Granting Your Wish List:
How to Write Winning Proposals
for Science Education Projects
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Many teachers think grant proposals are too difficult to try. And indeed, when school is in session, it can be hard for teachers to find time to breathe, let alone think about large scale extra projects. There are daily plans to write and materials to gather. There are papers to grade, calls to make, meetings to attend and outside activities to sponsor – to say nothing of the requirements of home life. And the proposal writing process can seem daunting to anyone who has not attempted it.
Skilled teachers, on the other hand, have a lot going for them. They can come up with good ideas and express them well. They do so every day in their work. Not only that, the thought that goes into good curriculum writing is excellent groundwork for grant applications.
And teamwork helps. Teachers who put their heads together in the quest for special funding often feel uplifted by their collective energy and ability.
You may be an experienced teacher with great ideas who has never sought outside financing for your work. You may have tried and failed. You may have had modest success and want to do better. Whatever your situation, we at Hach encourage you to consider the possibilities.
Ideas for this resource appear under the following headings . . .
- Start Locally First
- Project Definition
- Steps in the Process
- Truths
- Tips
- Testimonials
- Resources
- Acknowledgements
Grant writing is not unmapped territory for teachers. It may appear to be a wilderness of forms and formalities. It may seem like a strenuous undertaking. And indeed, it is challenging. However, others like you have walked the ground, and they have marked trails and told their stories.
We offer this resource as an encouragement. We are certain you have what it takes. You know your subjects and materials. You know your equipment. You know your students. You know your community. And because you are a teacher – planning, executing and "holding forth" day to day – you have the inner resources needed to pull it off. Effective grant writing is within your grasp. Why not give it a go?
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Start Locally First
You may have big ideas and hope for big money. That’s fine. But it makes sense to start small. If you have not looked for help close at hand, you should consider that.
Some businesses in your area are probably known for supporting education. Others may do so but not publicize it. Use the phone book and people you know. Talk to owners of small businesses who are com-munity leaders. Contact corporate human resource or public affairs people. Chambers of commerce and economic development groups can help. Such organizations are interested in what you are doing, because good schools are good for your area’s economy. Business groups in larger communities have committees or counsels dedicated to education. You can also approach city government and public works officials. Determine the extent of their involvement in education and invite them to partner with you.
Service groups are another resource. Line up students, parents and other teachers to address Rotary, Sertoma and Lions clubs. They are always looking for breakfast or luncheon speakers and for projects to support. Financing you receive in this way may be "small change," but $50 here and there can get you a new test kit and reagents.
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Project Definition
Obtaining funding is more than making out a wish list. You need to present a clear picture of your project along the following lines...
What: Give your plan a name – "An Integrated Approach to Stream Contamination Study," for example – and list its goals.
Who: Identify people involved. Designate a project director and name key players, indicating personal qualifications. Explain why you and others are well suited for this project.
When: State a beginning date and anticipated duration.
Where: Specify project location – rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, water or wastewater treatment plants, and local, regional or national parks.
Why: Declare your rationale for under-taking this project. What benefits will come of it? What problem in your community or area will it address?
How: What will be the approach and strategy? How will you know you have succeeded? That is, how do you intend to measure your results?
How Much: Write a budget that covers salaries, equipment, supplies (consumable and nonconsumable) and other needs such as honoraria for guest speakers and consultants.
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Steps in the Process
1. Develop an idea.
2. Find a sponsoring agency that fits it. (The National Science Teachers Association has information on funding organizations.)
3. Contact the organization by phone and ask for...
- One or more RFPs (Requests for Proposal) on available funding. These will give you an idea of the group's philosophy or objectives, as well as restrictions and eligibility requirements in specific areas.
- The name of a contact person.
- Two minutes of phone time with that individual. It will be fortunate if this is a "program officer" or other decision maker. If you get the phone time, ask the person to explain what the orgnization is looking for in applications. Informal discussion may disclose useful details or perspectives not contained in written material or on application forms.
- Criteria the organization uses in awarding grants.
- Names of previous funding recipients.
4. Draft the proposal or sketch out responses to information called for or questions asked on forms. As you write, try to see the proposal from the reviewers’ standpoint.
