Granted more time

NEA Today, May 1999

How do you find time to write a grant proposal?

ur school system allows each teacher two professional days. When it's time to write a grant proposal, I use one or both of these days. I unplug the phone, make sure there are no distractions, and get to work.

Marjorie Rios Spanish teacher Livingston, Tennessee

We are in the process of writing a grant. Look for a good teamyour curriculum director, an administrator with grant-writing experience, and your best educators at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Pool their resources for the preliminary-we're doing a half-day together, with our colleagues covering for us. We'll regroup for another half-day once we've refined everything. In between, we make assignments to committee members.

Mary Heil-Allen

High school Spanish teacher Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

've found that the most successful proposals are written cooperatively with colleagues who have similar interests but proficiency in different skills.

I begin by brainstorming ideas with a colleague. I attempt to clarify all the requirements. I set up a timeline and parcel out portions of the proposal to the one or two people who wish to be involved in the grant implementation.

Then I consult with someone who has written a grant before and flesh out the various pieces, checking for details and compliance with the grant guidelines. Having an administrator serve as a "critical friend" provides for positive input and support.

I plan to have the grant written a few days before the deadline, so lastminute changes can happen without total stress meltdown. I work on weekends but do the colleague check-ins during lunch or recess.

Using E-mail allows critical friends to respond when they have time, rather than waiting for mutually "free" time.

Susan Mittler

President, Ithaca Teachers Association

Ithaca New York

When I want to write a grant to obtain accelerated reader materials for our school, I contact teachers in our district who have written similar grants. Then I share available catalogs and materials with members of my department and the librarian. Faculty members make a short list of what materials would be useful for their curriculum objectives.

With these lists and a skeleton grant proposal from another teacher, my proposal is much easier and quicker to prepare.

Beth Lower

Whenever I get ideas for equipment or materials that would enhance my classes, I write them down in my computer, along with a brief lesson plan noting which state curriculum standards would be met or improved.

I have a printout of our district's purchasing codes and list them with the items needing funding. I update prices when I get catalogs. Then, when we receive information about grants, I scan the forms and "cut and paste" from my documents to the forms.

That way, the bulk of my application is already prepared, and I only have to tweak the proposal statement to make it a better fit for the particular grant funder's requirements. Leanne Hart

High school art instructor Pensacola, Florida

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