Grant Writing Workshop

1. Grant Writing Workshop Becky Leifert Robin Chapman

2. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • School Information • Names, Address, Grades Served, Percentage of Free/Reduced Lunch • http://www.tn.gov/education/research/dataavailablefordownload_000.shtml • Teacher Contact Information • Name, Title, Address, Phone (Class, Cell/School) • Principal Information • Name, Email Address, Phone (Office/School)

3. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Project Information • Project State • Companies are more likely to give grants to in-service areas (Nashville, TN) • Project Title • Make it catchy/hook (Linked2Learning, G3-Greene Going Green, GPS-Getting Prepared for Success) • Requested Amount • See if a match is required and if it is $1 for $1 or in-kind or a combination thereof

4. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Total School Enrollment • Number of Students Impacted by the Proposal Project • Number of Teachers Impacted by the Proposed Project • STAR Student Management System

5. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Content Areas Targeted • Math • Science • Language Arts/Reading • Social Studies • Common Core • CTE • STEM

6. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Project Description • HINT (Innovative integration of technology into the curriculum and teaching practices) • What technology or technologies do you plan to integrate and why did you choose these technologies? • Understanding and knowing how to use technology is imperative to our students success in school and as adults in the workforce • Improve well-being and overall quality of life (CenturyLink Goal) • Infrastructure already in place • Multiple uses • Technological literacy of teachers and students • Proven success (research to back) • Create authentic projects (students see the relevance and need to do work)

7. CenturyLink Foundation Grant Special Note in Grant: • Keep in mind we are looking for ideas that foster creativity and innovation in the classroom. Be original in ideas of how the technology will be applied to improve academic achievement and improve the classroom experience. We are also looking for ways that technology can support not only your classroom, but how it might capture the attention of your colleagues and expand throughout your school.

8. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • How will your project integrate technology into the curriculum in unique or innovative ways to improve student achievement? • Don’t reinvent the wheel – research the internet • Common Core lessons • Blended/Flipped Learning • Project-based (real world application, problem solving, critical thinking)

9. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • How does this project change or improve the way technology is incorporated into the curriculum and teaching practices in your classroom and school? • Teachers are able to try new ways of teaching old content. • Differentiation becomes easier • Delivery of information – paperless • Immediate feedback • Collaboration (students/teachers)

10. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • How will this technology support the needs of your students? • Improved test scores • Motivation • College/Career • Students can teach and learn from each other – strengthening skills that will deepen their learning. • “Students can have completely different answers, but as long as they support it with good analysis then their answer is completely acceptable and sometimes even brilliant”.

11. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Academic Achievement • What learning and skill development will result from this project? • How are the academic achievement goals of this project aligned with state academic standards? • Common Core standards • What gaps in the current curriculum or classroom experience will this project address? • Look at your scores for gaps • Authentic learning

12. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • How will improvement be measured • Formative Assessment • Criterion-Referenced • Surveys • Diagnostic Tools • Standardized • Summative • Authentic Assessments • Portfolio

13. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Scope of Impact • How will this project change instructional practice and results in 21st century learning (relevant, real world problem solving and critical thinking)? • Project Based • Authentic Assessment

14. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Budget Narrative • Please provide a brief explanation and description (200 words) of the proposed expenditures and how they related to successful implementation of the project. • Grant funds will pay for: • Supplies • Software and Hardware • Professional Development • Project-related activities

15. CenturyLink Foundation Grant • Be sure to discuss how the project will be sustained after the grant funds have been expended. • Infrastructure currently in place • Supplies - donations from business partners • Professional Development – Teach the Teacher Collaborative • Project-related activities – BEP Funds, etc.

16. Tips on Writing Grants/Basics • Start preparing the application early. • Follow the instructions carefully. • Format: margins, page/word limit, font size, etc.. • Keep your audience in mind. • Be brief, concise and clear • don’t use acronyms. • Make your proposals upbeat, positive and interesting. • We will implement… • Research has shown….. • Be organized and logical. • Commit only to activities you can fulfill. • Base on Best Practices

17. Tips on Writing Grants • Show evidence of fiscal stability and sound fiscal management. • Attend to technical details. • Be careful in the use of attachments. • Include everything you are asked to include. • Print out and carefully proofread to ensure accuracy and completion. • Have someone not familiar with your program read the proposal for clarity • Submit all information at the same time.

18. Grant Locators •  Identify your search criteria • Subject matter, geographic area, target audience, key words, etc. • http://www.ed.gov/fund/landing.jhtml • http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html;jsessionid=nYH5SFcPQJG8QjWz79GnFWFdDZ5mr1DK3n3WZJld8F2THml2BqXD • http://www.grantsalert.com/ • http://www.foundationcenter.org/findfunders/foundfinder/?gclid=CJ6z4If75LoCFfFj7AodgDkAzg • http://nonprofit.about.com/od/resources/tp/grantinfo.htm • http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/100_places_to_find_funding_your_research/ • http://www.nsf.gov/funding/ • http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/grants/ • http://www.k12grants.org/grant_opps.htm

19. Buzz Words • College and Career Ready • Brain-based • Synergy • Benchmarks • Forward-thinking • Real-world/project-based/inquiry based • BYOD/BYOT – bring your own device/technology • Student-centered • Data driven • Common Core Aligned • Digital Literacy • Lifelong learning • Accountability • Closing the expectations gap

20. Buzz Words • Blended Learning/Flipped Learning • Authentic Learning • Unrepresented populations • First generation • Agents of change • Undermatching • Collaborative • MOOC – Massive Open Online Course • 21st Century • Authentic Assessment • Customized learning • Interactive • Multiple Intelligences • Age appropriate

21. Data • Tennessee Report Card (state, district, school) • www.state.tn.us/education • Demographics • Free/Reduced • Test scores • Appalachian Regional Commission Data • http://www.arc.gov/ • Greene County is an economically distressed area • Tennessee Initiatives • www.state.tn.us/education • Greene County Board Goals • www2.greenek12.org

22. Research quotes • 81% of Tennessee jobs are middle or high skills (require some postsecondary education or training) • Less than 20% of jobs are considered to be unskilled • Only 50% of students who enter public colleges in TN earn their degrees • 54% of TN students in 2-year colleges and 18% In 4-year require remediation • Only 32% of TN adults have some postsecondary degree (associates or higher). • Only 17.3% in Greene County