Greetings, Grant Seekers!

Welcome to the 2008-09 school year! Each new school year brings a new beginning, and that may have you thinking about new and innovative classroom projects. In this issue, you'll find a number of grant programs with August, September, and October deadlines that may help you turn those ideas into realities. 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. 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, contact 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

Community Foundation of the New River Valley: The CFNRV is currently accepting proposals for its Fall 2008 Grant Cycle. The foundation supports, "charitable work that enriches our community." Its fields of interest include education, social services, arts and culture, health, and conservation and preservation of natural, historical, and cultural resources. The foundation will award up to 40 grants during this cycle. The typical grant award is $500, though larger grants are sometimes made. Application deadline is August 29, 2008. For information and an application, contact me or visit: http://www.cfnrv.org/grants.htm

Samsung's Hope for Education: Hope for Education was created by Samsung to support U.S. K-12 schools with the latest technology products to assist in the educational process. Each year the program challenges students, teachers, parents or anyone who knows of a school in need to write an essay regarding the importance of technology in education, and how it can benefit a school in their community. One grand prize winning school will receive hardware and software valued at $200,000, while 30 first-prize winning schools will receive a package valued at $60,000. The principals of the winning schools will make all merchandise or package selections. Deadline for essay submission is August 31, 2008. For more information and to apply online, contact me or visit: http://pages.samsung.com/us/hopeforeducation/index.html

Ezra Jack Keats Mini-grant Program: The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers $500 mini-grants to public schools and libraries for programs that encourage creativity and a love of literature in children. Previously funded projects have included pen pal projects, bookmaking, and puppet shows. Programs related to the work of Ezra Jack Keats are welcome but not required. Application deadline is September 15, 2008. For more information, contact me or visit:

http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/programs/minigrant.html

Dollar General Youth Literacy Grants: This program provides grants of up to $3,000 to schools and non-profits to help with the implementation or expansion of literacy programs for new readers, below-grade-level readers, and readers with learning disabilities. The next application deadline is September 24, 2008. For more information and an application, contact me or visit: http://www.dollargeneral.com/Community/Pages/GrantPrograms.aspx#youthliteracy

Kids in Need Teacher Grants: The Kids in Need Foundation offers grants of $100 to $500 to K-12 teachers for classroom projects that make creative use of common teaching aids, approach curriculum from an imaginative angle, or tie non-traditional concepts together for the purpose of illustrating commonalities. A number of corporate sponsors fund the grants; our local sponsor is Jo-Ann Stores Inc. Application deadline is September 30, 2008. For more information, contact me or visit: http://www.kidsinneed.net/grants/index.php

Best Buy te@ch Grants: The Best Buy Teach program was created to reward schools that use interactive technology in the classroom to engage students and make learning fun. Winning programs focus on kids using technology to learn standards-based curriculum, rather than on teaching students to use technology or educators using technology that children aren’t able to use hands-on. All awards are issued in the form of Best Buy Gift Cards. Awards ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 will be granted to programs that engage students at any grade level by creatively integrating interactive technology into the curriculum. Fifteen $10,000 awards will be granted to schools serving 9th grade students that display the greatest creativity in their projects and the clearest vision of how to increase the school's use of interactive technology. The emphasis on 9th grade classrooms aligns with Best Buy's new @15™ philanthropic focus. Application deadline is October 12, 2008. MCPS award winners should coordinate the acquisition of equipment with the MCPS Technology Department. For more information, contact me or visit: https://bestbuyteach.scholarshipamerica.org/

Virginia Commission for the Arts Teacher Incentive Grants: These $300 grants provide financial assistance to PK-12 classroom teachers to develop creative projects that link the arts with non-arts curricula or learning objectives. They can provide special arts resources, programming, or consumable supplies for a classroom project, or hire arts consultants or professional artists. Projects may involve visual art/crafts, poetry/fiction, the performing arts, architecture, folk arts, or a combination of artistic disciplines. Applications must cite and describe connections with non-arts learning objectives. Application deadline is October 15, 2008. For more information and a copy of the application, contact me or visit: http://www.arts.state.va.us/grants/strengthening/teacher_incentive.html

Airborne Teacher Trust Fund: This program invites elementary and middle school teachers to submit proposals for art and music programs that their schools are unable to fund. Deadlines are quarterly and proposals can be submitted at any time; the next deadline is October 31, 2008. For more information and the online application, contact me or visit: http://www.airbornetrust.com/