When I first started out teaching I didn't realize how much of my money I would spend on supplies for my classroom. I mean wow! I walked in with practically nothing and no budget to get anything so I did the best I could. My principal helped me out as much as she was able to and I took anything and everything from any of the other teachers to help me out.
It was insane but those first few years taught me a valuable lesson. I needed money and it needed to be someone else's. No joke. My husband always jokes that he doesn't look at our bank statements at the start of the school year because he knows I spend way too much on what I need for my classroom, which is true. But he also understands why I do it. And he is fully on board with me finding ways to get that money without having to spend my own.
My secret? Grants. I apply for grants ALL. THE. TIME. Let me say that again. I apply for grants ALL. THE. TIME. And it's honestly not as hard as you think. I have actually received 7 or 8 (I can't remember which) grants from the same foundation over the years. They even had me take a picture with the superintendent and she announced it at the board meeting all of us grant recipients were being recognized at. Seriously though, it's not as hard as it sounds. Here are some of my tricks for writing grants to get money for the supplies you need in your classroom.
1. Know what it is you want to do. You need to have an objective or three that goes with what you plan to do with the money. I tend to write these as learning target statements, "By the end of this project, my students will be able to _________." This helps the grant committee understand what you want your students to get out of the project you're petitioning for.
2. Be precise. Be extremely specific about what you want your materials for. For example, I've gotten 3 grants alone that are all for materials to do STEM projects with students in and out of school. I don't flower what I want with a ton of verbiage, I keep it extremely simple. Don't think that just because there is a word maximum that you have to meet it. If explaining what you want and why takes you only three sentences then leave it at that. Too much fluff can lose the meaning behind what you want, but in the same regard too little information can leave the committee confused as to what you want to do and why.
3. Know why this will benefit your students. One question that is always asked is how this will benefit your students. If you want laptops for them to use while in class for projects explain that your students don't have access to technology such as a laptop at home and then why. Be completely honest with this question. Phrasing such as, "My students need ___________ because of ________," keeps things precise and explains why they need it. You're asking people for money so you need to really tell them why you need it. Putting it in language where you can prove the need. This is a good practice in general because if you ever want to become a National Board Certified Teacher you have to speak in that language (more on this in another post).
4. Know what materials you want to purchase. Some grants, like the foundation grants I've received, which are only for my local school district, ask what materials you want to purchase. In one grant I named the specific kind of cameras I wanted to purchase for a photography unit I wanted to do with my students in art class. For my STEM ones I listed it as materials to complete STEM projects that would include but was not limited to _________ and then listed some of the things I would use in class. Some grants you pick out your materials before you write your grants. It just depends on the grant and what they want from you so read the fine print!
5. Look for grants everywhere. Seriously. I've gotten the majority of my grants from a foundation through my school district that sets aside and raises all kinds of money to fund classroom and field trip grants. Another place to look are your local banks. Our local PNC Bank has a classroom grant each year that they put out and choose recipients for. I received that grant the year I applied for it. I might try for it again this year (I haven't decided yet). Another great place is Donor's Choose. Donor's Choose is an amazing resource for public school teachers. When you start a project you shop for and pick all of the materials you will need for it. Then you explain your need and why. People from all over can donate to your project and once it's fulfilled the materials are automatically purchased and shipped straight to you at school. Too cool right? I've gotten at least 6 or 7 grants through Donor's Choose and that's only over the last two years alone. It's always a good practice to have a grant up on the website (which I need to do come to think of it) so that in case there is ever a crowd funding day you could possibly have a grant funded. I've actually had one crowd funded and one I won the funding for the rest of my grant through a Facebook promotion from a group asking teacher's to post links to their Donor's Choose projects to be possibly funded. Crazy right?! You never know how your funding could come through!
The money is out there for teachers to help fund their classrooms. Will they buy your fancy decorations? No. Will it get you more colorful bins from Target's Dollar Spot? Most likely no. But they will help you bring materials to your students that can enhance their learning experience and that's what all of us teachers are really here for.
