Grant Writing

for EdTech:
Building Your
Funding Toolkit
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@gmail
.com
@ritaoates
Rita Oates

To get these slides

Go to www.scribd.com
And search on eRev15

Need more money to make your

edtech dreams real? Learn where
to look for grants and funding,
secrets of successful grants, and
what to do when you win one!
Participants should bring a dream
they want to fund and work on
making it happen during this
practical, working session.

Presenter
Dr.

Rita Oates has won grants exceeding

$14 million and has taught a graduate
class, Grant Writing for Ed Tech, at Barry
University.
She was ed tech director in Miami-Dade
County Public Schools (Florida) and later
chair of educational computing and
technology at Barry University.
She has taught grant writing workshops for
more than a decade.

Which describes your

experiences with grants?
1. I have no experience, but Id like
to get one.
2. I helped write a grant.
3. I wrote a grant by myself.
4. I was part of a team that
received a grant.
5. I administered a grant.
6. I award grants.

Build Your Grant-Writing Tool Kit

1. Dream
a. Write down what you want to do in a
paragraph
b. Find research to guide and support your
ideas
c. Make a shopping list and develop a
budget
d. Check in with district office now or after step
#3
e. Find a partner/team to work with you as
appropriate

2. Demographics on your school (or

program)

Build Your Grant-Writing Tool Kit

3. Your biography, resume or curriculum
vita
a. Convince the funder YOU and your team
are good people to support
b. Show that expertise matches your vision

4. Finding funding
c.
d.
e.
f.

sources
Check in with district office!
Know about quick hits for funding
Go local first
Join online grant community

5. Finding more funding sources

Build Your Grant-Writing Tool Kit

6. Funding dos and donts
a. Know what can/cannot do from funding
source
b. Keep trying; recycle idea into new grant
competitions
7. Why the budget and evaluation must
match closely
c. Showing matching funds/support
d. Working with an evaluator before you submit
8.

After you get a grant say thank

you
e. Collect data for analysis, evaluation
f. Prepare for criticism

Build Your
Grant-Writing
Toolkit
1. Dream
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om
@ritaoates

1. Dream
Write down what you want to do in
a paragraph (or a few)
Your elevator pitch and a few details
How would you tell your mom
about what you want to do?

NEA Foundation Grant Winner

Therese M. Jilek, Glendale, WI
Instructional Technology Coordinator, North Shore Middle
School

Through an action research project, Ms. Jilek

investigates the effect of authentic and relevant
experiences on student learning and the effect of
interaction with children around the world on
students' attitudes toward other cultures and each
other. Students in Ms. Jilek's increasingly diverse
class establish e-mail correspondence with students
in other countries and participate in a global
classroom project to exchange information and
reexamine cultural stereotypes. Ms. Jilek shares the
results of her study through district staff meetings
and an online teacher exchange. (83 words)

Language
used in
successful
FIPSE grant
application in
school district
and university
partnership

This is NOT a dream

Project: Obtaining a mobile lab cart of
36 Nexus 7 tablets for kindergarten
for center and full classroom learning.
Consists of a cart, 36 Nexus 7 tablets,
case or iBallz for each tablet, Google
management licenses for each tablet,
and $1,000 voucher to purchase apps
on Google Play for Education. This
would be the initial step in placing
Keep
it
for
the
budget
planning!
tablets in all K-2 classrooms.

Draft your
dream
in a few
sentences.

1. Dream team
Find a partner/team to work with
you
Critical friend to comment, help
write, edit
Team members to draft sections
Eyes for proofreading before
submitting

Whos on your team?

External organizations to
write support letters, share
in the costs, help with the
work

What organizations might provide

some support?
PTA: $50-100 toward matching funds
Grocery store: $100 certificate toward
deli items, platters
McDonalds: drink mix (punch)
Businesses in your area that parents
own/work for
Chamber of Commerce

1. Dream
Find research to support your dream
Professional publications, books
Publications in your content area: IRA, NCTE,
NSTE, NCTM, TESOL, etc.
http://scholar.google.com
www.iste.org
Editlib.org to search edtech research studies
May be available through a university, if you are
in grad school
Have you done any action research or preliminary
work in this area? Could you before submitting?

www.editlib.org

Research: E-books, Picture Books, K-2 Reading

Heffernan, V. (2009) Click and Jane, New York

Times Magazine, Jan. 30, 2009, p. MM13.
Retrieved Sept. 25, 2013 from http://
www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/magazine/01wwlnmedium-t.html

Schugar, H. R., Smith, C. A., & Schugar, J. T.

