Grant Presentation Brevard Public Schools District Professional Development Day by: Brevard Schools Foundation & Brevard Public Schools Grant Department September 9, 2013

Brevard Schools Foundation Intro to Grants

The mission of the Brevard Schools Foundation is to enhance public education in Brevard County.

Who’s Who at the Foundation Janice Kershaw Executive Director Cathy Furtado Accountant Linda Filippini Programs and Development

Types of Grants Foundation Grants Corporation Grants Classroom Grants

So you need some $... Will your need enhance education in your classroom? Is it a need for your class? Whole grade? Whole school? Is your idea for a select group of students (i.e.. Exceptional ed, struggling readers)? Is this your original idea or does it come from an outside source?

First Steps Learn about the funder – focus areas of funding and past giving Make sure the request fits the funder’s focus area Read all the guidelines Carefully read and follow all the directions Contact the Foundation before starting if a 501c3 is required

The Next Step Put together basic information on your request: Name of project or program Brief summary of project Statement of Need Goals and Objectives Method Evaluation Budget ** this information to the foundation.

Things to Remember The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Any grant monies over $250 must be run through the Foundation. When applying for a grant the Foundation is the actual entity that applies on behalf of your school.

Who Does What Foundation Audited Financials 501 (c)(3) form Board of directors Demographics School Program specifics Program budget Post-evaluation

Brevard Public Schools Grants Development Department Grants Training

Who’s Who in the District Grant Department Robin Ward Grant Administrator

Grant Department Mission To provide the highest level of technical support to departments and schools applying for grant funding.

Needs verses Wants Typically a quest for financial support begins with a “documented need” not a “want.” A “need” is supported by either qualitative or quantitative evidence. A “want” is something desired based on some type of feeling or emotion. Funders fund “Needs” not “Wants!”

Identifying Needs You Need… an interactive white board iPads Digital Cameras Content related equipment Student performance to improve Think of a need for your classroom or school…

Focused Goal I need an interactive white board for my classroom. –“An interactive white board will increase students abilities to work collaborative on theatrical productions during classroom drama instruction.” Lets look at another example for iPads. –“Students will demonstrate ability to incorporate appropriate graphics into academic presentations by constructing and sharing projects created using multi-media applications on the iPad.” Take a minute and think of the item you “Need” in terms of academic achievement.

Locating the right funding source for you focused goal... There are several funding sources to consider such as: School Advisory Council Parent Teacher Organizations Student Clubs Business Partners Grants

Learn about types of grants Federal State Local Foundation Private

Components of winning grant proposals Summary Introduction Statement of Need Goals & Objectives Methods Evaluation Budget Sustainability

SUMMARY Generally this is a very concise paragraph or page that briefly summarizes the project for which funding is being requested. Typically this is written after the grant has been prepared. Grants which require presentation to the School Board for approval require a summary as a part of the board agenda item.

INTRODUCTION Use this section to tell about the district, school, or site for which the grant is being written. This section begins to paint a picture for the reviewer of the organization’s capabilities. If you are able to touch the heart of the reviewer then they will be excited to continue reading/reviewing the proposal.

STATEMENT OF NEED Use facts to describe the needs the proposed project will address. A good source of information about the school system and individual schools can be found on the school district website. Another source of information for data is the state department of education. Use data contained in School Improvement Plans to substantiate need. Use the district strategic plan for additional data.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Describe the major impact or outcomes of the project in the form of a goal. State objectives in measurable terms to support the goal. Focus on students or teachers not stuff. Limit project to reasonable number of goals with 2 or 3 strong objectives for each goal. When creating objectives use the “SMART” technique.

METHODS This component should answer the question – “How are you going to accomplish the goals and objectives of your proposal?” Describe the activities or strategies which are planned to meet the objectives?

EVALUATION It is vital to have a solid measurable evaluation plan. How will you know when you have achieved your goals? What quantitative and/or qualitative methods will monitor the success of your program? Describe on-going monitoring planned to determine objectives are being achieved.

BUDGET Clearly delineate cost borne by the grant. Do not estimate, pad, over or under report costs in the budget. Be as accurate as possible – every item listed must correlate with your objectives. Establish a strong relationship with your bookkeeper and involve the bookkeeper in the development of your budget. When a grant requires a Budget Narrative you are required to thoroughly describe each item listed on your budget in a way that connects the item with your objectives.

FUTURE FUNDING OR SUSTAINABILITY How will the project continue when the grant ends? Grantors want to know if the projects they fund are successful and that your project has the potential to continue! Is your project replicable? If so, tell the grantor how you plan to extend the project to other grades or schools. It is not appropriate to base your future funding on applying for additional grants.

GRANT COMPONENTS SUMMARY Need Goals and Objectives Methods Evaluation Budget and Sustainability Summary and Introduction

Tips Before Submitting a Grant  Have at least two or three people who are not familiar with your grant proof read the application.  Make sure your words clearly tell the story of the need for your project.  Try to have a “hook” something different that will make your grant standout for the other applications.  Include statistics for student achievement.  Make sure your goals are realistic and measurable.  Don’t forget to include professional development or training.

Review Process Your grant will be reviewed and scored on a scale that matches the application. This scale or scoring rubric may be numerical or simply a checklist. Reviewers will be looking for all components of the application to be addressed. Your grant may be reviewed by experts in the field or they may bring in reviewers who are not from the education field.

Post Review Analysis For Non-Funded Proposal The grant did not meet the request. It did not fit the socio-economic group the business or organization funds. There was too much focus on equipment (hardware or software) and not enough on student achievement. The project plan was not well thought out. Competition was too high. A section was not adequately address or skipped. There were grammatical or formatting error.

Places to Search for Grants Grant search on the web Government agencies Listservs from state and professional organizations The BSF Grants Alert Professional organizations Corporate foundations Education-related businesses Civic organizations Grants.gov and GrantWrangler.com Professional journals and magazines: ASCD publications, THE Journal

BSF Grants Alert

Grant Opportunity

T.H.E. Journal

T.H.E. Journal

Grant Wrangler

Wrap Up and Questions What questions do you have? Thank you for your time and best of luck with your grant development!