a scrapbook, pictures, programs to supplement the evaluation of the grant. They could come at any time to see what we had experienced with this grant money.
Evelyn/AL First - Most grants that I have applied for do not allow any money or travel stipens. But there are grants out there that do. You have to read the application to find. And, reread it after your grant is written to be sure that you did and have what they want.
Tanya - What if you want personnel to teach or coach an afterschool program who are not school personnel?
Evelyn/AL First - One of the last and major steps is to read the application. Can you say in 10 words what you want to do with the money. Do Not have more pages that they allow. You can type the grant application usually from they applilcation but you cannot go by the number of pages.
Evelyn/AL First - Tanya, you would have to find a grant that allows salary and then when you write the grant, include the criteria of the personnel to serve inthe grant to have these salaries paid.
Evelyn/AL First - One other budget item. Before you substitute an item, check with your grantor if you have a contact. Also, your school administrator helps you implement the grant and they should know of your substitution.
Evelyn/AL First - How will you include people in your community, parents and other media in the implementation of the grant. I briefly touched on this, but yes, they want you to include parents and others in the community in education.
Mary K&1 - Evelyn, are there any steps that you have not listed yet?
Evelyn/AL First - Mary I think I have covered all the steps. Evaluation is really hard to pinpoint, but back to the lesson plan idea, how do you measure what has been learned? This is why I suggest beginning in a lesson plan format, and then adapting the information to typical grant applications.
Kathleen - Should you check about substitutions even if the cost is the same?
Evelyn/AL First - I would always ask myself, does it cover my objective in my grant. You are responsible for their money, your are respresenting your school. Checking with your principal is always best, they trust you to implement the grant. I have heard of some granting agencies controling the spending from their office. This is possible. If it is a large amount of money, they will be there to see what your are getting and are you using it as you say.
Evelyn/AL First - When you mail an application, always send the exact number of copies they request. Yes Mary, any other questions will be fine.
Kathleen - Do school systems have to account to any agency for money received through grants?
Evelyn/AL First - I would say yes. The money is given to the school system in our area. Then the money is dispersed through the school account to the teacher account. The materials are then purchased with purchase orders, and the school pays the PO's. The administrator of the grant, myself, keeps a tally of the amount spent and records it and how it meets the grant objective.
Evelyn/AL First - Accounting to an agency,the company that gives you the money. Most large corporations have you sign an agreement when you get the money that if you do not spend it accordingly it is returned. If the person left the system that won the money, the school principal will appoint someone else to implement the grant. Did that answer your question?
Kathleen. - yes, thank you
Barb - Evelyn, this may seem strange...but what happens if you don't spend all the money allocated by a grant?
Evelyn/AL First - If you do not spend the money,it is usually returned to the agency. There is a beginning date and ending date of the grant. One could purchase duplicate copies of what you purchased for next year instead of returning the money.
Tanya - If your school systems POs are not honored is there another arrangement a grant seeker can make for administration of the grant?
Evelyn/AL First - Tanya, that would have to be worked out when they handed you the check. It would depend on how your grantor and school lets you get the money and how the grantor wants a record of monies spent.
Evelyn/AL First - The beginning date for starting the grant usually can be at the end of the school year that you wrote the grant, and ending date would be the end of the following school year. This allows you to purchase what you need during the summer so that when you go back to school, the grant be inmplemented then.
Evelyn/AL First - I have the steps of writing a grant and resources for grants available on my school website.I invite you to check there. If you have any further questions, please email me. http://www.bhm.k12.al.us/schools/inglenook
Evelyn/AL First - If I can help you , please let me know, anyone
Evelyn/AL First - Thanks Mary, I do hope there have been some questions answered. I enjoyed the discussion. Let me know if I can help you.
Mary K&1 - Evelyn, do you have a closing statmemnt and could you please review the steps to follow when setting out ot write a grant propsal?
Evelyn/AL First - Steps: Choose your item(s), make a wish list, Determine an objective, how will you evaluate the grant, and how many children will be served. Will your parents be involved, how will you implement it, beginning and ending, make your budget, send it the exact number of copies postmarked on the date they request or sooner.
Evelyn/AL First - A good idea is writing a grant proposal in a style of a lesson plan, but include a budget and can you include more than your class with the amount of the money available if you get the grant.
Mary K&1 - Thank you, Evelyn - for the steps and for all of your hard work tonight
Mary K&1 - This is good stuff
Evelyn/AL First - For the late joining group, check our my school website under grants and if you have any questions, just email the webmaster. http://www.bhm.k12.al.us/schools/inglenook You are welcome Mary. Thanks for having me. I enjoyed the honor.
Mary K&1 - It's after 10:00 here and the hour is past, thanks again, Evelyn and good night to all.