(2013). Teaching With Interactive Picture EBooks
in Grades K-6. The Reading Teacher, 66(8), 615624.

Used in grant for licensing

www.onemorestory.org
(70 digital
picture books for K-2 readers)

1. Dream
Make a shopping list
hardware, books, digital materials, software
licenses, training, electrical upgrade, security
upgrade, furniture, toner, paper, travel,
clerical assistance, release time for project
leader, custodian to open school on Saturday,
buses for field trips

Develop a rough budget from this

list
Check in with principal, district

Great details for budget

Project: mobile lab cart of 36 Nexus 7
tablets for K for center and full
classroom learning.
a cart
36 Nexus 7 tablets
case or iBallz for each tablet
Google management licenses for
each tablet, $1,000 voucher to
purchase apps on Google Play for
Anything
else
needed?
Education.

What does it
cost?

Create a spreadsheet
with items, estimated
costs
Are any of these on
bid with purchasing?
Will you need
approval of a district ed
tech advisory board for
things NOT on bid?
Start a file with
purchasing sources
(and costs) for the
items in your Excel
workbook

What can the school or partners cover?

Grant could
pay

Grant could pay

part

$50,000

School paid
$5,000
Co. pledged $1K
worth
PTA pledged
$100
$50,000

$100,000

You Started Grant Writing:

Dream, Team, Budget
Your dream written down in a paragraph or
more
Research to support and guide your dream
Who in the school can work with you?
Who are possible partners who will help
fund this dream?
Rough budget

Grant Writing
for Ed Tech
Dreams
2. Demographics:
Know Your #s
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om
@ritaoates

Build Your Grant-Writing Tool Kit

1. Dream
a. Write down what you want to do in a
paragraph
b. Find research to guide and support your
ideas
c. Make a shopping list and develop a
budget
d. Check in with district office now or after step
#3
e. Find a partner/team to work with you as
appropriate

2. Demographics on your school (or

program)

2. Demographics

Student population
Racial %, gender %
ESOL student %
Free/reduced lunch %

Data showing need for this project

Local, state, national to compare as appropriate

Photos of reality that needs to be changed

Other unique information about your
program, ideas
First generation finishing HS %
Special program, strand
Single gender school

Verify Your Demographics

Funders may check
public sources, such
as NCES or your
own district website
http://nces.ed.gov
Make sure your
school website is in
sync with your
request!

http://nces.e
d.gov

Reitz HS
(2012-13)
Calculate %
Asian >1% (11/1343)
Black = 6% (79/1343)
Hispanic >1% (9/1343)
White = 89%
(1196/1343)
2+ races = 3% (46/1343)
Reduced/free lunch =
39% (529/1343)
Compare with your own
stats

What are your

schools
demographics?
Check NCES
report
Check state
website
reporting school
data
Check your
school website
Save in
spreadsheet

You Started Grant Writing:

Demographics
Demographics

of your school

What does NCES say?

What story does your school website tell?
Know your numbers. Do you qualify for
grants for:
Free and Reduced Lunch (>51%, 75% or 90%+)
Minority
Hispanic

ELL English Language Learners

ESE Exceptional Student Education

Build Your
Grant-Writing
Toolkit
3. Biography:
Why You Can
Do It
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om

3. Resume, Biography and Curriculum

Vita (CV)
Relevant

info about people involved

Resume
1 page

Biography
100-250 words, written as a narrative

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Detailed, multiple pages, up-to-date
Refocused to fit grant application
Shows pertinent experience
Conference presentations, articles

Share with colleagues and revise

Microsoft
Word
Template for
Resume

Three Versions of One Biography

72 words
134 words
340 words
-- Gwyneth Jones,
librarian

Biography of a School Board

President

Curriculum Vitae (CV) is

Lengthy
Your CV will need a
table of contents for
categories that fit
your professional
work
Update at least twice
year
Include workshops,
committees,
volunteer work,
including activities
outside of school

Write Your 100-word Biography

Time for a Check

Check

in with principal, district office

What is the approval process before applying?

