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school budgets may not have the capacity to fully fund the innovative
ideas of administrators, school faculty, and all stakeholders. Public
and private organizations establish grants and foundations that support
educational projects. Awards also provide funding as well as
recognize members of our worthy educational community. In the near
future you will see many more opportunities and perhaps various pages of
grant and award categories. At this point in time, you will find
only those grants that do not have a final deadline for submission.
Ongoing Grants – That Means There Isn’t A Deadline
District E Folks! Grant Title
Action Grants 3D Life Adventures
is a non profit educational organization that has three fundamental
themes: nature, culture and community. Its mission is to build and
sustain a community of caring and resilient individuals who appreciate,
celebrate, and protect both natural and cultural diversity. The Action
Grants provide up to $500 and consulting to support student-led
initiatives related to the environment or culture. Applicants are
encouraged to e-Mail or call Laura Jackson, 3D’s Action Grant manager
to have an informal conversation with her about your idea or project.
Teachers who
register at the Adopt-a-Classroom web site can be adopted by an
individual, a business, or a foundation. Once adopted, teachers will
receive $500 worth of credit to purchase items that enrich the learning
environment, including classroom technology. Teachers help solicit their
own sponsors by downloading and distributing fliers within their
community or by sending out a personalized, pre-written e-Mail from the
Adopt-a-Classroom web site. Every donor receives information about the
classroom it has adopted, including an itemized list of what teachers
bought so donors can see the impact of their donation.
Boeing accepts
applications for not only cash grants, but for donations of surplus
goods like computers and office equipment and services including include
loaned employees, printing, graphics, technical support, and
transportation. Schools and districts located near a Boeing site are
eligible to apply. School districts must have a strategic plan that
focuses on high academic standards, a commitment to improving student
achievement, and effective school-to-work strategies. High schools may
apply for participation in Boeing’s Tech Prep program. The applicant’s
request must be consistent with our company’s strategy and business
plan.
Cisco Systems
offers two types of product grants. The “Connectivity Starter Kit”
supports a single site with a maximum of 80 ethernet users or 20
wireless users. The total for these grants is an average of $6,000 of
Cisco list price equipment, with a maximum of $10,000. The “Customized
Connectivity” product grant accommodates multi-site requests, requests
involving more than 80 ethernet users or 20 wireless users, or requests
for products such as IP telephony or IP teleconferencing. The typical
“Customized Connectivity” Product Grant averages $30,000; however,
there is no preset maximum for this type of grant.
The Coca-Cola
Foundation supports quality education and encourages new solutions to
the problems that impede educational systems today. It also supports
programs that have been proven to work. The foundation supports public
and private colleges and universities, elementary and secondary schools,
teacher training programs, educational programs for minority students,
and global educational programs. The Coca-Cola Foundation Board of
Directors reviews funding proposals in quarterly meetings. All requests
receive a written response when the review process is complete.
Join conservation
research this summer! Earthwatch Institute offers fellowships for K-12
educators to join our two-week field expeditions. Projects range from
archeological digs in Peru, to habitat studies in Oregon, to running
transects through reefs in the Bahamas. Earthwatch Institute aims to
promote multidisciplinary science and social studies curriculum in
schools nationwide as well as enrich teachers and enhance the academic
experience of students. Earthwatch Institute, an international nonprofit
organization founded in 1972, supports the work of renowned scientists
in the fields of archaeology, cultural diversity, endangered ecosystems,
and biodiversity, among others. While in the field, Fellows work
side-by-side researchers on one of over 60 ongoing research projects
worldwide. In most cases, no special skills are necessary. We are
looking for adventuresome, curious, and innovative people who are
committed to life-long learning. Applications are accepted on a rolling
basis, but most decisions are made during the spring.
Through its
Computers for Learning program, the federal government has placed
hundreds of thousands of surplus computers in schools across the country
on a needs-first basis. In fiscal year 2000, the Defense Department
alone donated nearly $60 million in computers and peripherals. Schools
register and request equipment on the Computers for Learning web site,
and federal agencies match their surplus equipment to schools with those
needs. Most, but not all, of the available computers are IBM-compatible
PCs rather than computers made by Apple. Most of the donated machines
are older models—but as the government continues to upgrade its
computer systems, the number of surplus Pentium computers will sharply
increase. Computers and equipment are not refurbished by the government
before being shipped to schools, nor are they covered by warranty.
