“Enhancing educational opportunities for students.”

 

 

Arrow Education Foundation

 

Innovative Education Grant Guidelines

 

The mission of the Arrow Education Foundation is to "provide resources to genuinely enhance opportunities for students in the Watertown School District".

 

Small grants are awarded for innovative and creative educational projects, which are beyond the scope of the regular school budget.  

 

Eligibility

 

Grant Development

 

Grants are awarded for innovative and creative educational projects.   The project may be for a classroom, a grade level, a school, several schools, or the total Watertown School District.   Applicants may be one or more teachers, a group of teachers/staff, a teacher-parent group, or another WSD employee group.

 

Innovative grants can be:

• A new or innovative technology tool for a school or classroom .   Examples of this include:   book jackets for taking home nightly reading, first used by the second grade and later expanded to other grades;   a sympodium used by one classroom, with the school purchasing 2 more the next year;   reading group kit; the kiosk for the Retail and Reality in Business class at the high school..

 

• A one time event or experience that offers students a unique experience that would not otherwise be available.   An example was a grant that subsidized senior high Spanish student participation in a Latin American singer, youth educator concert at SDSU.

 

• An immediate impact grant that boosts a program or activity to another level. Examples include: a full kitchen set for a kindergarten, accompanied by a student learning plan to address a specific class need; and $60,000 in tools to support teachers in better linking curriculum to student learning with laptops at the high school.

 

Grant recipients have found it helpful to develop grants with other educators and/or the principal.   Department head or team members may also be helpful.  The Arrow Education Foundation staff is available to assist you at any stage of the grant process.

Guidelines

 

·    Grants can be from $300 to $3000.

• The full cost of the grant may be funded by the Foundation alone or in partnership with another donor that you identify.   You do not need to have another donor to apply.
• One person or several persons may apply for the grant.   One of the lead applicants must be a Watertown School District employee.   List all persons who are applying for the grant.
• Grant applications need to describe the project clearly and specifically.    Use the "Innovative Education Grant Criteria" chart on the next page to guide you.    Inclusion of graphs, drawings, descriptive materials, catalog pictures and pricing are suggested.   Remember that non-educators as well as educators will be reading the application.   Applications are not limited to one page.
• Principals or building leaders involved in the grant need to be consulted about the grant application.   This is to avoid duplication and to assure that the project cost can not be funded from the regular school budget.
• The budgeted costs must be reasonable, allowable, and cost effective for the activity proposed.

 

Application Process

 

• Application materials are found at www.arrowfoundation.org and through the Foundation office.
• Applications may be sent electronically to the Foundation at WatertownAEF@k12.sd.us or Waneen.Polly@k12.sd.us , mailed or delivered to the Foundation at the address below.
• Application may be made anytime before 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date.   Deadline dates are 15 September and 15 February.

 

Notification that the application has been awarded or declined will follow in a timely manner.

 

Upon Receipt of the Grant

 

• Grantees will provide a written summary of the use and effectiveness of the grant after one year of use and feedback on the project at the end of three years.   The AEF will send an e-mail to each recipient to initiate this process.
• Grantees will be asked to inform parents and colleagues about the project and acknowledge the AEF as donor.
• Grantees may be asked to provide information and photos for Foundation marketing purposes.
• All materials purchased with Foundation funds must stay within the district, but may move with the grant recipient from one school to another.
• Grantees shall agree to use Foundation funds solely for the purpose requested.
• Grantees shall agree to return any unused funds to the Foundation within one month after the project period is finished.   In doing this, please notify the business office of the amount not needed.

 

Selection Process

 

A granting committee, comprised of community and Foundation board members, will review the grant applications.   Criteria the board may consider in the review, but not limited to, are as follows: