The mini training course will show teachers how to find and write winning classroom grants. Designed for charter school teachers by a charter school director.

1. Classroom
Grants
www.peggydowns.com

2. Agenda
• How to plan your proposal
• How to write a compelling proposal
• Grant sources

3. What are
Classroom
Grants?
Classroom Grants
Other Grants

5. What problem do you
want to solve?
• Think of the problem from their side.
• Every grantor has their own business goals and
mission.
• Why do they fund classroom grants?
• Design your proposal to meet their needs as well as
yours.
• Use backward design just as you do in your lesson
design:
• What does it look like now, and what will it look like
if you succeed?
• What data will you use to measure your success?

6. What problem do you
want to solve?
• Do not say “I need books for my library,” or “I
need calculators for my math class.”
• Look for the underlying problem and state it in
positive terms:
• To develop life-long learners by providing
greater access to high quality literature…
• To improve achievement in mathematics by
ensuring students have access to consistent
and high quality classroom tools…

7. How to Write a
Compelling Proposal
• Define focus of project.
• Create a list of problems.
• Decide which is most worthy.
• Define problem, needs, and success.
• Find funding sources.
• Define scope of project.
• Must have value and impact – focus on results
• Must be manageable and focused in key goals
• Must have a cohesive project plan

8. How to Write a
Compelling Proposal
• Define impact.
• Who will this impact? (students, staff, duration)
• What do they need? What is your capacity?
• How does this project align with goals and mission?
• How will you plan to sustain after grant ends.
• Gather information:
• Basic school information from website and school
publications.
• Costs of proposed purchases
• Determine timelines and get approvals.

9. How to Write a
Compelling Proposal
• Review the grant sources to see which might
be the best match.
• Review any published winners to see what
type of projects they have awarded recently.
• Review their requirements to be sure your
qualify for this grant.
• Use their rubric or guidelines to organize your
proposal.

10. How to Write a
Compelling Proposal
• Develop proposal.
• Plan
• Budget
• Evaluation
• Narrative
• Use language that matches the tone of the
grantor’s website (formal/informal, jargon,
buzzwords, words that you see often, etc.)
• Edit, check rubric, and edit again.

11. AAE
Who?
• Association of American Educators (AAE)
• All full-time educators who have not received a scholarship or grant from AAE in the
past two years
Why?
• A variety of purposes, including but not limited to books, software, calculators, math
manipulatives, art supplies, audio-visual equipment, and lab materials
How Much?
• Maximum award of $500
• Requires teacher to purchase approved items and submit for reimbursement
When?
• Due October 1, March 1
Where?
• https://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/classroom-grant-application

12. Donors Choose
Who?
• Full-time teachers who work with students at least 75% of the time
Why?
• Request books, technology, field trips—anything you’ve been dreaming
of for your students.
How Much?
• Any amount can be requested – campaign will last up to 4 months
• If not funded, then donations can be redirected to your next campaign
When?
• Any time
Where?
• https://www.donorschoose.org/teachers

13. Go Fund Me
Who?
• Anyone
• Consider team fundraising
Why?
• Education
How Much?
• Any amount can be requested – all funds go directly to you
When?
• Any time
Where?
https://www.gofundme.com/

14. Other Sources
Teach.com
• https://teach.com/what/teachers-change-
lives/grants-for-teachers/
Grants4teachers.com
• http://www.grants4teachers.com/
GetEdFunding.com
• https://www.getedfunding.com/

15. Other Sources
Scholastic.com
• https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/t
eaching-content/teachers-get-grant/
Boredteachers.com
• https://boredteachers.com/blogs/the-faculty-
room/funds-grants-for-teachers

16. Other Sources
Grantsalert.com
• https://grantsalert.com/grants/
Corporate Grants for Teachers
• http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/
3069-corporate-grants-for-teachers

17. Every grant
helps!
Whether we are granted $500 for a
set of books or $40,000 for zSpace
licenses, every successful grant:
• Helps to fill our school with
needed resources.
• Shows future donors that we
are successful in gaining
support from funders.
• Helps us use public funds
responsibly by securing private
donations to support our
programs.
• Builds the school’s visibility and
credibility.

18. Contactme
Peggy Downs is a freelance writer
with a focus on charter schools.
Mission:
to help you create and lead the charter schools you envision
www.peggydowns.com
Are you a charter school leader?
Check out this blog just for you!
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Do you have questions? Ask me! peggydowns@gmail.com