Grants

Ellensburg School District Education Foundation Mini-Grant Program

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Grant Program Description
Award Information
Eligibility
How to Prepare and Submit an Application
Application Review
Award Administration
Applicant Responsibilities
Questions?
Application Cover Sheet
Grant Application

Mini-Grant Program Description

The Education Foundation Mini-Grant program supports new and innovative programs proposed by faculty, classified staff, students, parent groups, or administrators that enhance or supplement district educational goals that otherwise would not be funded by traditional means. Proposed programs should appeal to a wide range of people or directly to a targeted audience within the school district.

Projects should:

be based on sound scholarship
be innovative, and supplement district and/or school building education goals
be of interest to a broad range of audiences
involve both students and staff in all phases of development and implementation

Mini-grants can be used to support:

short duration projects that are developed and implemented in one school year
projects, programs, equipment and/or services in the Ellensburg School District
travel, registration costs associated with principal or Superintendent approved courses or seminars
cost-share projects/programs with the applicant or other third party funding entities

Mini-grants cannot be used to support:

salaries or employment benefits
existing or on-going programs
normal contractual obligations of the school district
professional development or tuition costs associated with advance degrees or required certification
general operations; or renovation, restoration, rehabilitation, or construction of facilities
projects that seek to persuade participants of a particular political, philosophical, religious or ideological point of view; or
projects that advocate a particular program of social action

The Foundation will consider other grant proposals, outside the Mini-Grant program, including the writing and submission of grant proposals that meet the goals of the Foundation. Contact the Education Foundation for other grant proposals and opportunities.

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Award Information

Mini-grants proposals are received and grants awarded twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Amount of funding for the mini-grant program is subject to funds available to the Foundation through fund raising activities, currently tile sales for the Legacy Wall at the high school.

The amount the Foundation will award is dependent upon the number of proposals received for each funding cycle, the amount of each proposal, and the merit of the proposal. Approved projects may be fully or partially funded. Mini-grants may be cost shared with the applicant or other third-parties.

Eligibility

Any faculty, classified staff, student, parent group or administrator of the Ellensburg School District may apply for a mini-grant. All faculty, parent and student group applications must be approved by the building principal. Applications submitted by any building or program administrator in the district must be approved by the Superintendent.

New applications for projects that would use the same topics and formats from a current funded project to reach new venues and audiences will not be accepted until the current project has been completed and an evaluation submitted. (The evaluation can be included with the new application.) Only one such application will be accepted for any given project.

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How to Prepare and Submit an Application

Preparing an Application

Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are encouraged to discuss the concept with their immediate supervisor: faculty, classified staff, parent groups, and students, should review their proposed project with the building principal; administrators and program supervisors, the Superintendent. The building principal’s, or the Superintendent’s commitment and approval are essential.

A complete application includes the following:

1. Application Cover Sheet.

Complete the cover sheet and obtain the necessary signatures.

2. Grant Application.

Attached to the cover sheet a completed grant application form that provides the following information:

Project Description. Provide a brief description of the project, why there is a need within the school district for this project, and rational why this project should be funded.
Project Objectives. Clearly and precisely state the objectives of your project and what outcomes you expect as a result of funding this project.
Project Evaluation. Briefly describe how the objectives will be measured and when the project will be evaluated. Include the criteria you plan to use to determine success.
Project Innovation. Briefly describe why this project is innovative and is a special need in your building or classroom.
Budget. Detail costs associated with your project. Include specific information such as kinds of materials, services, and equipment needed. List sources of supplies and costs, or other resources that will be involved to complete the project.
Project Impacts. Summarize the anticipated short and long-term effects the project may have on students and/or the school district.

Grant Application Suggestions

Your chances of receiving a grant will be better if your proposal is educationally sound and shows creativity.
The budget should include the project costs requested that will be charged to the Mini-Grant as well as those that will be supported by the applicant or third-party cash and in-kind contributions (cost-sharing).
Include any supplementary materials, such as catalogs, brochures, budget information, seminar/registration materials, or sample work as part of the application that will help the Foundation in the review process.

Send the completed grant application and application cover sheet to:

Mini-Grant Program
Ellensburg School District Education Foundation
PO Box 464
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Deadline for Submissions

Applications must be received by the second Tuesday in October or March. The Foundation will accept applications throughout the school year; however, projects beginning no earlier than the following winter or spring quarter are to be received by the second Tuesday in October. Projects beginning no earlier then the following summer or fall quarter must be received by the second Tuesday in March.

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Application Review

Applications will be evaluated by the following criteria:

Is the need for this project clearly explained?
Are the goals and objectives of the project clearly stated? Are they realistic and achievable?
Does the project support or supplement building or district goals?
Is the plan of action clearly described? Are the needed materials, resource personnel, and the schedule specified?
Are the plans for evaluating the project clearly defined?
Is the budget request reasonable and sufficiently detailed?
Does the proposal indicate creative and innovative thinking by the applicant?
Is the project cost above and beyond the allocated budget available from the Ellensburg School District?

Review and Selection Process

The Foundation Grant Allocation Committee will review all submitted mini-grant applications and will recommend to the Foundation Board of Directors applications to approve and the amount.

Award Administration Information

Applicants will be notified by the first of November for the fall applications and by April 1 for the spring applications.

The Foundation will reimburse the amount of the mini-grant to the successful applicant when evidence is presented that the project has been completed, or demonstrated project commitment by the applicant, or upon other conditions agreed-to by the successful applicant and the Foundation Board of Directors.

Applicant Responsibilities

By submitting an application, the applicant has reviewed and agreed-to the following provisions:

Submit a timely, completed application to the Foundation for the appropriate funding cycle.
Provide the Foundation a written evaluation of the project within 30 days of completion.
Successful applicants attend the Foundation’s annual meeting, at Foundation expense, for public recognition.

Questions?

For questions regarding the mini-grant application cover sheet or the grant application form, please contact Mike McCloskey at Morgan Middle School. For questions regarding the Foundation please get a hold of the Superintendent or any Foundation Board member.

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