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June 15, 2002

Grants Directory

By Compiled by Susan Brooks-Young

Need funds to finance your digital dreams? Here are 50 listings to get you started.

A big part of the job for most school leaders is keeping a careful eye on the bottom line. And technology does not come cheap. More and more, administrators are relying on grants and other funding awards to implement both classroom-sized and district-wide projects. While new challenges on this front include a shift away from education technology-dedicated dollars on a federal level, the happier picture is that philanthropic giving is ramping up a bit, increasing 5 percent over the past year (see "Foundation Growth and Giving Estimates: 2001 Preview," from the Foundation Center).

Here, we bring you a sampling of updated entries from our monthly "Grants, Contests, Etc." column, with many more the TechLearning Grants DB. We hope you'll find one or more that's right for you.

July

Gateway is donating computer systems that were used during the 2002 Winter Olympics in its Olympic Sponsorship PC Donation Program. Preference is given to schools and community organizations working with traditionally underserved populations. Deadline: July 31. Gateway, Inc., 14303 Gateway Pl., Poway, CA 92064

August

SMARTer Kids Grants for NEC Visual Presentation Products offer discounts for the purchase of qualifying NEC products. A second grant program, the SMARTer Kids Grants for SMART Roomware Products, provides discounts for the purchase of qualifying SMART products. Deadline: August 31. SMARTer Kids Foundation, (403) 228-8565; programs@smarterkids.org.

October

Schools for a New Millennium offers K-12 educators an opportunity to improve the teaching of a humanities subject throughout the entire school. Deadline: October 1. Schools for a New Millennium, Division of Education Programs, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20506; (202) 606-8500; info@neh.gov.

Toshiba Small Grants Program for K-6 Science and Math Education offers up to $5,000 to programs focused on math and science. Deadline: October 1. Toshiba America Foundation, (212) 588-0820; foundation@tai.toshiba.com.

Target's Local Grants Program focuses on programs in the arts and prevention of family violence. Deadline: October 1. Application queries must be made through a local Target store.

Exemplary Education Projects enable educators to engage in extensive exploration of humanities subjects to enhance teaching. Deadline: October 15. Education Development and Demonstration, Division of Education Programs, Room 302, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20506; (202) 606-8380.

The Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy and Space Science funds innovative educational outreach projects that will enhance science education via collaboration between astronomers and educators. Deadline: October 25. NASA Office of Space Science, ideas@stsci.edu.

November

Ventures in Leadership Grants encourage recipients to implement innovative ideas in the development of school leadership programs. Deadline: November 30. Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds, (212) 251-9700.

December

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics offers several grants through the Mathematics Education Trust. Deadline for all MET grants is December 5.

• Clarence Olander Grants: In-Service Training for Elementary Schools help defray the costs of professional development for elementary teachers.
• Dale Seymour Scholarships are given to teachers who want to increase their skill in teaching mathematics.
• E. Glenadine Gibb Grants provide funds to teachers who are developing a plan that implements some aspect of the NCTM standards in the classroom.
• The Edward G. Begle Grant is awarded to a collaborative team involving a college or university mathematics educator (a teacher of mathematics learning, teaching, or curriculum) and one or more K-12 classroom teachers.
• Ernest Duncan Grants (pre-K-6) and Mary Dolciani Grants (7-12) are awarded to help teachers improve their professional practice in teaching mathematics.
• John and Stacey Wahl Grants provide funding to pre-K-8 teachers developing geometry projects aligned with the NCTM standards.
• Theoni Pappas Incentive Grants support teachers of grades 9-12 in developing mathematical enrichment materials or lessons detailing an innovative teaching unit.

Mathematics Education Trust, NCTM, 1906 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191.

January

Community Action Grants provide seed money for a clearly defined activity that must be innovative, community-based, and related to education and equity for women and girls. Deadline: January 15. American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, (310) 337-1716, ext. 192.

The International Reading Association sponsors several grant opportunities for IRA members. Deadline for all IRA grants is January 15.