What happens at district after you win a grant?
Do they have info on a grant that needs a project?
Get advice to help you refine ideas, direction, match,
partnership, value of donations
Use finance office budgeting expertise and district
allowed amounts
Provide information on steps 1-3, especially your idea
and rough budget

Grants officer will adore you -- if you bring in

materials developed this far, she will consider you a
serious grant seeker worth helping

You Started Grant Writing:

Biography, Resume, CV

Who is working on this grant and

experiences make them ready for this? Prep
related to project:
Biography
Resume
CV

At this point organize your notes and work

into a binder and into an online space where
you can easily find and reuse them
Get ready to start looking for funding next!

Build Your
Grant-Writing
Toolkit
4. Finding
Local Funds
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om
@ritaoates

4. Finding funding
sources
a. Check in with district office!
Grants Development phone,
staff names, titles, email
addresses
EdTech office staff too
b. Know about quick hits for
funding
c. Go local first
d. Join online grant community

www.DonorsChoose.org
Online charity

Connects K12 teachers who want classroom

and other learning materials to corporations
and everyday people
Orders after project is fully funded

Teachers

Make wish lists including non tech items

Supporters

Make wishes come true 70% are granted!

Matches from other groups may be

provided

In past, NEA Foundation matched up to $250

per request from NEA members (but no more)

Requests from Schools in 47710

Describe: Students, Project

DonorsChoose Negotiates Pricing

DonorsChoose: Fine Print

What

happens if a project doesnt reach its

goal?
If a partially funded project expires, donors get their
donations returned as account credits, which they
can use to:
1. Choose a new project to support.
2. Have DonorsChoose select a new project.
3. Send the teacher they supported a
DonorsChoose.org gift card. (The teacher can give
to another active project, NOT for her own project
that wasnt fully funded.)
ONLY Public Schools can participate.

Indiana Requests: 68% funded

DonorsChoose + Morgridge
Family Foundation
Supports Wisconsin
grants with partial
funding
Sometimes finishes
off almost-funded
proposals
Makes their money
go further
Makes it easier to
monitor their impact

Colbert, Share Fair Nation and

ScanSource funded 1,000 projects
for 800 teachers in 375 South
Carolina schools, totaling $800,000
Stephen Colbert joins Yvette
Nicole Brown and Damon Qualls,
teacher at Alexander Elementary
School in Greenville, SC, to
announce the funding of nearly
1,000 classroom projects from
South Carolina on
DonorsChoose.org.
(PRNewsFoto/DonorsChoose.org)

Spanish teacher in SC who was

funded

Dec. 6 ask->Feb. 3 full funding

($800)

www.DigitalWish.org
Nonprofit

Provides discounted tech products

Teachers

Make technology wish lists

Supporters

Make wishes come true

Fundraising

Teachers can email and print technology wish

lists for contributions from parents and
community members
PTAs can run online fundraisers
Print t-shirts, yearbooks, other ideas

Evansvil
le
Schools,
public
and
private

This teacher provided all

the school demographics
but not anything about
herself that would help
people to know her and be
interested in her.
Next slide shows her
project.

This project has

ended.
NO funding was

AdoptAClassroom.org
25 requests
from
teachers in
Evansville;
Stockwell
Elem. had
most!
Companies
can adopt a
single
classroom
and get
involved

Donations become credits in

a teachers online account,
good with 40 online
retailers. She orders; its
delivered.

This teacher sent a photo with her

thank you note to her donors,
explaining how she used the funds
from AdoptaClassroom.org

Always send a thank you

note!

http://
www.edutopia.org/crowdfunding
-fundraising-resource-guide
Edutopia

Guide to
Crowdfundi
ng

4. Finding Funding
District Grants Development office (find their phone/email)
Professional groups (sometimes pair with other groups)
NAESP and Crayola
IRA grants for reading research, activities with Rotary:
www.reading.org/Resources/AwardsandGrants.aspx

NEA Foundation

Local service clubs:

Rotary International has initiative with IRA, local projects too
Find local club (https://www.rotary.org/en/search/club-finder )

Lions Club
Kiwanis Club
Other service organizations, womens clubs, churches, etc.

Join an online community about grant writing: edWeb.net

NAESP/Crayola due June 22

(principal must be NAESP member)
Every
Early Bird
applicatio
n
submitted
before
midnight
on
Monday,
June 8,
2015 will
receive a
Crayola

IRA Grants and Awards

IRA+ Rotary = Literacy Projects

Rotary

clubs and districts want to find

an IRA member to ID and address
literacy needs in their communities
Use the Council and Affiliate Directory
on the IRA website, www.reading.org
Key service projects suggested for:
Sept. 8: International Literacy Day
March, Literacy Month

NEA Foundation
Public

school teachers
$2,000 or $5,000
Awards to 150 to 170 a year
Grant types:
Student Achievement Grants: engage
students in critical thinking and problem
solving
Learning & Leadership Grants: PD for 1
or a group
http://www.neafoundation.org/

Groups for You to Approach

What

professional associations might help?