The Graphic Arts
Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) has provided over $4 million
to fund more than 70 projects at more than 37 institutions since its
founding in 1983. GAERF awards two types of grants: Full Grants and
mini-grants. Mini-Grants are awarded for projects such as one-day
workshops, specialized conferences and the production of career and
educational materials. Funding is limited to $2,500 per project and may
be submitted at any time. Four mini-grants are awarded per year.
Requests for mini-grant funding should be submitted in the same manner
as other foundation proposals.
The New York-based
Hazen Foundation disburses approximately $2 million dollars in grants
each year, with a significant portion of these monies devoted to
public-education initiatives. The goal of the foundation’s education
grant-making is to foster effective schools for all children and full
partnership for parents and communities in school reform efforts. In
working toward this goal, the foundation will work primarily with
community-based and grassroots organizations in the following cities and
regions: Baltimore, District of Columbia, Philadelphia, New York City,
Miami, the Mississippi Delta, Chicago, Texas (city to be determined),
and Los Angeles. Grant requests from grassroots and community-based
organizations outside of these targeted sites will be considered for
small grants of $5,000 or less. Preference will be given to new or
emerging school organizing and/or advocacy efforts where a small, timely
grant can make a difference in implementing a promising initiative.
The HP U.S. Grants
Program supports education and eInclusion programs and partnerships that
are national or regional in scope. The majority of HP’s education
grants initiatives benefit low income and ethnically diverse student
populations across the U.S. The focus is on partnerships and programs
that have a positive impact on students from kindergarten to career and
that help create links and collaboration among all levels of education—K-12,
community colleges and universities—and the communities they serve.
While HP does not fund programs from unsolicited proposals, they do
offer a wide variety of strategic grant initiatives each year that are
worth looking into.
Intel Corp.’s
Model School Program gives every school in the United States the chance
to apply for potential seeding of equipment. To apply, schools must
submit an innovative proposal for using technology to enhance
instruction, and if Intel likes what it sees, it will match grant
recipients with companies that can provide the equipment necessary to
meet their needs. Whitney High School in Cerritos, Calif., and Miami
Carol City Senior High School in Miami are the program’s first two
recipients.
Intel Corp. offers
a wide range of support for many technology-and-science related
initiatives. On a national level, Intel funds programs that advance
math, science, or technology education, promote science careers among
women and underrepresented minorities, or increase public understanding
of technology and its impact. National grants are made to either
national projects or local projects that serve as pilots for national
programs. Community grants are viewed with the same priorities and are
subject to the same rules as national grants, but they are limited to
communities where Intel has a major facility: Chandler, Ariz.; Folston
and Santa Clara, Calif.; Rio Rancho, N.M.; Hillsboro, Ore.; Fort Worth,
Texas; and DuPont, Wash. Finally, Intel’s Teach to the Future program
has pledged $100 million to train 400,000 teachers in the use of
technology by 2003. Combined with software and equipment discounts from
companies such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Premio, and Toshiba,
Teach to the Future represents approximately a half-billion dollars
invested by leading U.S. computer firms in bringing technology to the
classroom. Applications for all these programs can be found on Intel’s
web site.
Intel Corp.’s
Education PC Program provides the opportunity for teachers, staff,
students, and parents to purchase a quality education PC at discount
prices. This Intel web page provides links to computer and equipment
manufacturers that support schools through the Intel Model School
Program by delivering reliable PC systems to schools. By clicking on any
of the links you can view their products and services that are
discounted through this program from companies like Acer, Dell Computer
Corp., Gateway, and HP. Schools purchase directly from the manufacturer
at prices discounted for education.
Intergraph Mapping
and GIS Solutions will award GeoMedia Education Grants valued at more
than $6 million dollars. The grants will recognize innovative teaching
that advances the use of geographic information sciences by educators
and students in the classroom. The grants will be awarded on two levels,
including 1) community colleges, technical schools, and universities,
and 2) K-12 and primary and secondary schools. By taking advantage of
these grants, students and teachers can use GeoMedia’s leading-edge
technology to explore new possibilities and impact the future of
geographic information systems (GIS). They can learn GIS principles and
methodology, spatial analysis techniques, GIS data construction, and a
variety of other application capabilities. The products that will be
part of the grant program are GeoMedia Professional, GeoMedia WebMap
Professional, and IntelliWhere(TM) OnDemand and IntelliWhere
LocationServer with Intergraph’s powerful location-based services
technology.
In 2000, Merrill
Lynch adopted children and youth as its global cause for 2000 to 2005.