• Elva Knight Research Grants fund research in reading or literacy.
• The Helen M. Robinson Grant is available to doctoral students in the early stages of their research in the area of reading and literacy.
• Nila Banton Smith Research Dissemination Support Grants assist IRA members spending two to 10 months working on a research dissemination activity to share literacy research with the education community.
• Teacher as Researcher Grants support classroom teachers in their inquiries about literacy and instruction.

Research and Policy Division, International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Rd., P.O. Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714; (302) 731-1600, ext. 226; gkeating@reading.org.

Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Teachers are awarded to K-12 science teachers who propose innovative one-year projects. Deadline: January 17. Toyota TAPESTRY, NSTA, 1840 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201; (800) 807-9852; tapestry@nsta.org.

February

The American Association of School Librarians/Highsmith Research Grant is awarded to personal AASL members to conduct research and measure the impact of library/media programs on student learning. ABC-CLIO Leadership Grants are awarded to AASL-affiliated school library media associations for planning and implementing leadership programs at state, regional, or local levels. Deadline: February 1. American Association of School Librarians, 50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; (800) 545-2433, ext. 4383.

March

The Grant for the Enhancement of Geographic Literacy awards $2,500 to an educator who is promoting geographic literacy by integrating geography into the social studies curriculum/classroom. Deadline: March 21. National Council for the Social Studies, 3501 Newark St. NW, Washington, DC 20016; (202) 966-7840, ext. 106, option 3; excellence@ncss.org.

April

Humanities Focus Grants support teachers in the study of a humanities topic during the summer or academic year with colleagues from their own school building, district, college, or university. Deadline: April 15. Education Development & Demonstration, Division of Research & Education Programs, National Endowment for the Humanities, Room 318, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20506; (202) 606-8380; education@neh.gov.

May

Graduate Teaching Fellowships in K-12 Education are offered to encourage graduate students and undergraduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology to act as knowledgeable resources in K-12 schools. Deadline: May 1. National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230; (703) 292-5111.

June

Teaching American History Grants are designed to raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of U.S. history. Deadline: June 3. Christine Miller, U.S. Department of Education, OESE, Teaching American History, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 5C146, FB-6, Washington, DC 20202; (202) 260-8766; christine.miller@ed.gov.

The Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program makes grants to teachers of grades 6-12 focusing on any academic or vocational subject. Deadline: June 15. Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program, Scholarship Management Services, CSFA, 1505 Riverview Rd., P.O. Box 297, St. Peter, MN 56082; (507) 931-1682; jordanfundamentals@csfa.org.

Multiple Deadlines

American Honda Foundation Grant projects focus on math, science, the environment, and technology. The foundation also supports youth job-training programs. Deadlines: February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 2. Kathryn A. Carey, Mgr., American Honda Foundation, P.O. Box 2205, Torrance, CA 90509-2205; (310) 781-4090; kathryn_carey@ahm.honda.com

Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grants fund projects to develop lesson plans or student activities about Congress, government, and civics for grades 4-12. Deadlines: May 1 and October 1. Frank H. Mackaman, Executive Director, The Dirksen Congressional Center, 301 S. Fourth St., Ste. A, Pekin, IL 61554; (309) 347-7113; fmackaman@pekin.net.

Handspring Foundation Cash Grants are made to nonprofits that focus on pre-K-12 education, particularly for at-risk, underserved populations in after-school programs that focus on, among other things, technology use. Funding is also available for technical assistance/organizational effectiveness grants which may be used to bring in consultants for staff development or strategic planning. Deadlines: February 1, May 1, August 1, November 1. Handspring Foundation.

Hewlett-Packard offers U.S. National Grants and Local Contributions Programs to K-12 schools. Deadlines: February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 for the National Grants. Local Contributions Programs are locally determined. Hewlett-Packard Philanthropy.

The NEC Foundation of America funds grants to programs that promote science and technology education, with the primary focus on the secondary level and technology to assist people with disabilities. Deadlines: March 1 and September 1. NEC Foundation of America, (516) 753-7021.

