Classroom Impact Grants - Little Becomes Much
Katherine Appleton
Early Childhood/Elementary Vice-President

Do you have classroom materials that were purchased with grant monies? Have you ever considered writing a grant? In this article, I will share some information on grant writing from three vantage points. First of all, from my own perspective as a teacher who has a deep desire to enrich the students’ learning experience. I often find that new teaching techniques or activities require purchasing new classroom materials that go beyond my budget. Secondly, through sharing about grant opportunities that have been made available through my own district by the Warrensburg Education Foundation. Thirdly, I will pass on some advice from Stan Smith, a faculty member who has written and acquired thousands of dollars for our district through grants.

I have taken the initiative to write several grants during my teaching career, and fortunately, two of them have been funded. I must say that I enjoy writing grants and planning for new possibilities in my classroom. Let me compare this to the first time that I was told that it was time to rewrite curriculum. I would dare say that writing curriculum is not a “Yippee,” thought for many teachers. My principal told me, “It will make you a better teacher,” and right she was. Grant writing is not as extensive as writing curriculum, of course, but much of the process is similar and has served to make me more focused and productive. Writing a grant requires planning how to incorporate new teaching ideas into my existing curriculum, researching the materials needed for the activities, and then determining how to assess student achievement. Again, I am very enthusiastic about learning new teaching methods and know that the grant writing process makes me a better teacher. One grant that I received was used to purchase music related children's books, which have been an invaluable source of inspiration and information for the students. We were able to purchase books to enhance several curriculum areas such as different cultures, orchestral instruments, folk songs, children’s songs, patriotic, rhyming, and jump rope chants. Another grant was written for the purpose of adding to the multicultural instrument collections in the classroom. The experience of playing authentic instruments while singing songs from other countries has been an incredible discussion starter for the children. It is obvious that their curiosity is peaked and their comments show a much deeper understanding of and appreciation for other cultures.

Both of the grants that I have received have come from the Warrensburg R- VI School District Foundation. This program was incorporated in 1994 as a not-for-profit corporation for charitable and educational purposes. It was patterned after similar programs across the state and is much like endowment funds used in higher education. The foundation is meant to fund activities beyond the core curriculum and provides support exclusively in the Warrensburg R-VI School District. Members of the Warrensburg community as well as district personnel make up a Foundation Board of Directors. The Foundation is solely dependent on private donations and one major fund-raiser. Donations to the foundation can be designated or non-designated. The major fund-raiser for it is called the Major Saver Card. The card is made up of “buy one get one free” specials that are donated by businesses in the community. Teachers also have the option of donating pre-tax dollars to the foundation through payroll deduction. For the past ten years, the Warrensburg R-VI Foundation has awarded 107 grants, which have benefited 186 teachers in the amount of $63,000.00. More information about how our district provides grants through the education foundation can be found on the district web site (http://warrensburg.k12.mo.us/foundation). If a program such as this does not exist in your district, this information may help to get a funding source like this started in your schools.

I believe strongly that we can and should benefit from the experience of others. I am very indebted to my colleague, Stan Smith, for sharing his in-depth knowledge of grant writing for this article. According to Stan, the first step in writing a grant is to find a source. A good place to start might be a Google search for “K-12 grants,” “school grants,” or “education grants.” There may also be businesses in the community that offer corporate or foundation grants, but often the business must have a presence in your community in order for you to be eligible to apply. Teacher organizations and professional journals may also provide information for grant sources. This process could take hours of searching and sorting to find the grant characteristics that best apply to your particular teaching setting, but Stan urges that it is important to spend the time looking for the right funding source. For this reason, I am very thankful to have a source within my own district. After finding the funding source, the next step is to look for the R.F.P. (Request for Proposals), which is a document or web page that will have guidelines for writing the grant.

The grant application usually has five sections:
1. Introduction - a summary or overview.
2. Statement of Needs - should show data such as test scores, parent survey results, drop out rates, or other quantitative information that supports why there is a need for the grant to be funded.
3. Action Plan - a description of the actual project and a timeline that tells how the project will be accomplished. An important tip from Stan is R.I.F.K. which stands for “Remember, it’s For the Kids!” Your project should focus on student learning, rather than just a request for equipment!
4. Goals and Objectives - how will this affect student learning? This may be shown in the change in percentages, data, a follow up survey, or by comparing drop out rates. Another tip from Stan is to connect these goals and objectives stated in section #4 to the statement of why there is a need from section # 2.
5. Budget and description - Stan points out that there should not be any surprises in this section. If you ask for something significant, it should be discussed throughout the proposal, rather than appearing only in the budget. Be sure to research and budget for materials that are specific to the grant proposal with student learning in mind.
In conclusion, a “little time” and effort on the part of the teacher may mean “much” in the way of resources and leaning experiences for the students. After spending time in Artie Almeida’s session at the 2008 MMEA Convention, I intend to write a grant requesting Mallet Madness teaching materials along with some mallet and percussion instruments to provide more hands-on learning opportunities for my students. Mallet Madness is an incredibly exciting way for students to learn problem solving, creativity, improvisation, note reading, and melodic direction, to name just a few of the skills. Wish me luck and the same to you should you decide to explore grant funding!