So where have you found classroom grants at? Do you have any tips for first time grant writers? Let me know in the comments!
It was insane but those first few years taught me a valuable lesson. I needed money and it needed to be someone else's. No joke. My husband always jokes that he doesn't look at our bank statements at the start of the school year because he knows I spend way too much on what I need for my classroom, which is true. But he also understands why I do it. And he is fully on board with me finding ways to get that money without having to spend my own.
My secret? Grants. I apply for grants ALL. THE. TIME. Let me say that again. I apply for grants ALL. THE. TIME. And it's honestly not as hard as you think. I have actually received 7 or 8 (I can't remember which) grants from the same foundation over the years. They even had me take a picture with the superintendent and she announced it at the board meeting all of us grant recipients were being recognized at. Seriously though, it's not as hard as it sounds. Here are some of my tricks for writing grants to get money for the supplies you need in your classroom.
1. Know what it is you want to do. You need to have an objective or three that goes with what you plan to do with the money. I tend to write these as learning target statements, "By the end of this project, my students will be able to _________." This helps the grant committee understand what you want your students to get out of the project you're petitioning for.
2. Be precise. Be extremely specific about what you want your materials for. For example, I've gotten 3 grants alone that are all for materials to do STEM projects with students in and out of school. I don't flower what I want with a ton of verbiage, I keep it extremely simple. Don't think that just because there is a word maximum that you have to meet it. If explaining what you want and why takes you only three sentences then leave it at that. Too much fluff can lose the meaning behind what you want, but in the same regard too little information can leave the committee confused as to what you want to do and why.
3. Know why this will benefit your students. One question that is always asked is how this will benefit your students. If you want laptops for them to use while in class for projects explain that your students don't have access to technology such as a laptop at home and then why. Be completely honest with this question. Phrasing such as, "My students need ___________ because of ________," keeps things precise and explains why they need it. You're asking people for money so you need to really tell them why you need it. Putting it in language where you can prove the need. This is a good practice in general because if you ever want to become a National Board Certified Teacher you have to speak in that language (more on this in another post).
4. Know what materials you want to purchase. Some grants, like the foundation grants I've received, which are only for my local school district, ask what materials you want to purchase. In one grant I named the specific kind of cameras I wanted to purchase for a photography unit I wanted to do with my students in art class. For my STEM ones I listed it as materials to complete STEM projects that would include but was not limited to _________ and then listed some of the things I would use in class. Some grants you pick out your materials before you write your grants. It just depends on the grant and what they want from you so read the fine print!
5. Look for grants everywhere. Seriously. I've gotten the majority of my grants from a foundation through my school district that sets aside and raises all kinds of money to fund classroom and field trip grants. Another place to look are your local banks. Our local PNC Bank has a classroom grant each year that they put out and choose recipients for. I received that grant the year I applied for it. I might try for it again this year (I haven't decided yet). Another great place is Donor's Choose. Donor's Choose is an amazing resource for public school teachers. When you start a project you shop for and pick all of the materials you will need for it. Then you explain your need and why. People from all over can donate to your project and once it's fulfilled the materials are automatically purchased and shipped straight to you at school. Too cool right? I've gotten at least 6 or 7 grants through Donor's Choose and that's only over the last two years alone. It's always a good practice to have a grant up on the website (which I need to do come to think of it) so that in case there is ever a crowd funding day you could possibly have a grant funded. I've actually had one crowd funded and one I won the funding for the rest of my grant through a Facebook promotion from a group asking teacher's to post links to their Donor's Choose projects to be possibly funded. Crazy right?! You never know how your funding could come through!
The money is out there for teachers to help fund their classrooms. Will they buy your fancy decorations? No. Will it get you more colorful bins from Target's Dollar Spot? Most likely no. But they will help you bring materials to your students that can enhance their learning experience and that's what all of us teachers are really here for.
So where have you found classroom grants at? Do you have any tips for first time grant writers? Let me know in the comments!
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