GRANTS> SchoolGrants Bimonthly Newsletter March 2003
- From: Gleason Sackmann <gleason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: K12Newsletters <k12newsletters@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2003 22:49:02 -0600
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K12NewsLetters - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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From: "Donna Fernandez" <donna@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <SCHOOLGRANTS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, 1 Mar 2003 10:03:16 -0600
Subject: SchoolGrants Bimonthly Newsletter March 2003
SchoolGrants Bimonthly Newsletter
March 2003
Vol. 1, No. 2
NEWS / RESOURCES
Beyond the Bake Sale
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2002/oct/schools/index.html
National Public Radio (NPR) recently featured a three-part series called
Beyond the Bake Sale that takes a look at ways public schools are
raising private money along with the benefits and consequences of some
of those methods. The series examines a Charleston County, South
Carolina contract signed with Pepsi where the district agreed to sell
only Pepsi products in schools and administration buildings, school
foundations, and granting naming rights to large corporations.
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Abandoning What Doesn't Work
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2002_11/focus_Mathews.htm
Gary S. Mathews, currently superintendent of Carroll Independent School
District, wrote this article for AASA's School Administrator. Mr.
Mathews chose to follow one teacher's advice that summed up the comments
of many of her colleagues: meet once or twice a year and take a look
at procedures. Eliminate those activities that have taken on a life of
their own and are either unproductive or obsolete.
Using "organized abandonment" - a systematic look at what should be
done, what is being done, and what doesn't need to be done - the
district learned of many counterproductive activities that were stealing
teacher time and adding little benefit to the schools. The sessions
were found so useful that a recent union negotiation includes a new
memorandum of understanding that commits the district to review teacher
workloads annually.
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Foundation Funds Dwindle
http://www.edweek.com/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=10endow.h22
Just as many individuals are watching their personal funds dwindle in
today's uncertain stock market, so too have many foundations suffered
dramatic decreases in their endowments. In a time that states and
districts are having to slash education budgets, foundations are also
cutting cutting back on operating costs as well as grantmaking. An
extreme example is the David and Lucille Packard Foundation -
traditionally a big supporter of education-related projects. The
Foundation's endowment has shrunk from $13 billion in 1999 to about
$3.7 billion currently. Respective slashes to giving have been
necessary. In 2000, the Foundation gave $451 million in grants and in
2003 their grant giving budget is set at $200 million. Priorities have
changed due to these fund reductions and their focus is going to be
creating a universal preschool in California rather than funding
national health and education-related projects. The Ford Foundation,
based in New York, is another large foundation that has traditionally
supported education. Its portfolio has decreased from $14.9 billion in
2000 to about $9 million currently.
Bad news to some of us is that some foundations are no longer going to
accept grant proposals from organizations they have not supported in
the past. According to the Education Week article, "Given the state of
the economy and the stock market, many foundations may be disbursing
more warm words than grant money for the time being." A Spencer
Foundation vice president, Paul Goren, says this about the slumping
foundation assets, "Although this may reduce the number of grants
available, we will still focus on funding the best proposals on
education research that come before us."
There is some good news though! Education-funding still seems to be a
priority for many foundations. It is our job to pay particularly close
attention to those foundations whose priorities most closely match our
own and to spend the time and effort necessary to produce an
outstanding proposal to ensure the foundation that we are the right
match for their very limited grant dollars.
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SCHOOLGRANTS SERVICES
If you enjoy the information in this newsletter, you will find the
SchoolGrants Biweekly Newsletter a great value at only $35/year for 24
issues. The information here was published several months ago for those
subscribers, along with much, much more. The yearly subscription fee
helps keep the SchoolGrants site available to all. For more
information, please go to http://www.schoolgrants.org/newsletter2.htm.
The Let's Write a Grant CD offers the help you need in learning to write
competitive grants. The Table of Contents is available online as is
ordering information. You can find the information by clicking on
http://www.schoolgrants.org/WriteGrant.htm.
Hands-on site-based workshops are an effective way to teach your staff
how to write proposals to help fund those programs that are important to
your school. I have the knowledge and experience necessary to teach
others how to write a winning proposal. Previous clients have included
the West Virginia Department of Education, Performance Institute,
Sandersville Technical College and one of Georgia's regional service
centers. A recent workshop participant wrote this, "I have been to many
grant writing workshops, and I want you to know this is the only one
that has been truly practical. One can read and understand the process;
it's the "doing" that is so helpful. THANKS!!"
Coming soon will be workshops offered by SchoolGrants that you can
attend. I am also in the process of developing online grant writing /
management classes. I expect the first workshops to be offered in the
spring 2003. Thanks to all of you who have written expressing interest
in either of the workshops!
