Where to Find Grants for Educators The Internet is a fantastic resource for any educator that is looking to get access to and apply for grants. Educators will be surprised by the wealth of opportunities afforded to them with Internet access.

	The Toshiba American Foundation at: http://www.toshiba.com/tafpub/jsp/home/default.jsp Gives out regular grants to educators looking to add supplemental teaching techniques, strategies and projects to their existing curriculum that will enhance children’s learn of math and science. The NEA Foundation supplies grants to educators at all levels for various needs.  Educators can apply for grants for books or even for giving excellent service in terms of education!  Currently, the NEA offers 14 different grants that can be applied for.  Visit the NEA Foundation at: http://www.neafoundation.org/grants.htm The Teaching Tolerance Project supplies educators with grants when they actively promote tolerance in the academic setting.  In fact, the project offers up to 2000 dollars for educators that are making an effort toward helping today’s youth become activists for tolerance.  For guidelines to this grant, visit: http://www.tolerance.org/teach/grants/guide.jsp There are a number of different websites that offer a variety of links to every kind of educator’s grant imaginable.  Everypartyunderthesun.com at: http://www.everypartyunderthesun.com/educationalgrants.htm provides a series of links that will prove helpful for educators, as does WEAC.org at: http://www.weac.org/Resource/neagrants.htm. Other Grant Resources: Educator grants are not solely available from foundations that focus on education.  In fact, many corporations and small business owners are apt to help out educators looking for grants.  Why?  The act of helping out the community serves as a way for the business to become a presence in the community and it offer provides the business with an avenue of free advertising.  Just as many businesses offer scholarship awards to students, they are quite likely to help out educators. On the same note, some organizations may be willing to assist educators and give them grants.  Community groups and Church groups may be willing to donate funds to a good cause, especially for education.  It is a good idea to look to the local neighborhood when seeking out funding for an educational cause:  there may be resources closer than one might think. Grant Writing Tips for Educators Finding a grant offer is but half the battle.  Once a grant offer is located, educators will be required to apply.  Often times the application for a grant can seem quite daunting.  Some people choose to have their grant professionally written, while other educators choose to take on the task themselves.  Either way: there is a particular format that is required when writing grants, and it is helpful if an educator knows what is expected during the grant writing process. Some grant offers require that the educator supply a letter of inquiry.  It is important to remain clear in a letter of inquiry, but also brief.  A letter of inquiry is merely the first stage of many grant application processes.  The educator will want to make their interest in the grant known and for what purpose they are interested in it.  Basically, an inquiry is much like a cover letter and it merely gives a synopsis of the educator’s entire proposal.  The educator would only serve themselves to be brief in writing the inquiry, leaving the myriad details to be exposed in the grant proposal itself:  in essence, the inquiry is to get the foundation offering the grant interested in what the educator is interested in doing.  In contrast, the grant proposal basically sells the idea.  For more tips on writing an inquiry visit: www.schoolgrants.org/tips/more_tips2.htm Grants need to explain the intended use of the award concisely.  A complete grant proposal must, at minimum have an letter of inquiry, an introduction to the educator, a statement of necessity, a clear outline of the educator’s goals, the educator’s planned teaching techniques, the teacher’s assessment plans, how the educator plans to fund the project in the future, and a detailed budget outlining expenditures.  For more detailed information about each of the above requirements visit: http://www.schoolgrants.org/tips/more_tips.htm#Parts Taking a look at a sample proposal may be a good idea.  Educator’s can skim over the sample and see what a grant really entails.  Further, the sample can be used as a template or guide for grant writing. It is important however, to use grant samples that have worked well for others. For a sample of a grant visit: http://www.k12grants.org/samples/samples_index.htm Essentially, the more concise and professional that the grant proposal is, the better its chance of proving successful and getting the educator the funding they need.  If the educator is still uncertain about the grant writing process, it may be a good idea to hire a professional service that can produce the grant proposal; considering the importance of the proposal, it is better not to risk the loss of a great opportunity.

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