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Student contests
The First Freedom Student Competition is a national essay and video contest that offers 9th - 12th grade students an opportunity to compete for $2,500 awards as they examine the First Amendment and the history and implementation of religious freedom and freedom of conscience in American democracy and the world today.
This year, students will select a religion or belief group from their local community, state or region that was or is a minority group. They will research and analyze its history as it encounters issues of religious freedom and equality, and then, by written essay or video production, present their evaluation of how this group’s local history compares to the broader narrative of U.S. history and First Amendment law. For the complete topic, essay and video guidelines, registration, etc., visit www.firstfreedom.org, and then click on the red First Freedom Student Competition button (center column).
- CLICK HERE for a classroom poster.
Student online registration is required on or before Monday, November 15, 2010,
and the postmark deadline for mailing the essay or video with its accompanying entry materials is Saturday, November 27, 2010.
Teacher Awards / Grant Info.
TIPS FOR GRANTS
STEP ONE:
Sign up today!
If you are serious about proudly turning "wish list" items for classroom or campus into "checked off" items you need to take advantage of the frequent updates regarding current funding opportunities provided on T.E.A.'s Grants Announcements listserve, click here.
In addition,
T.E.A.'s Grants Opportunities website is a central resource for and link to all State and Federal grant opportunities administered by TEA. Grant seeking opportunities, grant management and administrative guidance, and other tools and resources are also included on the site.
Essential as well, check frequently e-GRANTS,
the Department of Education's (ED) portal site for electronic grants. From e-GRANTS you may access all of the Department's
web-based grant systems.
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TIP:
Teachers Network is a non-profit, by and for teachers, with a 26-year track record dedicated to improving student learning. They provide a selective listing of social studies grants.
Make it a habit to frequently check out GrantsAlert.com.
Here you'll find national and regional funding opportunities that you can pursue that typically don't require an extraordinary investment of time on your part in writing and submitting a proposal. However, look closely at the site and you'll even find Grant Writing Tips and Resources.
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TIP:
Don't forget to check into the Awards and Grant opportunities made available by many of your professional organizations.
The National Council for the Social Studies is currently accepting nominations of colleagues.
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TIP:
Involve your students' parents / community by sending home a detailed list at the beginning of the school year of some of your wish list items or by posting a list or innovative learning project idea
you have on your classroom Teacher website.
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By signing up for Education World's Grants mailing list you will be sent info. biweekly. In the "Grants Newsletter," grants expert Don Peek provides a brief article of interest to grant seekers, a tool of interest to grant writers, and at least five current grants of interest to educators.
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TIP:
Are you taking advantage of retailers and online stores educator discounts - Target Education, Office Depot's Star Teacher program are examples and some offer store discounts of as much as 20%!
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Teachers should also investigate the Funding for Texas Nonprofits list in the database provided by the Austin Public Library system - click here.
In addition, The Foundation Directory Online Platinum Edition can be accessed in an Austin Public Library only but provides information on more than 80,000 grantmakers and over half a million grants for grantseekers.
And finally, the Central Texas Library System is a great resource for grants and grant-writing information.
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TIP:
Did you know Scholastic has a great book order program that allows teachers to accrue points as their students place book orders? Teachers can then use their points toward free Scholastic purchases.
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TIP:
Remember that qualifying educators are able to deduct $250 on their federal tax return for certain education expenditures, thanks to a recent extension of this deduction from the IRS!
Teachers,
As you come across Grants / Funding Ideas of your own we hope you'll contact us so we can share them here with your colleagues.
PAY IT FORWARD Mini-Grants
Pay It Forward Mini-Grants fund one-time-only service-oriented projects identified by youth as activities they would like to perform to benefit their school, neighborhood, or greater community. Projects must contain a "pay it forward" focus - that is, they must be based on the concept of on e person doing a favor for others, who in turn do favors for others, with the results growing exponentially.
Mini-grants of up to $500 are available on a one-time-only basis. Projects requesting smaller amounts will be given priority. Proposals, including application and budget, must not exceed three pages. Applications received by September 15 will be considered for first semester funding on or about October 1st of each school year. Those received by February 15 will be considered for second semester funding by March 1st.
NEA Foundation Grants
The National Education Association Foundation has launched a web-based application process for its popular $2,000 and $5,000 grants to support public school educator's ideas to improve teaching and learning. Applicants can now link directly to the application from the NEA Foundation's web site. After responding to three questions that determine eligibility, applicants complete the process in five simple steps. Repeat applicants have the opportunity to save personal and school information, cutting down on time spent on the administrative portion of the application and allowing more time for the narrative section.
James Madison Graduate Fellowships
As much as $24,000 is available to secondary school teachers of American history, American government or social studies to undertake a master's degree program emphasizing the roots, principles, framing and development of the U.S. Constitution. Fellowships pay the actual cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.