Start with associations you belong to

Find their website and search on grants and awards
Groups with Engineer in the title might help with STEM grants
What

service clubs would support your

dream?
Who at school is a member or friend/partner of one?
On local websites, find the committee that gives away money.
Look for Foundation or Giving or synonyms
Service clubs can provide volunteers, financial or in-kind match
for a larger grant. Have they done any projects in your topic?
Give back! Can you provide volunteers for a service club activity?
Give out water bottles at their 5K race (their fundraiser)

www.edweb.net/getedfunding

Join Online Grant Community: edWeb.net

You Started Grant Writing:

Local Funding Sources
Check out DonorsChoose.org, DigitalWish.org
and AdoptAClassroom.org to see whether you
might use one of these for your dream or to
start it
See what professional societies have grant
funds
See what local service clubs have grant funds
or volunteers to help your dream
See what businesses might contribute
Join the edWeb.net community, GetEdFunding

Build Your
Grant-Writing
Toolkit
5. Finding more
funding sources
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om
@ritaoates

More Ideas for Local Funding

(perhaps quicker than writing
a full grant proposal)
Target
Office Depot/Office Max

Companies that Give Back

Target: REDcard + Take Charge
of Education
Target shoppers designate 1% of
REDcard purchases to a K-12 school
85,000 schools received a TCOE
check in 2013
Office Depot: 5% Back to Schools
Make a qualifying purchase of basic
school+ office supplies and give the
school's program ID.
Office Depot will credit 5% of the

Target
More
people
signed up
-> more $
for school

5. More Funding Sources

Vanderburgh Community Foundation
(or your community)
Smaller funding sources, may be pooled for
larger initiatives
In your community, for your community
Must clear with district grants
development office!

Foundations
Local: by zip code (though can fund any location)

https://www.communityfoundationa
lliance.org/vanderburgh

LOI = Letter of Intent

Know What Focus Areas They Fund

Know Their Timeline and Contact

Donor-Advised, Other Funds

Other funds within
the community
foundation may be
helpful. Here are the
different types of
funds:
Donor-advised
Field of interest
Restricted
Scholarship
Unrestricted

Foundation Funds
Public Record on IRS Form 990
How

to use

Go to Foundation Center 990 Finder page

http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/990finder/
Enter zip code
Download IRS 990 form
Refer to last pages for recent foundation funding projects
Foundations must file this form

Look up
IRS form 990
for your zip code

 Zip: 33435
(Palm Beach County)
Gertrude Skelly
Foundation
41 pages for 2011
Provides list of where
funds went and amounts
Gave away $884,602 in
2011
Mostly nursing, medical
health
A few education-related
groups, universities also got
funds

How/When Do You Apply to This Foundation?

p. 14-19 tell what

was funded in 2011

Fund nursing
education: $30K, $35K

Fund nursing ed: $20K

Fund literacy
activities

Skelly Mostly Health but Some Education Projects

Look at Foundation Funds

IRS Form 990
Go to Foundation Center 990 Finder page
http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/990finder/
Enter zip code for your school
Find at least three different foundations
Download their IRS 990 form
Refer to last pages for recent foundation funding
What have they funded and for how much?
How likely is it that they would fund your project?
If likely, look for the names and contact info of the officers
and how to apply
Add to your tool kit

5. Finding Funding Sources

Companies

with offices in your area

See community relations on corporate

website
Foundations

foundationcenter.org/
Pushed email RFPs
www.grants.gov/applicants/email_subscription.jsp

Webinars
Foundation Center - Webinar Calendar.url
U.S.

Government: HUD, DOEnergy, DOEdu.