5. Solicit responses from knowledgeable and objective people outside your teaching team. (You might also consider the services of a professional editor or ask for comments from an English teacher or someone else who writes well.)
6. Finalize and submit your materials.
7. Wait for reviewers to complete their work.
8. If you receive a yes, celebrate. If you get a no, take the reviewers’ comments to heart and rewrite accordingly.
9. Resubmit the proposal if you are permitted to do so. Many grant applications are approved on second readings.
10. Adapt to the requirements of other organizations and keep trying.
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Truths
- If you apply for funding, you may get it. If you don’t, you won’t.
- Although more people win grants on second tries than on first, first-timers can and do score.
- Some award winners will show you their proposals. Others won’t. Most winners will talk in generalities. Some will give details.
- Realism and accuracy are crucial in budgeting.
- Application guidelines provided by funding
organizations are important. They should be followed to the letter. To stray from them in
any way, however minor, is to invite early elimination of a proposal.
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Tips
Groundwork:
- Understand sponsoring organizations and choose those whose goals line up best with your project.
- Be assured of your eligibility to apply.
- Know application requirements and procedures.
- Consult with people who have received funding from the same source or succeeded elsewhere.
- Seriously consider collaboration and investment by other parties and organizations.
- Look for opportunities to make your organization or school more visible in your community. Establish a relationship with your local newspaper.
The Proposal:
- Fill in every part of application forms. If any section does not apply to your situation, fill it in with a reason for not responding there.
- Write clearly and concisely. Avoid highly technical phrasing and jargon.
- Emphasize the unique conditions at your school or organization.
- Don’t assume reviewers will know your field or work or that the significance of your project will be obvious. Explain your ideas, methods and rationale fully and completely.
- Likewise, don’t assume that funders understand the problem your project addresses. Provide data, case studies and citations from literature to elucidate.
- Anticipate and address questions that may arise in reviewers’ minds.
- Demonstrate knowledge of recent literature in the field. Design your project so it fills gaps. Provide an up-to-date bibliography.
- Append supporting documents – degrees, certifications, licenses, resumes and relevant publications. If your program has had positive media attention, you might include tapes and/or clips. Realize at the same time that a proposal should stand alone – not rely on added material.
- Indicate that you and your team have management skill, including ability to account for fund expenditures.
- Keep the document short. A rule of thumb adhered to by many experienced prospectors for grants is five pages or fewer.
Budgeting:
- State what you think you need but don’t be lavish. If you ask for huge amounts of money above what you have from other sources, funders may wonder how you will handle the extra. Restraint and evidence of good stewardship of resources will stand you in good stead.
- Clarify in-kind contributions you can make.
- Ask equipment suppliers to state, if they can, how long prices will be in effect.
- Include a reasonable margin for unexpected expenditures.
- Realize that on larger grants you may be allowed to budget for "indirect" facility costs such as heat, air conditioning, electricity and custodial service and transportation costs your school must cover, especially if your project involves off-hours activity or building use.
- If you approach a business or corporation, think of what donations it might easily manage – equipment, loaned staff, transportation, meeting space or products and services.
- Some funding entities will duplicate financial support you derive from other sources. You should find out if such "matching funds" are available and what conditions govern them.
Attitudes:
- If you meet with funding organization representatives, remember that they will assess your credibility. Be confident, friendly, informed, prepared and direct.
- Think positively but don’t be surprised at or devastated by rejection. Learn from it and resubmit.
- Because funders may require changes (even in winning proposals), you should be flexible. If your program has money or if you believe suggested changes would seriously compromise your program, you might tactfully question the alterations a funder proposes. Willing adaptation, though, will usually take you in the direction of your objectives.
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Testimonials
Biology teacher Clint Kennedy of Cascade, Idaho, has learned that grant writing is not as hard as it may seem. In 1966 Kennedy and his students won a $10,000 award from Toyota in conjunction with the National Science Teachers Association. Science classes at Cascade Junior/Senior High School have used the money happily on a bright idea. They have built a device that sets aggressive algae to work on fertilizer residue in sewage plant effluent. Although treated by conventional means once, the effluent continues to compromise water quality in a lake loved by all in the community.
