Agenda

1
Agenda

• Welcome Ryan Young ROKS intern
• Updates from Katie and Lauren
• Business
• Oct 30 workshop
• Newsletter articles
• Science Question Board
• TSMU
• Book club
• Discussion of Funding Opportunities
• Watch A Private Universe

2
Grant Opportunities

• What are some of your district teams goals that
  require fundraising?
• How many of your partner teachers write grants or
  talk about writing them?
• What are reasons why teachers do or do not seek
  external funding?

3
Successes

• 2200 from Calhoun ISD for mobile plant growth
  lab at Harper Creek H.S.
• 1000 from Target Field Trips for Lawton Middle
  School field trip to Bishops Bog
• 50,000 from Hewlett Packard for technology
  equipment at Olivet Middle School
• 250 from Home Depot Youth Garden Grants Program
  to Martin Public Schools
• 30,000 Biotechnology Grant from Convergence
  Education Foundation to Plainwell High School

4
Funding Opportunities

• Large grants
• Government Agencies (e.g. NSF)
• Corporations (e.g. Toyota, Hewlett-Packard)
• Small Grants (100-2000)
• Corporations (e.g. Target, Best Buy, Home Depot,
  Wal-Mart Field Trip Assistance Fund)
• Local Community Foundations (e.g. Battle Creek,
  Kalamazoo)
• School Districts (e.g. Calhoun ISD PRIDE Grant)

5
Funding Opportunities

• Non-monetary donations
• Non-profits (e.g. seeds and soil donated by
  America the Beautiful)
• Local businesses (e.g. gift cards from Meijer,
  Home Depot, Lowes)
• Fundraisers
• Lots of ideas (can drives, healthy snack sales,
  5K runs)
• Involve students in planning.
• Tie the fundraiser into the topic for which you
  are raising funds (e.g. stepping stones for
  schoolyard research area).
• Teach science as part of the fundraiser (e.g.
  Endangered Species Safari Tours).

6
Comments

• Proposals for small grants are not hard to write
  and they dont have to take a lot of time.
• Involve your teachers and students in the grant
  writing process.
• First define your objectives and demonstrate that
  they are specific, measurable, practical,
  valuable.
• Identify the funding source whose mission and
  priorities are most aligned to the objectives of
  your project. A list of opportunities is on our
  website.
• We can write a letter of support to accompany
  your application.

7
Comments

• Provide results from prior support or pilot
  projects.
• Include illustrations of your project goals,
  photos of the school or kids, URLs for your
  projects website if you have one.
• Dont forget to thank your donor and mention in
  your application how you will thank them (article
  in your school newsletter, sign in the school
  garden, your districts webpage).
• Meijer, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot regularly
  respond to letters asking for supplies or
  donations. Edi and Katie have sample letters.
• We have sample grant applications and samples of
  letters to community businesses.

8
Comments

• Consider nominating your partner teacher for
  awards (e.g. ACSD Outstanding Young Educator
  Award - 10,000)