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The tally:

NEW CAMPUSES (24 )

-19 teacher-district proposal

-4 Charters

-1 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

 ____________________________________

EXISTING SCHOOLS (13)

-10 teacher-district proposal

-2 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

-1 Youth Policy Institute

-0 other charters

____________________________________

1. There was an election, involving parents, students, community members, employees.

2. Superintendent Cortines made his recommendations

3. Board made final decision

____________________________________

Challenges for Charter Management Organizations:

Vernerable charter organizations, [...]]]> February 23 2010

The tally:

NEW CAMPUSES (24 )

-19 teacher-district proposal

-4 Charters

-1 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

 ____________________________________

EXISTING SCHOOLS (13)

-10 teacher-district proposal

-2 Mayor’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools

-1 Youth Policy Institute

-0 other charters

____________________________________

1. There was an election, involving parents, students, community members, employees.

2. Superintendent Cortines made his recommendations

3. Board made final decision

____________________________________

Challenges for Charter Management Organizations:

Vernerable charter organizations, Green Dot, ICEF, Alliance proposals not approved.

Charter parcel tax, and Proposition 39 issues remain. 

____________________________________

We wish the best to all!!  Innovation is afoot!

Grants are important than ever,  and more competitive than ever.  But they are there, and with some smart effort, you can win them.

Once you do the first one, you’ll be doing more grants.  Get started.

2 Approaches to Begin

1. RFP Search in specific georgraphical or subject areas

2. [...]]]> Grant Writing  Notes                                                  Dave Boller |  Troxell, Los Angeles, CA

Grants are important than ever,  and more competitive than ever.  But they are there, and with some smart effort, you can win them.

Once you do the first one, you’ll be doing more grants.  Get started.

2 Approaches to Begin

1. RFP Search in specific georgraphical or subject areas

2. Create a Proactive Needs Assessment

Don’t spend time (waste time) on grants that don’t FIT what you want to do.

Don’t let needs assessment get too lengthy

You don’t necessarily need consultants to write it.

Informal needs assessment can work fine.

Steps in Needs Assessment

1. Clarify organizational expectations, goals, or objectives

2. Review current practices and though

3. Collect and analyze data

4. Identify areas of need

5. Determine where to start

Once you know your needs….Search for Solutions

-research and pilot projects

-Professional journals  Ed Leadership, Edutopia…

.. pages in back of journals that list grants

-Gov publications, including web sites 

 (What Works in Public Education website)

-Stakeholder resources

-Software companies

-Be creative

Who (what position ) do you write too a big corporation?…

make a call first,  find foundation manager or budget manager.

Additional educational grant information sources

-business

-journal lists

-local grant makers  (find their “Mission Statements”)

-state agencies

-foundations

-title programs

-SIGs

Use creative Boolean strategies in search engines.  See search engines listed here at smart-schools.com in addition to Google.

Try http://www.zuula.com as you can search all major engines in addition to Google.  We will post more on smart web searching later.  But it can help you find the “needle in the grant haystack” you’re looking for and increase YOUR chances of scoring the grant.  

Be creative in your thinking….get what you want and still satisfy the grant makers.

Getting Organized

Print RFP including all instructions

Form a grant writing team…DON’T DO IT ALONE

Form a list of partners.

Read all instructions, including rubrics and grant-maker goals.

Set up a timeline.

Assign responsibilities.

Gather data.

Begin writing.

Invite an employee from the grant offering company to help !!  Great way to keep on-target and build rapport.

Writing process

Divide into sections:

(can get grant writer help..but write the cost into the grant with % to grant writer)

Abstract

Intro

Needs

Goals & objectives

Activities and personnel

Evaluation

Budget

Communicate  with your grant maker along the way.  Even if you don’t have a serious question…email a question or a call or visit,  that way you accomplish them getting to know you…they know you’re working on it, you can bounce ideas off of them.

Utilize resources from nearby colleges/community.  Sometimes leverage them for specific projects in their training…help each other

Matching funds….?…

go to local businesses to secure matching funds…

FINAL STEPS

Double check requirements. Don’t risk losing it

Edit one last time

Let the grant maker know that the grant is on the way

Follow submission format

Send multiple copies if requested

Turn in on time

If mailing or facing, request a receipt

Make it happen

Follow the proposal

Stick to the timeline

Spend only the original budget, or request a modified budget         

Collect data

Document the project with notes, photographs, video, and testimonials

Celebrate

Give credit

Communicate

Share information

Complete all reports & evaluations on time

Thank partners and the grant maker

Plan for sustainability.   Look for ways to sustain the project….it is a personnel and time issue after the grant is all done…keep it alive and plan for it.

Individual schools probably even more eligible than district…more emotional, closer to the source, individual children.

 OTHER NOTES

At Risk/poverty and Spec Ed  money available ARRA

-research based  not brand new..proven as successful

-list WHO will be doing after school program,  must have one certified teacher at least to give program credibility .  Grant can pay teacher

-“Race To The Top” funds  ARRA be distributed on a competitive basis

 Hope something here helped you.

 Let’s do this!

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LA’s Ballantine Media Arts has years of experience capturing school productions, events and editing promotional vignettes. Founder Steve Ballantine offers an education-focused, professional media capture experience for school administrators.

“The overall purpose of Ballantine Media Arts is to contribute to the greater good.” says owner Steve Ballantine.

While that doesn’t mean that Steve’s company is free, they are inexpensive because they focus on the education market, have low overhead and love what they do. Especially considering the professional quality sound, multiple cameras, editing and production elements that the company brings to educators, including having finished DVDs available for the school to sell or promote as they see fit.

INTERNET
In this changing environment for Charter Schools, Magnet Schools and School Choice reforms, it may pay to have a professional video presence on the internet; including YouTube or other easy-to-find sites showing the unique character of your school or department. A little bit of search engine presence can help potential student families find the uniqueness you offer, not to mention motivated investors or foundations.

ARTS PROGRAMS
It is difficult to capture live productions, especially when those moments of magic happen. For arts schools, it seems critical to promote the combined talents of the students, faculty in a media-savvy way. Having a dedicated professional on the job can help.

Ballantine Media Arts is available at
http://www.bmediaarts.com/