Help Us Help grants provide Internet appliances and laser printers to outfit five, six, or 10 K-12 classrooms (five appliances and one printer per classroom). Deadlines: Last day of the month in February, May, August, and November. Oracle Help Us Help Foundation, c/o Oracle Corporation, 500 Oracle Pkwy., OPL-B5, Redwood Shores, CA 94065; (866) 600-HELP; HelpUsHelp_us@oracle.com.

Toshiba Large Grants, for teachers in grades 7-12, focus on math and science. Deadlines: First working day in February and August. Program Office, Toshiba America Foundation, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 41st Fl., New York, NY 10020.

No Deadline

AT&T Learning Network Grants support programs that provide resources to help families, schools, and communities understand how to use technology. AT&T Foundation, 32 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Fl., New York, NY 10013.

Dow Education Initiatives grants fund national, state, or local programs that benefit Dow communities and promote systemic education reform in math and science. Priority areas are math and science, teacher training, and parental involvement. Dow Chemical Company Foundation.

At-Risk Youth Grants help provide safe environments for students to focus on academic growth and acquiring life skills. Director, Community Affairs, The Home Depot, 2455 Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30339.

IBM Grants focus on education and technology. Although most grant proposals are initiated by IBM, unsolicited proposals are also considered. Vice President, Corporate Community Relations, IBM Corporation, New Orchard Rd., Armonk, NY 10504.

Intel National and Community Grants fund programs that improve teaching in math and science, increase classroom technology use, improve access to technology in classrooms, and encourage students to consider careers in technology-related fields. Intel Foundation, AG6-601, 5200 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124.

Kellogg Foundation Grants support leadership, information systems/technology, efforts to capitalize on diversity, and social and economic community development programming to targeted areas, including youth and education. Deborah A. Rey, Supervisor of Proposals Processing, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 1 Michigan Ave. E, Battle Creek, MI 49017.

Pew Charitable Trusts accepts letters of inquiry for grants to K-12 programs that focus on school reform and increased student achievement. Pew Charitable Trusts, 2005 Market St., Ste. 1700, Philadelphia, PA 19103; (215) 575-9050.

The Pfizer Foundation considers unsolicited grant proposals that focus on math and science education for students and/or teachers. Grants Coordinator, Philanthropy Programs, Pfizer Inc., 235 East 42nd St., New York, NY 10017; Grant.Info@Pfizer.com.

Disadvantaged Youth Grants are available to several kinds of programs: employment, training, and alternative education; early intervention; youth empowerment and leadership development; violence prevention; and advocacy and policy development. The Public Welfare Foundation.

All grants sponsored by the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education fund are now available year-round. Visit the site for updated guidelines. NEA Foundation, 1201 Sixteenth St. NW, Ste. 415, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 822-7840.

Tiger Woods Foundation Grants are designed to promote student achievement through early education of children and their parents, programs that focus on school-to-work transitions, or plans that look at school organization and focus on student needs, parent involvement, and accountability. Tiger Woods Foundation, Inc., 7506 Slate Ridge Blvd., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068, Attn: Grants.

Toyota USA Foundation Grants focus on programs that improve the quality of K-12 education, particularly in the areas of math and science. Foundation Administrator, Toyota USA Foundation, A404 19001 S. Western Ave., Torrance, CA 90509; (310) 618-6766.

Using Technology Effectively grants support learning about how technology can be used in classrooms and through distance learning. Letters of inquiry may be sent at any time; grants are awarded quarterly. William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, 2121 Sandhill Rd., Menlo Park, CA 94025; (650) 234-4500.

Westinghouse Education Grants support elementary, secondary, and high school programs that emphasize math and science. Awards are made quarterly. Lynnann S. Reid, Westinghouse Charitable Giving Program, P.O. Box 355, Pittsburgh, PA 15230.

Susan Brooks-Young is the author of Making Technology Standards Work for You: A Guide for School Administrators (ISTE).

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