For more information about services available through SchoolGrants, you
can reach me by sending an email to info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Verizon Foundation
http://foundation.verizon.com/06011.shtml
The Verizon Foundation concentrates its venture philanthropy in four
priority funding areas - with an emphasis on providing innovative
technology solutions to solve problems. In partnership with nonprofit
organizations, their goal is to have a profound, tangible effect on
societal needs and the adverse issues facing disadvantaged communities.
The Foundation's four priority areas are:
* Literacy
* Workforce Development
* Community Technology Development
* Employee Volunteerism
Nonprofit organizations (with a 501(c)(3) determination) and public
schools registered with the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) are eligible to apply for funding.
Proposals are accepted from January 1 - November 30.
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Beaumont Foundation of America
http://www.bmtfoundation.com/grants/
The Beaumont Foundation of America (BFA) is a not-for-profit
philanthropic organization that grants technology equipment to support
digital inclusion for underserved individuals.
The foundation will award grants in 21 states and the District of
Columbia in 2003 and in the remaining 29 states in 2004. Additional
grants will be available in subsequent years. The foundation has three
distinct grant programs: Community Grants of technology equipment to
community-based organizations; Education Grants of technology equipment
for schools; and Individual Grants of technology equipment directly to
individuals.
Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations or government agencies that serve
citizens at or below the poverty level as defined by U.S. Census Bureau
thresholds are eligible for Community Grants; K-12 public, private,
parochial, or charter schools where a minimum of 50 percent of students
qualify for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are eligible for
the Education Grants; and individuals living at or below the poverty
level as defined by U.S. Census Bureau thresholds are eligible to apply
for the Individual Grants. Equipment provided will be a selection of
Toshiba-branded hardware.
Applications will be accepted from January 6, 2003 to March 31, 2003.
See the BFA Web site for complete program and application information
and for the complete list of available products.
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Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation
http://www.touchemall.com/apply_for_grant/fund_prio.htm
The Teammates for Kids Foundation awards grants that enhance the health
of needy children by promoting healthy lifestyles,
encourage educational achievement in areas of documented weakness,
promote advanced learning opportunities to gifted
children who would otherwise lack the resources necessary to pursue
dreams and talents, and expose children to learning
opportunities they would otherwise not experience due to insufficient
financial resources. For inner city children, the
Foundation also funds grants that provide health and educational
programs targeted to low-income children and strengthen the
capacity of operating nonprofit organizations to more effectively meet
the needs of low-income children.
The Foundation usually does not fund organizations relying on government
funding for more than 65% of annual revenue or
nonprofits who have been in business for less than two years.
Most grants range from $10,000 to $50,000. April 1 and October 1 are
the deadlines for 2003 grant cycles.
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EARN $$ FOR YOUR SCHOOL
THE FUNDING FACTORY
http://www.fundingfactory.com/bredirect.asp?etcepid=1247
The FundingFactory offers two ways that schools can earn leading edge
technology, sports and recreation equipment (including playground
equipment), or even cash by recycling empty printer cartridges and used
cell phones. Schools collect empty printer cartridges and used cell
phones and send them to The Funding Factory. Over 20% of US schools
currently participate in the program that is "the recognized gold
standard for innovative fundraising."
There's more! You can solicit area businesses to send their used
cartridges and cell phones to FundingFactory with credit going to your
organization. FundingFactory provides free collection boxes and pays
all shipping costs to schools and businesses.
This program has received very positive comments on the Bring Home the
Bacon listserv from participating schools. Be sure to check it out!
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FREE CLIP ART
Do your Students, Teachers, Administrators, Tech Eds
need to know where to go for great online resources
for the arts? Integrate the arts into the classroom.
<http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Arts/websites.html>
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FINALLY...
SchoolGrants Bimonthly Newsletter is copyrighted. You are welcome to
forward the newsletter in its entirety but you may not cut and paste
information out of it to forward without credit to SchoolGrants. You
should also not cut and paste the information from the newsletter onto
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permission@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx if you wish to publish the content.
Did you know you can reach thousands who are vitally interested in K12
education by advertising in SchoolGrants Newsletter? Contact me at
advertise@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for more information if you are interested.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to the free electronic SchoolGrants
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Thank you for subscribing to the free SchoolGrants Bimonthly Newsletter!
Suggestions and comments are always welcome. Please send them to
suggestions@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thanks to each of you who has helped
spread the word among your friends and colleagues about the SchoolGrants
site and newsletter.
Happy Grant seeking!
Donna Fernandez
http://www.schoolgrants.org ... for the kids
Copyright (c) 1999-2003 Donna Fernandez. All rights reserved.
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