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Education Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan: Mini Grants

Deadline for 2012 Mini Grant Applications:  Friday, March 2, 2012

The Education Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan Mini-Grant Program is designed to spark innovation and to provide teachers and administrators the opportunity to implement their creative ideas in the classroom.

QUESTIONS:
Jim Franco: 732-672-7800

Please click on and complete both forms listed below.
Please save your forms and email them to: Submitapplicationforgrant@WeAreBR.org

Application Information Cover Page (pdf)

Budget Application(pdf)

Background
The Program
Grant Examples
Eligibility Criteria

Selection Criteria
Use of Grant Funds
Evaluation and Monitoring
Program Direction
How to Apply

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Background:
The Education Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan, Inc. is a non-profit organization administered by local citizens dedicated to attracting resources from individuals, corporations and other foundations for innovative projects and programs not available through public funding. Foundation funds are not intended to substitute for or replace governmental support. Rather, resources are used to develop creative approaches to teaching and learning.

Established in 1993, the Foundation is an autonomous, non-profit corporation chartered under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is distinct from the Board of Education. Each year, the Foundation provides grants for unique scientific, cultural, artistic and scholastic programs and technologies that benefit a significant number of Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District students. Through its fund-raising and grant-making activities the Foundation strives to strengthen the partnership between community, business and education.

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The Mini-Grant Program:
The Education Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan Mini-Grant Program is a competitive grants program, in which grants are placed into two separate categories: Mini-Grants or Collaborative Mini-Grants.

Mini-Grants of up to $750 are considered to support projects lasting one school/educational year and impacting a single classroom.

Collaborative Mini-Grants of up to $1,500 are considered to support projects impacting multiple classes, departments or an entire school.

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Technology and Learning Fund
Projects are designed to promote the use of the most recent technologies and to provide experiences for students that will prepare them for the 21st Century’s work and school environments.

Arts and Education Fund
The goal is to provide experiences in the fine and performing arts that will promote a lifelong enrichment and enjoyment of the arts for students, faculty and the community at large.

Cultural Enrichment Fund
Programs are aimed at exposing students to a wide variety of cross-cultural experiences that will help prepare them for our increasingly global society.

Scholastic Enhancement
Programs will provide learning opportunities that are beyond the core curriculum.

Professional Development
This fund is for teachers and administrators to pursue professional experiences that will support the Foundation goal of providing innovative learning experiences to district students.

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Eligibility Criteria:
To be considered for funding through the Mini-Grant program, projects must demonstrate strategies that provide for innovative and creative educational opportunities to Bridgewater-Raritan District students. Grants are not intended to be used to conduct normal school curriculum and funding must otherwise not be available through traditional sources.

Grant applications may be submitted by Bridgewater-Raritan School District Teachers, Specialists, School Administrators and other Staff.

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Selection Criteria:
 In addition to the criteria listed below, the Foundation will try to achieve a diversity of grantees based on geography within the district and age group of children that will benefit from the project or educational enhancement.


Criteria used to assess proposals will include:

  • Clarity of project goals and objectives.
  • Relevance to at least one of the Foundation’s primary fund goals.
  • Innovation and strength of the project design.
  • If this project or a similar project has been provided in the past, an explanation of how this project is unique.
  • Applicant’s capacity to implement and oversee the proposed project.
  • Evidence of commitment by the school’s leadership.
  • Potential for the project to affect other educational providers in the district, region or statewide, including a plan to communicate progress and results.
  • Extent to which the project may have an impact on how services are organized and delivered within the district, regionally or statewide.
  • Financial and in-kind support from other organizations, if relevant to the proposed project.
  • Likelihood that the project will become self-sufficient or be repeated in future academic years without additional funding requests.
  • Nature and strength of collaboration with other educational providers, if collaboration is an objective of the project.
  • Professional Development Mini-Grants must include the applicant’s description of any program(s) or service(s) which will be developed within the school/district as a result of the course or conference and a method of communicating the knowledge/skills gained through participation in the professional development program to fellow teachers and/or administrators. Funding for professional development grants is limited to $1,000, and a break-out of amounts for tuition, travel expenses and lodging is required.

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Use of Grant Funds:
 Grant funds may be used for consultant fees, outside experts, artists, performers, etc. but are not available for salary and stipends to school personnel.

Grant monies may be used to purchase supplies and pay for other direct project expenses, including a limited amount of equipment, but only if the equipment serves to promote an innovative educational objective clearly stated in the Mini-Grant application.

Major capital equipment acquisition is generally not supported through the Mini-Grant program.

Student transportation costs (for example: buses to and from an activity) are not supported through the Mini-Grant funding.Professional Development Grant funding may be limited to per diem expense amounts.

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Evaluation and Monitoring:
Grantees are expected to meet the Foundation’s requirements for the submission of narrative and financial reports, and to submit periodic information as needed for overall project performance. Project directors may be asked to give progress reports on their grants. At the close of each grant, the project’s director is expected to provide a written report on the project and its finding that is suitable for wide distribution and dissemination.

Photographs of the project (along with photographic releases) are appreciated by the Foundation to be utilized for press releases and promotional materials.

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Program Direction:
 Direction and technical assistance for this program is provided by representatives of the Board of Trustees of The Educational Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan.

An advisory committee, whose members are representatives of the Board of the Foundation and school district representatives, provide assistance with the review of applications.

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How to Apply:
All grant applicants must use the Education Foundation of Bridgewater-Raritan Mini-Grant Application format.

There are three elements to the application for funding. All applications must include the following project information:

1. Completed “Application Information Cover Page” which includes:

  • Name, address and phone number of the primary contact person for the project.
  • Dates of the proposed grant period.
  • Total Dollar Amount requested.
  • A one-sentence description of the project.

2. Narrative Section:
    A one – three page, double-spaced typed narrative, which includes

  • Description of the project to be delivered and its relationship to a Foundation Fund initiative.
  • Statement of the project’s principal objectives.
  • Description of the proposed educational interventions
  • Identification of School, Grade, Department and Number of Students expected to benefit from the project.
  • Description of the grantee’s ability to communicate the projects objectives, activities, and benefits to peers and/or schools (within and/or outside of the District)

3. Completed “Budget Application Form” which includes:

  • Estimated project budget detail.
  • Commitment and support of applicant and school/district leadership (signatures required).

Please direct all applications to:

Education Foundation of Bridgewater-RaritanAttn: Mini-Grant Programc/o Wade Administration Building

QUESTIONS:
Jim Franco: 732-672-7800