Attribution Some rights reserved by AMagill
At the beginning of April I wrote a post about the end of my grant streak. I had failed in getting a couple of huge grant proposals I wrote and sent out during the 11-12 school year for the 12-13 school year. It was close to the end of the year so I thought it was too late to get more funding to continue the program I started with grant funds back in the 2000-2001 school year. Luckily, I was wrong. I came across three more grant opportunities and not being one to skip by an opportunity I wrote and submitted proposals.
One was from The Washington Foundation for the Environment (WFFE), which awards small environmental grants. That was too good to pass up. Here’s my proposal: Nonprofit Environmental Ed Grant Proposal.
The other was an ING Unsung Heroes grant that also sounded perfect. Applications for 2013 are already up in case anyone wants to apply for this one. Here’s my proposal for 2012: ING Unsung Heroes Application.
Another opportunity that I also couldn’t pass up was the WA STEM grants. I had already received a WA STEM grant for the Social Networking Teacher PD project I did from 10-11 to 11-12 and since I wanted to apply for something completely different I was able to submit another proposal. Here is my second proposal to WA STEM: WA STEM 2012 Proposal.
I’m very happy to say that I was awarded $1,000 from the WFFE and $2,000 from ING! I will be able to replace some of our broken down, older equipment plus one of the Labquest devices that was dropped in the water (again, making that two broken Labquest devices that cost about $330 a piece). I did not get the WA STEM grant. The proposal I wrote was for $15,000, which would have replaced all our broken down and even all our older equipment but I’m happy that I can replace some of our equipment!
I still think that my WA STEM proposal was a great proposal. Sometimes you write great proposals, not much wrong with them, and you still don’t get the grant because there are so many other good ones out there. They can’t choose them all! Besides, I already have quite a bit of equipment, old or not, and other great proposals deserve the same chances I’ve already had. The best advice I can give if you don’t get a grant you spend hours writing is to pick yourself up and write some more. I mean I got two after having almost given up!
Here are some other posts I’ve written sharing grant proposals:
WA STEM Grant Proposal
Sample Grant Proposal
I’ll keep saying that it’s very doable. You just need to take the time and write proposals. I’ve been writing and getting grants for the past 20 of my 21 years teaching and I’m now on my 14th consecutive year of getting at least one grant per year! It’s been a great run and I’m not stopping!