-> www.grants.gov

Funding for Reading/Literacy

Media Centers

IRA (International Reading Association)

www.reading.org/Resources/AwardsandGrants.
aspx

ALA (American Library Association)

www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/browse/grnt

AASL (Am. Assoc. of School Librarians)

www.ala.org/aasl/awards

Mackin (vendor to library media centers)

www.mackin.com/LIBRARY/GRANTS.aspx

www.grantwrangler.com

http://www.bigdealbo
ok.com
http://www.bigdealbo
ok.com

Dell/Intel Calendar 2014-15 in Techlearning.com

Dell/Intel Calendar 2014-15 in Techlearning.com

Funding Information
Network Locations:
470 in USA, 12 in Indiana

http://grantspace.org/Find-Us

Anderson Public Library

Anderson

IN

27

Indianapolis Public Library

Indianapolis

IN

34

Taylor University

Upland

IN

36

Muncie Public Library

Muncie

IN

40

Shelbyville-Shelby County
Public Library

Shelbyville

IN

55

Bartholomew County Public

Library

Columbus

IN

74

Allen County Public Library

Fort Wayne

IN

76

Monroe County Public

Library

Bloomington

IN

77

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso

IN

96

St. Joseph County Public

Library

South Bend

IN

97

Indiana University Northwest Gary

IN

109

Evansville Vanderburgh
Public Library

IN

177

Evansville

http://tech.ed.gov/connectED/

ConnectED grants for tech

U.S. DOE and others are encouraging
tech companies to give to Americas
schools
Sprint: in its 4G service areas, giving
away wireless access for home use by
K12 students
Other ConnectED initiatives originally
announced; some have been expanded
because its hard to give things away!

Contact:
James Spillane
Director, Project
ConnectED
585 230 7422
Jim.a.spillane@spri
nt.com

Time to search for grants to

fit your dream
Can you find three grant opportunities
that might be possible funders for your
dream?
When you find what looks like a good
match, get copies of prior winners in
this grant program
Prepare a list of questions and your idea
and ask to speak to the grants officer

You Started Grant Writing:

More Funding Sources
Consider local companies like Target,
Office Depot/Office Max and others
Search foundations in your zip code
Search education sources that share
grant opportunities; put deadlines on a
calendar
Plan to visit Funding Information Network
site closest to you for help
Check out ConnectED opportunities

Build Your
Grant-Writing
Toolkit
6. Dos and
Donts
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om
@ritaoates

Build Your Grant-Writing Tool Kit

6.

Funding dos and donts

a. Know what can/cannot do from funding
source
b. Keep trying; recycle idea into new grant
competitions

7. Why the budget and evaluation must

match closely
c. Showing matching funds/support
d. Working with an evaluator before you submit
8.

After you get a grant say thank you

e. Collect data for analysis, evaluation
f. Prepare for criticism
g. Disseminate results at conferences, in

Read Between the Lines

Know what you must do/can do/cannot do:

Cannot pay for food or alcohol

Must allocate 10% for evaluation
Cannot exceed federal or state per diem
Need matching funds: More than $1:$1 is great!
Need letters of support: Provide draft when requesting
from organization

Know maximum dollar amount: Dont exceed it!

Cover letter: additional info on proposal ideas
Tech not allowed/encouraged/only certain brands
Call to ask questions if something isnt clear!

District Input for Your Grant

Business office provides budget requirements:

These numbers change yearly, so update! Examples below:
Substitute pay $55 a day; Teachers paid $28/hour or $100 a
day for training activities outside of the school day/year
Include 28% for fringe benefits
Travel allowances: Mileage, hotel, airfare, food, rental car, etc.
District may refer to NYS or federal guidelines for some costs

PD department: Do training needs meet contract?

Facilities: Need more security? Furniture?
Principal approval/refinement
Grants office review/union support or approval?
Fiscal officer provides monthly reports will be your
new best friend

Typical sections in grant proposal

Project Title
Abstract (1-2 paragraphs)
Introduction and Objective(s)
Describe the topic(s) the project would address
and the potential benefits to xxx. Provide a
clear and detailed statement of the project
objectives, relation to the present state of
knowledge in the field, and impact on the
target population.

Typical sections in grant proposal-2

Approach/Methods
Describe specific methods and/or materials
that will be employed, the expected results,
detailed description of educational materials,
and time frame to complete the project. Not to
exceed xx single-spaced pages.
Literature Cited On what research base is
this project built?
Evaluation Plan Describe specific evaluation
steps, including formative evaluation and
timeline.

Typical sections in grant proposal-3

Project Staf
Qualifications of proposed personnel
Identify appropriate facilities available to
conduct the proposed work and include names,
qualifications, and contact information for all
personnel who would be assigned this project.
State the primary work assigned to each
person and the percentage of time each person
would devote to this work. Identify key persons
by name and title. Provide all resumes/CVs
describing relevant experience.