Kennedy’s experience is not isolated. More and more teachers around the country are getting a feel for the grant writing process, What follows are statements from Kennedy and other colleagues of yours who have lifted their sights, sought funding for cherished ideas, persisted in pursuit of their goals and succeeded.
Clint Kennedy
Cascade Junior/Senior High School
Cascade, Idaho
1996 Toyota/NSTA Award Winner
Funding: $10,000
Project:
Students built a chlorella algae reactor to treat a neighboring town’s
sewage plant outflow. Though treated once, the effluent was high in phosphates and
nitrates and entering a reservoir of importance to Cascade residents.
"Grant writing was frustrating for me at first, but student buy-in helped me on this application. Once the kids got an idea of what could happen, they helped write our funding proposal. With ownership in projects like this, young people put out phenomenal work. The project is theirs from beginning to end, and they become community experts. That’s the neatest part of this project – connection to the community. Our students attended city council meetings, became familiar with utility services, and found knowledgeable adults to help them. The science of environmental problems can be fairly easy, but the politics and economics of solutions are difficult. Students learned more about government through this than they ever would in a civics class. The experience has been rewarding for me and for the people in our town."
Jean Tushie
Eden Prairie High School
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
1996 Presidential Awardee, NSF
Funding: $7,500
1997 GTE Gift of $12,000, plus various state and local grants
Project:
Students collect insects and use graphing calculators to analyze test kit
data on water from the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. This is the science part of
"The Rivers Academy," a year’s learning program for 10th graders that
includes English, social studies and math work. Students keep journals and base
imaginative writing on observations made in the outdoors. Their studies of area history
highlight the Native American presence.
"Funding organizations are looking for new ideas – not for what is routinely done in the classroom. Getting an idea is a crucial step, of course. Once you get what you think is a great idea, however, you don’t just go with it. You continually refine it, taking into account the constructive criticism you receive."
Kathy Dempsey
Elsie Rogers Elementary School
Mishawaka, Indiana
1996 Toyota/NSTA Award
Funding: $10,000
Activity:
Using a mud boat pulled by draft horses, fourth and fifth graders clear
trash and chemical waste from a stream and nearby woods. Students in succeeding years will
analyze water and soil quality, trap trout for observation, pinpoint problem areas using
the GPS satellite system and, aided by infrared monoculars, track nocturnal creatures. The
Willow Creek Project was a trio of teachers’ first grant-writing effort.
"We were passionate about this. It was so fresh in our minds as we wrote the proposal that we had a lot to say. The first buy-in from kids was in being able to go out and get dirty and not get in trouble. Even kids who don’t like school have gotten involved, becoming defensive about any new dumping they see in the area and showing more interest in classroom work. That is great. And parents who may not feel comfortable helping in class will jump at a chance to work out there. We are thrilled with these outcomes."
Dave Ely
Champlain Valley Union High School
Hinesburg, Vermont
1985 Presidential Awardee
National Science Foundation
Funding: $5,000
Purpose:
To train teachers and equip students to experiment with electrophoresis
– the passing of currents through "agarose" to separate molecules based on
charge or size. This process, important in DNA fingerprinting, identifies proteins and
nucleic acids. Champlain Valley was one of the first high schools the nation to do this.
"You should be good in the classroom, but education, as a profession, should promote interaction with people outside schools. Successful persons in general are well connected. Because they know many people, they have opportunities. In education, a name or a new thought will come up, and you will run with that, moving to resources and contacts that may be far away. If teachers stay in the limited sphere of their classrooms, they will never reap the benefits of reaching beyond it. And to get a grant, you just have to go for it. If you don’t ask, you will never receive. A good teacher is a tremendous scrounge and, frankly, thick-skinned enough to accept rejections. If you can take a few Dear John letters, once in while a reward comes."
John Jackson
Monterey Highlands School
Monterey Park, California
1996 Toyota Award Winner
Funding: $10,000
Project:
Elements of 7th Grade
"Project EARTH"
Geophysical Data Center, Impact Science Magazine, Student Science Symposia, Death Valley Field Study
"While everyone won’t accept what you hope to do, you need to step up with your radical ideas, put them into print and believe that you can make a difference."
