GRANT WRITING 101 Tapestry Sol Hirsch Captain Planet Entergy Toshiba Vernier 1 SHELL Lowe’s Chris Campbell, NSTA District VII Director

Top Ten Tips for Writing Successful Proposals 1.) Start with a problem or need that you are passionate about. –Ask for funding for a “project” – not just supplies or equipment. WHY? Have adequate data to document the need Have adequate data to document the need - National need - State need - Local need * Needs assessment 2

2.) Choose a funding agency that is interested in addressing that need –Know what the “hot topics” or buzzwords are workforce development (e.g., women in STEM) workforce development (e.g., women in STEM) improving student literacy & student achievement improving student literacy & student achievement research-based strategies research-based strategies environmental issues environmental issues under-resourced students under-resourced students –Use the funder’s own words from the Request for Proposals (RFP) to demonstrate how your project is tied to what they want to fund 3

Examples Toshiba Foundation; “Many successful grantees have designed projects that tap into the natural curiosity of their students, enable students to frame their own scientific questions, and incorporate the expertise of community partners.” NOAA Environmental Literacy: “A successful project will catalyze change in K-12 education at the state, regional and national level through development of new programs and/or revision of existing programs to improve the environmental literacy of K-12 teachers and their students.“ 4

3.) Work through the budget up front –You can only do what you can pay for, i.e. don’t go overboard! –You must know the rules and regulations – funding agency’s and your school system’s Salaries and fringe benefits Facilities and Administration costs (indirect costs) Travel rules and regulations Supplies vs equipment Operating costs 5

4.) Make it a collaborative project –Maximizes impact of funder’s dollars –Spreads the work around Math plus science teachers Multiple schools or multiple districts School plus business partner School plus community organization School plus university or community college partner 6

5.) Use simple language, tell a story –What is our problem? –How do we know it’s a problem? –What do we propose to do to solve the problem? –How will we know if we have accomplished our task? –How will we share what we have learned with others? 7

6.) Make it easy for reviewers to find what they are looking for –Have a clear and accurate table of contents –Label sections and subsections clearly –Arrange the proposal in the requested order –Use the funder’s own words to identify what you are trying to get across 8

7.) Have a clear and logical plan –Use graphic organizers and bulleted lists to clarify your plan Goals and measurable objectives Tasks to accomplish objectives Who will do what Timeline Management plan Organizational relationship of partners 9

8.) Explain the strengths of your proposal –Restate the strengths of the project –Explain how your solution to the problem could serve as a model for others –Describe why you are well qualified to accomplish the tasks you have set for yourself 10

9.) Have a well-thought out plan for evaluating and documenting the success of your project –Who will evaluate? –What evaluation methods will be used? –When will evaluations take place? –How will the evaluation data be used? –Use OBJECTIVE and MEASURABLE data! 11

“A written report is due every end of 9-weeks. This report is graded as a project. In this report, students are required to describe the math skills they learned and they will make a presentation of the said skill as well. Every skill learned by the whole students impacted by this project will be tied-in to the core standards. In my discretion, we will implement the skill learned to help students increase their scores on tests. High test scores means the goal has been met.” 12

Measurable Outcomes/Goals Increased mathematical content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in the areas of problem solving, estimation, as well as a continued focus on measurement of area, perimeter, and volume. 80% of participants increase their scores on pre/post content tests by 10% Increased levels of classroom implementation of standards-based instructional and assessment strategies 80% of participants demonstrate the use of at least 3 instructional strategies and 3 activities from the project Increased levels of participation in a year-long electronic learning community (ELC) 75% of participants complete all ELC assignments Increased ability to develop student centered and learning cycle based lessons that engage students in higher level thinking 75% of participants develop and teach a learning cycle lesson that engages students in higher level thinking Enhancing participants’ confidence in their ability to teach mathematics in ways that help their students develop a deep understanding of the topic and improve student achievement on high stakes state exams 75% of participants report increased confidence in their ability to teach basic mathematical concepts 13

10.) Practice peer and self evaluation –Ask peers to read the proposal and offer suggestions –Put your proposal away for a day or two then read it as if you were a proposal reviewer by using the reviewer’s guidelines to evaluate the proposal 14

If you've been awarded a grant it's important to follow up with the funder on expectations and payment information. –Follow district and school guidelines for deposits and purchases. If you weren't awarded the grant, follow up with the funder (if possible) to see what might have been done differently. 15

Lagniappe!!!!! Give yourself twice as much time as you think it will take. Make sure all the pesky details are taken care of (signatures, recommendation letters, resumes, requested appendices, etc.) 16

Awards NSTA's Awards and Recognition Tuesday from 9-9:50 in Winston II Peggy Carlisle 17

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SSP Fellowship Fellow: Lillie Bryant, Reed Resource Center School, Shuqualak, MS $8500 per year for up to 4 years 20

Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship NOAA Teacher at Sea Research Experience for Teacher (RET) Toshiba’s ExploraVision Siemen’s We Can Change the World Mickelson/ExxonMobil [grades 3-5] Teachers Academy Project Atmosphere and Maury Project (AMS) Disney’s Planet Challenge SHELL Science Lab Challenge E-Cybermission Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award for National Excellence in K-8 Science Teaching 21

Remember - it’s a COMPETITION! Put on your game face and get after it! 22