Typical sections in grant proposal-4

Budget (1 page) Identify the amount of funding
requested, including salaries, supplies and materials,
travel expenses. Smaller requests and those with
matching funds have the best chance of being funded.
Xxx does not pay indirect or overhead expenses.
You may want to include a budget narrative explaining
why some costs are here or how matching funds were
calculated.
Dissemination and sustainability
How will you share results of this project at
conferences, workshops and in publications?
How will you sustain it after funding ends?

Resource from Miami-Dade Schools

Grants office

Keep a Grant Calendar

Track available grants
Record grant submissions
Note deadlines for reports
Create timeline for tasks to submit with grant
Include conference, publication deadlines to share
your success

Be Persistent in Your Goal!

Keep

trying!

Recycle ideas into new grant

competitions
Use one grant to help get another one
Funders back a horse with a good track record
Niceville, FL school turned one grant into $1 million
by building each win into the next grant proposal
Barry U. grant funded for year 2 at 150% of year 1
after oral presentation on year 1 results

You Started Grant Writing:

Dos and Donts
What are guidelines for a preferred
granting source? What is allowed/not
allowed?
Create a grant calendar with deadlines
for your preferred grants
Make contact with district for any other
guidelines or requirements
Contact the granting organization with
questions before submitting

Build Your
Grant-Writing
Toolkit
7. Budget and
Evaluation
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om
@ritaoates

Budget + Evaluation Must Show

Same Activities, Spending
You dont write an iPad grant
You are solving a learning problem
The grant allows you to buy
equipment and apps and teacher
training to learn to use them,
based on prior research

Show matching funds/support

In-kind donations (grocery store,
Starbucks)
Funding for items not covered from

What evaluation is needed?

Project: Obtaining a mobile lab cart of
36 Nexus 7 tablets for kindergarten
for center and full classroom learning.
Consists of a cart, 36 Nexus 7 tablets,
case or iBallz for each tablet, Google
management licenses for each tablet,
and $1,000 voucher to purchase apps
on Google Play for Education. This
would be the initial step in placing
tablets in all K-2 classrooms.

Evaluation Can Use Ideas

From the Research of Others
Work with an evaluator before you
submit if you can
What data can you easily collect to satisfy the
reporting requirements?
How does your evaluation plan connect with
earlier research you found? (in Dream phase 1)
Will data show your success with project goals
and objectives?
Are you spending $ toward project goals and
objectives?
If this targets reading in grade 2, dont
spend money for science materials in
grade 5!

District Instructional Tech Office

How does your dream fit the
districts stated instructional
technology goals?
Ask district administrator or
teacher on special assignment
to review your draft, to help with
budget and evaluation
Are there purchasing requirements
or committees that must approve

http://www.bufaloschools.org/informationtech.
cfm?subpage=224

BPS District Instructional Tech Goals

Utilize current and emerging technology to

improve student performance in all academic
areas.
Continue the implementation of core web-based
applications for student information and
management in all academic areas.
Provide visual learning modality education in the
classroom, media centers, and computer labs.
Utilize technology systems to improve staff
recruitment, retention, and professional
development.
Build management capacity in data analysis and
data-based action to improve instructional
practices.
Utilize existing and new technology to improve

BPS
Instructional
TechStaff
WilliamDistrict
Russo, Director
of Instructional Technology
wrusso@buffaloschools.org
Dale A. Jackson, Elementary Coordinator
dajackson@buffaloschools.org
Sarah Edwards, Secondary Coordinator
sedwards@buffaloschools.org
Eric Stockmeyer, Coordinator
estockmeyer@buffaloschools.org

Get name, email and phone for

these staff in your district
Which person has the
pedagogical expertise to assist
you most?
Add to your grant writing toolkit

Budgeting
Create a spreadsheet
with items, estimated
costs
Are any of these on bid
with purchasing? Need
approvals?
Start a file with
purchasing sources (and
costs) for the items in
your Excel workbook
Get current district
guidelines:
Fringe benefits: ~28%
Indirect costs: ~8%
Per diem

$25,000
$7,000

$5,000

$5,000 from
school

$5,000
Office Depot
$200
PTA will donate
$100

$5,000
$25,000
$7,000

$10,000
$1,000

Reporting Requirements
Overall accomplishments
Number of students benefitted
How students benefitted: student outcomes
Changes in attitude?
Number, time spent (data)
Increase in scores