For more information and to download an application,
click here.
ING UNSUNG HEROES PROGRAM
Educators are invited to apply for ING Unsung Heroes Program.
One hundred K-12 educators across the country will receive grants of up to $27,000 to help them fund innovative classroom projects.
Technology Grant News
Technology Grant News has granted your wish for a source that covers technology grants in one place. The “Grants for K-12” Index provides a guide to grants for school programs, curriculum development, and staff professional development for teachers, as well as grants for specific topic areas such as science, math, technology, social studies, geography, reading, learning via web quests, and other technological training. Build on the strengths of your present programs, expand your present offerings, or create new and challenging courses with the help of cash, hardware, software, computer/IT training, and staff professional development or funding for new programs and curriculum development. The “Grants for K-12” Index will show you how corporate funders are reaching out to educators with support for technology.
Grants Addressing Tolerance Education
Southern Poverty Law Center: Teaching Tolerance Grants
The Teaching Tolerance Grants Program, administered by the Southern
Poverty Law Center, offers grants of $500 to $2500 to pre-K-12 educators throughout the U.S. for rigorous innovative projects designed to reduce prejudice among
youth, improve intergroup relations and equitable school experiences,
and/or support educator professional development in these areas.
Proposals from community organizations and houses of worship will be considered on the basis of direct student impact. Projects funded by Teaching Tolerance tend to be focused on character/moral education, conflict resolution, multiculturalism, community service, and other aspects of tolerance education. Requests may be submitted throughout the year. Visit the Southern Poverty Law Center website to download the application form.
Teaching American History Grant
Purpose: The Teaching American History Grant Program supports projects that aim to raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of traditional American history.
Grant awards assist local educational agencies (LEAs), in partnership with entities that have extensive content expertise, to develop, implement, document, evaluate, and disseminate
innovative, cohesive models of professional development. By helping teachers to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of traditional American history as a separate subject within the core curriculum, these programs are intended to improve instruction and raise student achievement.
Please Note:
In 2009 the Department awarded 123 grants under the FY 2009 TAH competition..
View the FY 2009 abstracts.
View the press release.
View the complete list of FY 2009 awards without abstracts.
Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: February, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March, 2011.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May, 2011.
Gilder-Lehrman Assistance with TAH Grant
With more than ninety-five successful TAH grant partnerships, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has an excellent track record of providing teachers with outstanding professional development. The Institute will partner with your school district to customize a grant application tailored to your needs. We will work with your district to manage all aspects of the grant application including a needs assessment, grant writing, and evaluation. Click here for more information.
For more information, contact Sarah Morgan at (646) 366-9666 or morgan@gilderlehrman.org
AIHE Provides TAH Grant Assistance
Is it worth
taking the time?
Ask Austin ISD Teacher Stephanie LaMarca who teaches at Eastside Memorial High School at the Johnston Campus:
"I wrote the proposal to help secure funding for a classroom digital camera and mailing envelopes so that my Psychology students could participate fully in a correspondence program with Semester at Sea called "Vicarious Voyage". Within hours of posting my proposal on donorschoose, it was 100% funded. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation funded half of the $365 proposal and four additional, anonymous donors made up the rest. My students are very grateful for the sincere kindness displayed by these near perfect strangers!"
DonorsChoose has been mentioned publicly by the likes of Bill Clinton and promoted by satirist Stephen Colbert, and donors have contributed more than $1 million to projects in Texas classrooms thus far.
Do you have a classroom project proposal that you need help funding? Send your idea to one of these nonprofit Web sites and you may be matched with donors willing to provide the necessary funds.
Also try:
Pick up the phone and call The American Institute for History Education at 856-241-1990 or visit their website by clicking here and find out how AIHE can work with your school or district to design, write, and apply for a U.S. Dept. of Ed. Teaching American History (TAH) Grant free through the Liberty Fellowship Grant Program. AIHE currently directs and facilitates over 50 TAH Grants nationally.
Bill of Rights Institute TAH Grant Assistance
"Please let us know if we can be of any service to you as you put together your proposal!"
Call Pam Mickle at 575-312-7866,
or e-mail pmickle@billofrightsinstitute.org
Toyota International Teacher Program
The Toyota International Teacher Program offers fully funded professional development opportunities for educators. The program aims to advance environmental stewardship and global connectedness in U.S. schools and communities through creative, inter-disciplinary and solutions-based teaching methods.
Participants are selected through a competitive application and selection process. Recipients of the award participate in a two-week overseas study tour, during which they explore environmental and educational themes, through a variety of site visits, lectures, panel discussions and collaborative projects. More than 500 U.S. teachers have participated in the program since it began in 1998, with educational tours to the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, and Japan. To find out more, click here.
© AISD, 2010 /