The foundation supports programs that meet the educational needs and
interests of underserved children and youth, and it gives priority to
specific programs and projects that are innovative, sustainable, easily
expanded from a local to global perspective, and have a measurable
impact. Technology skills in particular were cited by the foundation as
one of several elements a project can address. The Merrill Lynch
Foundation gives priority to grant requests from New York City (five
boroughs) and national organizations that reflect its focus, but the
foundation does consider a small number of unsolidated requests from
nonprofit organizations (including school districts). All requests
outside of New York City should be submitted to the branch managers of
local offices. When making a grant decision, the foundation considers
other type of support an organization already might be receiving (eg.,
matching gifts, United Way funds).
The Mockingbird
Foundation Inc., which generates charitable proceeds from fans of the
rock band Phish, funds music education programs for children. The
foundation looks for projects that encourage creative expression in all
musical forms (including composition, instrumentation, vocalization, and
improvisation), but also support more basic needs within conventional
instruction. MFI is particularly, though not exclusively, interested in
funding programs which benefit disenfranchised groups. Interested
parties should review the funding guidelines available at the
Mockingbird Foundation web site.
In an effort to
help educators become computer-literate, CyberLearning, a project of the
National Education Foundation, offers matching grants for accessing its
online courses in IT, Management and TestPrep. Cyberlearning provides 10
to 100 percent matching grants to all eligible organizations including
schools, colleges, non-profits, government agencies and corporations.
The user-friendly courses are either self-study or instructor-led. They
cover all levels and almost all topics, including PC Basics, A+,
Network+, MCSE, CNE, Internet, Microsoft Office, MOUS, WordPerfect,
Lotus, Operating Systems, Windows, Windows 2000, Linux, Unix,
Networking, WAN, LAN, Programming, C++, Visual Basic, Web Design, Web
applications, Web Master, E-commerce, Databases, Oracle and Cisco.
Cyberlearning also assists grantees in implementing holistic
CyberLearning or Teacher/Mentor-Technology-Courseware-Motivation
solutions.
Schools that have
an extra 1,800 square feet and interested staff members could qualify
for free athletic equipment, including weight machines and computers
that measure body fat and heart rates. The offer, valued at $200,000 to
$250,000 per school, comes from the National School Fitness Foundation,
a Utah-based nonprofit organization that seeks to increase physical
activity among school children. The foundation has been donating
equipment to public schools for almost three years in exchange for data
and has implemented its program in more than 100 schools in six states.
The program includes all the exercise equipment and computer technology
necessary, three-year software licenses and vendor agreements,
instructional materials, and exercise plans. The equipment includes
treadmills, exercise bicycles, resistive cords, shoulder presses, leg
extensions, and pectoral decks, as well as timed circuit clocks,
heart-rate and blood-pressure monitors, body composition analyzers,
computers, fax machines, and printers. The data is forwarded to research
centers such as the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
Sponsored by cell
phone manufacturer Nokia and a consortium of cell phone service
providers, this program gives cell phones and free calling time to
classroom instructors. The program is designed to create additional
in-class learning opportunities by enabling students to call subject
matter experts during school time, and to provide instructors with
emergency access to telephones to ensure their safety and the safety of
their students. To date, more than 30,000 cell phones and 12 million
hours of free phone time have been donated. Among the innovative uses of
the system has been a project in a private school in Florida that allows
each teacher to place his or her homework assignment on wireless voice
mail daily, so that parents can call in and confirm their children’s
homework assignments. Grants are made by individual local wireless
providers; to find out if your provider is participating in the program,
go to the ClassLink web site.
PLUS Vision Corp.,
a maker of ultra portable projectors, has announced a new program called
Education Spotlight. Through the program, PLUS Vision will donate three
projectors and an electronic copy board to a selected school each
quarter, reflecting a commitment to increase the effective use of
multimedia in K-12 education. Applicants are asked to give a unique
example of how the projectors will be used when applying for the award.
Recipients are chosen based on the creativity of their response, and
PLUS Vision will share innovative applications with other educators on
its web site.
Premier Assistive
Technology Inc., a provider of assistive software that gives disabled
individuals better access to modern technology, has a software grant
program aimed at helping primary and secondary schools meet the
accessibility needs of students with learning and/or visual
disabilities. The program offers a range of quality software that
converts printed text and web pages into audio files, speaks digital
text, and performs calculations or word processing tasks audibly, among
other functions.
Since 1995,
privately-funded Tech Corps has provided no-cost assistance in
maintaining their technology systems to schools connected to the
internet. The Tech4schools Online Mentoring Program provides online,
volunteer technical assistance to educators and school technology
coordinators. Typically, a team of as many as 10 volunteers (each with a
specialty, such as software or networking) will support a single
technology coordinator, who may represent an individual school or an
entire district. Tech Corps volunteers are available in 43 states.