Barriers to success
Successful aspects for replication
Financial accounting of expenditures
Communication of success: conference, article

Evaluation Timeline (Sample)

Put evaluation activities in overall timeline
Aug. 16: Grant received and district sets up accounts
Sept. 1: Pretest of teachers on attitudes and
technology skills
Sept. 15: Equipment and materials ordered
Sept. 15-Oct. 15: Training scheduled for teachers
with evaluation
Oct. 10: Pretest of students/parents on attitudes
and technology skills
Oct. 15: Equipment arrives; apps loaded
Oct. 25: Equipment distributed to teachers
Nov. 1: Second 9 weeks starts, students start use
Nov. Dec.: Parent training sessions with
evaluation

Plan for Evaluation

Any existing data to use? Student scores,

attendance, tech abilities
Quantitative and qualitative data add to richness
Photos, examples of teacher work/student work

Show impact of the grant activities

For large grants, consider hiring an
evaluator as a consultant (and include in
the budget)

Read Evaluations to See Examples

Sample evaluations
and guidelines from
USAID:
http://www.usaid.gov/
evaluation
Search on basic
education to see more
than 200 evaluations
considered exemplary

http://www.usaid.gov/
evaluation/usaid-forw
ard-evaluation-report

You Started Grant Writing:

Budget and Evaluation
Rough budget developed
Some ideas on possible partners, donations
or matches or organizations and people to
help
Check with district instructional tech staff
and goals
Evaluation plan/timeline sketched out
.and now you need to write a grant!

Build Your
Grant-Writing
Toolkit
8. After you
get a grant
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@aol.c
om
@ritaoates

All the Parts Are in Your Tool Kit

As you have done these activities to build
your tool kit, you are ready to find and win a
grant.
Your assignment: Find a grant and apply
for it!

AFTER you get the grant, what happens?

8. After You Get a Grant

a. Say THANK YOU!
b. Collect data for analysis, evaluation
Keep track of spending!
c. Prepare for criticism
d. Disseminate results at conferences, in
publications
e. What would happen with

more

funding?
f. Role play with the funder (with colleague,
friend) to get ready
g. Keep learning about grants and funding

After You Get a Grant

Funders

want to get a Thank You!

Share successes, pictures

Invite to events
Communicate, appreciate, update
Write What this grant meant to me, my program and my
students
Anticipate

visits from funder organization

They want to see you succeed

They may give MORE if they like what youve done
Keep

up with budget and evaluation

Be prepared for criticism
Especially from colleagues who didnt help you

Students Can Say Thanks Too!

Three Years After the

Grant.Five Stories

Role Play: Talking to the Funder

Practice!
Its easier to get more money
from the same organization
than to go to a new
organization.
How could more funds
increase the impact or reach
of your work?

What a Funder Says About

Herself

Quantifying the impact of grantee organizations services with

reference to current research studies and findingssocial return on
investment .. Fit with Targets commitment to education

Look for Next Grant Opportunity!

26

federal grant-making
agencies
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants
/applicant-resources/agencies-providing-gra
nts.html

Keep up with education grant opportunities

compiled in BigDealBook, GrantWrangler,
professional societies and groups

Share What You Learned

Where can you speak about your grant?

District meeting
Conference

Can you provide tours of your program once

or twice a month, in defined hours?
Consider writing an article for an edtech or
curriculum publication and include credit for
the granting organization

Resources to Learn More

Websters New World
Grant Writing
Handbook (2013)
$9.99 Kindle, $16.99
Paperback

The Grantsmanship
Center
http://www.tgci.com

NEA Foundation
Resources

http://www.neafoundation.org

NEA Foundation Tutorial

www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZdPo

You Started Grant Writing:

After You Get a Grant
How can you say thank you to a grant
donor?
How could your dream flourish in the
next phase?
How will you track spending?
Where can you share what your grant
accomplished and what you learned?
How will you learn more about grant
writing?

Webinar recordings from edWeb.net

Archived
link:
www.edWeb.ne
t/getedfundi
ng

Grant Writing for EdTech:

Building Your
Funding Toolkit
Dr. Rita Oates
ritaoates@gmail.com
www.ritaoates.com
@ritaoates
Dr. Oates gives workshops for schools, districts,
universities, conferences and organizations on
grant writing and development.
She also does grant evaluations, particularly
multiyear grants involving professional
development, technology
and school reform efforts.