Welcome to the Spring 2008 issue of the Grant Opportunities Newsletter. In this issue, you'll find a number of grant programs with April, May, and June deadlines. Principals, please forward this newsletter to your school's listserve, and please keep me informed about all grant seeking activities at your school so I can obtain School Board approval for any applications you submit. Remember that any MCPS employee can call on me for assistance with any educational grant project. I can help with locating funding sources; defining needs, activities, and budgets; writing and editing; and submitting your proposal. My web site (www.mcps.org/mcpsgrant) provides information on grant seeking and links to assist you in funding source searches. If you don't see a grant program in this newsletter that meets your needs, write or call me and I'll help you find one that does!

School Board Policy Regarding Competitive Grants (Policy 3-3.11)

All competitive grants sought by MCPS will support projects that are aligned with the district's mission, vision, and goals. Proposals require prior approval by the grant-seeker's principal or supervisor. All competitive grant proposals will be brought to the School Board for approval prior to submission or as soon thereafter as feasible, and always before acceptance of award. The grant seeker or the principal at the originating school should let me know about any proposals to be submitted so I can include them on the school board agenda. This requires no extra work on the part of the originating school. All I need is a copy of the proposal and I prepare the necessary documents to present it to the board.

Upcoming Grant Opportunities

Sprint Ahead for Education Grant Program: Through this program, Sprint will award grants to schools and districts to support character education programs for K-12 students. The program will award individual school grants of  $500-$5,000. Funding can be used for costs including teacher training, support resources (supplies, equipment, software), or youth leadership programs. Online application deadline is April 15, 2008. Awards will be announced at the end of June and distributed in August. For more information and the online application, visit: http://www.sprint.com/citizenship/education/sprintahead/

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Classroom Grants: This program provides grants of up to $200 to K-12 teachers who address science, math, and technology in their curriculum. Funds can be used for science and rocketry supplies, software, calculators, and other materials. Applications are accepted online, and are reviewed four times a year. The next deadline is April 30, 2008 for grants to be awarded in June. For more information, visit: http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=216

ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program: This program recognizes K-12 educators who develop unique educational programs that help students reach new heights. Each year, 100 educators across the country receive $2,000 awards. The top three winners receive an additional $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000. Applications are judged based on Project Description, Benefits to Students, and Use of Funds. Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2008.
For more information, visit: http://www.ing-usa.com/us/aboutING/communityconnections/ineducation/unsungheroes/index.htm

Toyota International Teacher Program – Galapagos Islands: As part of this program, 30 secondary school teachers of all subjects will be selected to participate in a trip to the Galapagos Islands November 22 – December 6, 2008. All costs including transportation, lodging, food, and program activities will be paid by Toyota. Application deadline is May 9, 2008. For more information, visit: http://www.iie.org/Template.cfm?&Template=/programs/toyota/default.htm

Live Green Teacher Grants: This program, sponsored by General Motors, challenges middle school teachers to develop innovative projects that identify an issue related to environmental and energy sustainability, create a plan to address it, and integrate the topic into classroom teaching. Teachers submitting the 40 winning projects will receive $1,000 grants, online professional development, and a digital camera. Deadline is May 15, 2008. Awards will be made by June 2008. For more information and the online application, visit: http://livegreen.discoveryeducation.com/faqs/

Target Early Childhood Reading Grants: Target awards these grants to schools, libraries, and nonprofits in Target communities to support programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children age 0-9 to read together with their families. Awards are usually $1,000 - $3,000. Applications for this program are now submitted online. Deadline is May 31, 2008. For more information and the application, visit: http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp;jsessionid=TDEN41GP3YMVDLARAAVPYAA?contentId=PRD03-003408

NEA Foundation Grants: The NEA Foundation supports a variety of efforts by teachers to improve student learning; preference is given to members of the National Education Association. There are two NEA Foundation grant programs with June 6, 2008 deadlines. Learning and Leadership Grants provide opportunities for teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff to engage in high-quality professional development and lead their colleagues in professional growth. Grant amount is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study. Student Achievement Grants provide $5,000 to improve the academic achievement of students by engaging in critical thinking and problem solving activities that deepen knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should improve students’ habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Proposals for work resulting in low-income and minority student success with honors, advanced placement, or other challenging curricula are particularly encouraged. For more information, visit: http://www.neafoundation.org/grants.htm

VEA Mini-Grants: Members of the Virginia Education Association can apply for mini-grants of $500-$1,000 for good teaching ideas. These mini-grants are open to all VEA members - teachers, aides, secretaries, administrators, bus drivers, etc. Next program deadline is June 13, 2008. For information and application forms, contact Allison Herndon, VEA Instruction and Professional Development division, at 1-800-552-9554 or aherndon@veanea.org.

CVS Caremark Charitable Trust: The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust was established with a goal of positively impacting the culturally diverse populations of communities where CVS stores are located. The trust funds public schools that are expanding programs promoting inclusion of children with disabilities (physical, developmental, and sensory) in all aspects of school functions, including academic activities, extracurricular programs, and physical activity/play. Application deadline is June 15, 2008. For more information and the online application, visit: http://www.cvs.com/corpInfo/community/charitable_mission.html