By taking advantage
of Texas Instruments’ Volume Purchase Program, educators can get free
technology and classroom activities when they purchase qualifying TI
educational handhelds. Under the program, K-12 educators collect proofs
of purchase and earn points toward free TI handheld technology; plus,
they can earn double points when they purchase the TI-83 Plus Silver
Edition. For additional details, check the company’s web site.
The Allstate
Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations, including public
K-12 schools, for projects that are related to automobile and highway
safety, homes and neighborhoods, and personal safety and security. Under
the personal safety and security initiative, programs that raise
awareness of poverty, child abuse, drugs, and violence prevention are
eligible for consideration. Applicants should offer safeguards against
gangs, guns, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. Grants typically
range from $5,000 to $10,000. There are no deadlines.
The AOL Time Warner
Foundation supports technology-related projects in four major areas of
priority. Equipping Kids for the 21st Century, Extending Internet
Benefits to All, Engaging Communities in the Arts, and Empowering
Citizens and Civic Participation. Rather than simply providing grant
monies, the foundation prefers to enter into sustainable strategic
partnerships with organizations that have a demonstrated commitment to
pioneering innovative ways of meeting these priorities. As a general
rule, the foundation does not fund unsolicited proposals except in very
special circumstances. Proposals are reviewed throughout the year, and
the foundation responds to request within 8 to 12 weeks.
The Broad
Foundation's mission is to dramatically improve K-12 urban public
education through better governance, management, and labor relations.
The foundation seeks applications that aim to enlist talent, redefine
roles and authorities, develop high-performing leaders and systems,
provide incentives for results, and honor and showcase success.
Organizations seeking funding should carefully review the Foundation's
web site to ensure that their proposal is consistent with its mission
and that the focus of the work is located in one of the eligible
districts. The foundation considers concept papers at the end of the
month in which they are received. All concept papers will receive a
response within 60 days and those that are of interest to the foundation
may be asked to submit a full proposal. Please note that the Foundation
funds less than five percent of unsolicited inquiries.
The Citigroup
Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Citibank Corp., dedicates
approximately 75 percent of its charitable contributions to community
development and education programs. The foundation’s K-12 giving
focuses on strengthening education in low-income neighborhoods. Its
grants emphasize the creation of "smarter schools" and
"smarter classrooms." The "smarter schools"
initiative supports improvements in the governance of public schools and
higher standards for student performance. It also funds alternative
schools that offer more individual attention to students, as well as
mentoring and tutoring programs. The "smarter classrooms"
initiative supports innovative classroom technologies and successful
school-to-work programs. The Citigroup Foundation prefers to solicit
proposals from grantees with demonstrated successes. Unsolicited
proposals will be accepted, but a favorable decision is less likely. For
guidelines, see the foundation’s web site.
The Corning Inc.
Foundation, established in 1952, develops and administers projects in
support of educational, cultural, and community organizations. Over the
years, the foundation has contributed more than $83 million through its
grant programs. Each year, the foundation fulfills approximately 225
grants totaling some $2,250,000. Corning¹s areas of involvement have
included community service programs for students, curriculum enrichment,
student scholarships, facility improvement, and instructional technology
projects for the classroom. The foundation also supports youth centers,
YMCAs, and local chapters of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America. All
requests for support must be made in writing.
The MarcoPolo
Education Foundation provides states and school districts with on-site
professional development for K-12 teacher trainers on how to incorporate
internet content into the classroom. The training sessions use print and
online materials developed by the MarcoPolo Partnership—a consortium
of leading educational organizations dedicated to creating high quality
internet content for the classroom. The training sessions are led by
professionally trained internet education specialists, and all attendees
receive copies of the MarcoPolo Teacher Training Kit. The MarcoPolo
Education Foundation offers training sessions for both individuals and
groups of educators. You can request MarcoPolo training at the link
provided below. To learn more about MarcoPolo, you can visit their web
site at http://marcopolo.worldcom.com.
The National
Education Association’s Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE)
now offers more than 300 small grants of $1,000 to $3,000 each on an
ongoing, year-round basis. These grants fund classroom innovations or
professional development for improved practice in public K-12 schools
and higher-education institutions. NFIE will award up to 250 Innovation
grants worth $2,000 per year, and 75 Leadership & Learning grants
ranging between $1,000 and $3,000. Grants will fund activities for 12
months from the date of the award.