Spencer Reames
Benjamin Logan High School
Bellefontaine, Ohio
1997 President, Association of
Presidential Awardees in Science
1986 Presidential Awardee, NSF
Funding: $5,000
Purpose:
To upgrade physiology classroom equipment, cover travel and other teacher
training expenses, and provide student scholarships.
"Applying for grants forces you to consider what you are about as a teacher. You grow both professionally and personally. Until you go through a challenging reflective process like this, you don’t realize that the process, in itself, is the real reward."
Fredrick Stein
Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Center for Science,
Mathematics and Technology Education (CSMATE),
Colorado State University
Grant Writing/Management Consultant
Funding:
Beginning with a minimum university support base, the center has developed
$16 million in grants from both private and public sources, including the National Science
Foundation. CSMATE shares this funding with other institutions. About $6 million has been
available to the center.
"To be competitive, a proposal needs a hook – a central idea that will cause a reviewer to pause, look up from reading the application and say "Aha!" or "This is great! Why didn’t I think of it?" Also, it is important to document a recognizable problem in the community or area and then offer a solution that is the heart of the proposal – following it all with an evaluation plan that shows you have the means to measure the results."
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Resources
Federal
The Federal Register
Lists new grant opportunities, pending and amended legislation, regulations, guidelines
and selection criteria. Published weekdays.
Catalog of Federal and Domestic Assistance
Contains annual "Deadline Index" for grant competitions.
Both publications available through:
Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20402
(202) 512-1800
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs
Private
The Foundation Center
Provides details on large corporate, independent and community foundations.
The Foundation Center
79 Fifth Ave., Department ZG
New York, NY 10003-3076
(800) 424-9836
http://www.fdncenter.org
GrantScape
Describes various grants and contracts, with funding availability and priorities.
Updated frequently, with "specials".
Aspen Publishers, Inc.
(Corporate Headquarters)
200 Orchard Ridge Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
800-638-8437
(301) 417-7500
FAX: (301) 695-7931
http://www.grantscape.com
Combined Federal and Private
The Grantsmanship Center
Whole Nonprofit Catalog
Provides information on federal and private opportunities for nonprofit organizations.
Includes submission tips and information on seminars. Published quarterly. Free.
The Grantsmanship Center
P.O. Box 17220
Los Angles, CA 90017
213-482-9860
http://www.tgci.com
Grants for Mathematics and Science Education:
Where to Look and How to Win
Summarizes the application process, provides helpful suggestions and lists well
known corporate and foundation opportunities.
Triangle Coalition
for Science and Technology Education
5112 Berwyn Road
College Park, MD 20740
(301) 220-0870
http://www.triangle-coalition.org
Proposal Writing Guides
Getting Funded
By Mary Hall
A complete guide including inside tips and strategies on winning proposals.
Continuing Education Publications
Portland State University
P.O. Box 1491
Portland, OR 97207
(503) 725-4891
http://www.extended.pdx.edu/press/funded/index.html
Proposal Planning and Writing
By Lynn E. Miller and Jerry Griffith
A presentation that distinguishes between approaches for private and federal funding.
Includes an extensive bibliography of resources.
From Idea to Project: Grant Proposals that
Work
By Jane C. Belcher and Julia M. Jacobsen
A comprehensive explanation emphasizing the team approach.
Both titles above are available through:
Oryx Press
4041 N. Central at Indian School Road
Phoenix, AZ 85012
800-279-6799
http://www.oryxpress.com
Introduction
Start Locally First
Project Definition
Steps in the Process
Truths
Tips
Testimonials
Resources
Acknowledgements
Return to top
Acknowledgements
Hach Company gratefully acknowledges the many teachers who shared their grant-writing experiences with us and whose testimonies appear throughout thisresource. We would also like to thank chemistry professor Fredrick Stein of Colorado State University, who directs the Center for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (CSMATE) at CSU, a teacher-training facility supported by grant money. Stein, who has served on grant application review panels for the National Science Foundation and has steered many educators through the application process, provided helpful guidance for this resource. Hach also acknowledges the help of materials published by the Grantsmanship Center, a non-profit organization aimed at helping individuals write and obtain grants, and the Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education, a group of professional organizations, universities and laboratories with an advocacy office in the nation's capital, which were consulted in the preparation of this website.