Grants are an investment in time and resources. All grant processes (research, writing, and submitting) take a significant amount of time to complete. Moreover, the whole process is very much a ‘team sport’, especially when it comes to implementing educational projects using grant funds.
The National Math Foundation offers educators, schools, and districts research and grant writing services to bring kinesthetic learning materials and training to their schools and classrooms. In this way we can help ease the burden that many educators feel when trying to secure funding for their classrooms!
The Educational Grant Writing Process
The grant writing process can be stressful, and team morale can play a large part in a grant’s success – whether it be researching or applying for highly competitive grants! It’s at those moments when we have to remember who will benefit from all of this work.
We want to help you with this process!
It’s most often the case that we don’t necessarily care where funding comes from, rather we just want it! Yet, where the funds come from can affect how you write your proposal, how you apply for the grant, and your chances of success. Depending on your project’s focus, its scope, and your own time commitment to the application process, one funder might be preferable to another.
You should be on the lookout for all sorts of options! The more applications you can send out, the more chances you have for funding – and once one grantor commits to supporting you, your chances of being supported by another skyrocket.
We are thrilled for this opportunity to share with you our experience with the grant writing process! Our “Grant Writing 101” seminar contains lots of pertinent information, activities, and research/writing practice – all geared towards educators!
We guarantee that you will leave leave this seminar with a deeper understanding of the grant writing process as a whole to the point where you can confidently take the steps to successfully apply for educational resources for your classroom!
Grant Planning Tips for Teachers
Tip #1: Maintain Your VOICE
Grantors are much more likely to support educational projects if they know that educators themselves are on board. This means if you can find a time to talk with a program officer prior to the start of a project, seize it!
All grant applications should tend towards the “formal” side of writing styles, though you should never lose your voice in the writing. Grantors do not want to hear from a robot – they want to hear from you! Teachers are in a special position as grant applicants – they know exactly what is needed in their classroom!
Tip #2: Secure Administrative SUPPORT
When it comes to supporting education-based projects, grantors prioritize projects they know can – and want to – be implemented and sustained at a school. Commitment from administration is crucial in receiving full support from a grantor. In fact, many foundations expect a district’s administration to reach out to them first to share an interest in a particular project before the school (or their partnered foundation) actually applies for funding!
Being transparent with your administration about the project (i.e., goals, outcomes, timeframe, cost, etc.) is paramount to getting their support, and their support is crucial!
Templates and Grant Resources for Kinesthetic Programs
Math & Movement and the NMF has created these grant templates to best support teachers and educators who are looking to include more movement-based learning in the classroom.
Please note that the NMF does provide grants and/or funding directly to districts, but requires commitment on the part of administrators to implement grant-funded programs.
If you are an educator, administrator, or grant manager looking to partner with the NMF,
please email [email protected] for next steps!
Learn About The American Rescue Plan
The federal government is sending funds to schools to help students get back to grade-level due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more about how you can help to get those funds to the right places, click the link below.