The Sprint
Foundation supports educational projects that foster school reform
through the use of new technologies and through fresh approaches to the
enhancement of teachers’ skills. Although Sprint does not have an
application form, the foundation recommends that applicants identify how
their projects support Sprint’s objectives: innovation and the use of
technology in the classroom; enhanced education for minorities and/or
the disadvantaged; and increased employee and public support of
education. Because these grants are supported by employee contributions
matched by foundation funds, grants are available primarily for projects
in areas with a significant employee presence, such as Kansas City,
Atlanta, Dallas, and Sacramento. Schools and other education-related
nonprofit agencies can apply for grants totaling about $500,000 per
year. The Sprint Foundation reviews unsolicited proposals on a
continuous basis. Applicants will typically receive a response within
four to six weeks.
The Toshiba America
Foundation awards grants for programs and activities that improve the
classroom teaching of science, mathematics, and technology for middle
and high school students. Public and private schools, local educational
agencies, and youth organizations across the United States may apply.
Projects should provide direct benefits to students and should include
teacher-led, classroom-based experiences. The Small Grants Program
awards grants of up to $5,000 monthly throughout the year. The Large
Grants Program awards grants of more than $5,000 in March and September
(with deadlines of Feb. 1 and Aug. 1, respectively). The foundation’s
total annual grants budget is approximately $550,000.
The William and
Flora Hewlett Foundation seeks to achieve greater quality and equality
of educational opportunity in the United States and throughout the world
through grants that support increased student achievement, improved
access to exemplary educational content, and other goals as outlined on
its web site. The foundation will not consider requests to fund student
aid, individual scholarships, construction, equipment and computer
purchases, health research, or health education programs. Applicants
should submit a brief letter of intent for initial review, after which
proposals may or may not be requested. Full proposals will not be
accepted unless they are requested. Check the foundation’s web site
for details before sending a letter of intent.
The TI Foundation
requires no special application form. Grants usually range from $5,000
to $10,000, but the TI Foundation has awarded some schools up to
$100,000. Approximately 65 awards are granted each year. Applicants are
encouraged to submit one- or two-page proposals which briefly outline
the following: purpose of the organization, population served, amount
requested, how the requested funds will be used, how the proposal
matches funding interests of the Foundation, and a copy of 501(c)(3)
designation. Proposals are considered from civic, research, educational,
health, welfare, charitable and cultural organizations which have been
ruled to be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code and which are not private foundations as defined by the Code. Click
here for more information.
The Tyco
Electronics Foundation, the charitable arm of Tyco Electronics Corp.,
provides extensive funding for projects that enhance learning
opportunities for students. In addition to a matching-gifts program for
employee contributions to accredited high schools, the foundation makes
direct grants for programs that address a business or community concern
of Tyco Electronics. Organizations (public or private) that support
pre-college math and science education receive special attention. As
with many companies, AMP focuses its support on communities--especially
Pennsylvania and North Carolina—where it operates. Past projects have
included wiring schools with fiber-optic cables to allow rapid internet
connections. Although the foundation makes funding decisions on a
quarterly basis (Dec. 15, March 15, June 15 or Sept. 15), it gives the
majority of its grants in the first quarter of the year. Therefore, the
best time to send in requests is ahead of the Dec. 15 quarterly
deadline.
The Verizon
Foundation funds projects that focus on technology applications and
programs in one or more of the following areas: literacy, the digital
divide, economic and community development, women's issues, overcoming
disabilities, and math and science education. Applications are accepted
from January 1 through November 30 and must be submitted online. To help
you write a fundable proposal, the foundation provides a list of
suggestions and detailed grant guidelines in its web site.
Each month Virtual
Ink Corp. will award a free mimio electronic whiteboard system to an
educator who submits the most original, innovative, or creative entry
incorporating the use of mimio at their school. mimio, which works with
PC and Mac platforms, attaches to any whiteboard and electronically
captures everything that is written or drawn in color and in real-time.
Rooted in the classroom, mimio originated at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology as a practical solution to a frustrating teaching dilemma:
Students were so focused on accurately duplicating the drawings on the
classroom’s dry-erase whiteboard, they often missed important lecture
details and failed to actively participate in class discussions. The
contest is open to educators from around the world. Educators interested
in entering the Think Ink contest can do so by visiting the company’s
web site and completing an entry form. Entrants should describe the
creative ways in which they would incorporate mimio to foster greater
student-teacher collaboration and productivity within the classroom.
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