Nowadays, most students have a camera in their pocket or backpack, thanks to the latest smart devices. And a great story can be recorded with just that! However, to give students real-life professional experience to thrive in a 21st-century workplace, more technology and curriculum is required within schools. Finding funding for a film or broadcast program at your school can be difficult. To help with that challenge, we’ve put together various resources and grant opportunities that are available to fund your media learning.
CARES Act
The CARES Act has provided emergency funding (ESSER) to K-12 schools, including educational technology for in-class use, summer learning, and supplemental programs. For more information, refer to the following links:
In addition, Local Education Agencies (LEA) must request funds, which have been disbursed to State Educational Agencies (SEA). State contacts can be found at this website:
We’ve drafted a sample letter to help you begin your ESSER funds request process. It can be edited to align with the requirements of your state.
Perkins V CTE Funding
The Perkins grant is a federal act that improves career-technical education programs (CTE), integrate academic and career-technical instruction, serve special populations, and meet gender equity needs. Moreover, the grant provides $1.3B in annual funding for career oriented programs.
Other Grants and Resources
Also, there are many grants available to education programs, and new ones are announced regularly! Below are a few grants and grant resource pages to help you find the best funding that fits your classroom needs.
Westinghouse Charitable Giving Program
This education grant awards specifically those applicants with a goal to improve knowledge and literacy with a focus in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math among students, teachers and the general public.
Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers
Run by the National Science Foundation, this grant awards applicants with a goal to expose students to STEM careers and provide them with technology-rich experiences.
The NEA Foundation offers education grants and programs that support teachers efforts to close the achievement gaps and increase classroom innovations.
Grants.gov is an E-Government initiative operating under the governance of the Office of Management and Budget. The office delivers a system that provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. Today, the Grants.gov system houses information on over 1,000 grant programs and vets grant applications for federal grant-making agencies.
GrantWatch is one of the leading grant funding search engine for nonprofits, businesses, and individuals.
Run by Candid, this news digest publishes Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and notices of awards as a free service for U.S.-based nonprofit and grant making organizations.
Crowdfunding Options
Many educators also are taking their fundraising efforts into their own hands with crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people.
The list below includes some of the most popular crowdfunding websites available to teachers and schools.
Tips for Applying for Grants
The proposal process for grants can be time consuming. We hope the information provided above can help make the process easier for you. But it will still take time and dedication on your part to ensure that you are meeting the requirements of each grant application. Here are a few tips to take with you as you begin your grant writing journey:
Have a Goal
Before requesting any form of funding, you need to understand what you want the funds for.
- What equipment, curriculum, materials, etc… will you need?
- How many teachers, classes, and students will use these items?
- What is the timeline?
- Is this an on-going project or will it have an end date?
It is important to also determine how you will measure success, as this is a requirement if funded.
Research
Each grant has detailed instructions that varies. So it is important closely read all the requirements to ensure your application gets processed and reviewed.
And some funding programs have clear rules on what money cannot be used for, if funded. So it is important that you don’t request money that the grant does not allow, otherwise your application will be denied.
Create a Clear Budget
Many grants require a detailed budget for money spending. Once you have an idea of what you want to ask for and what the grant will fund, begin to create a clear and concise budget. And don’t forget to request quotes from vendors early on in the process, as having accurate dollar amounts will ensure that you will be able to reach your initial goal.
Find Your Story
The people reviewing grant proposals are humans, so connect them with your goal by telling YOUR story!
- Who will this grant impact?
- What problem will these funds help solve?
- What projects and assignments will students be able to accomplish?
- How will students benefit from this class/program/initiative?
If possible, collect quotes from teachers, students, parents, and administrators to include within your grant proposal.
Be Realistic
It is easy to believe that you can accomplish a lot if you receive a large amount of funding, but it is important to be realistic on what you and your school can actually handle. If funded, grants will expect to see that you accomplish the goals you included within your proposal, so make sure you are setting realistic goals that can be met.
Be Patient
Once you submit your application, it will take time for it to be reviewed. Many grants share detailed information regarding the process and notification deadlines. Add those dates to your calendar.
If you are funded, you should receive an agreement that lists all the requirements expected. But if you are not funded, keep applying! Many times, the materials that you create for one application can be used again in other grant proposals. Don’t give up!
Requesting EditMentor
Grant proposals will require that you provide information about the materials you will use with the funds and how it impacts your students’ learning. Below is information that you can include in your proposal when requesting EditMentor:
Video editing is now a communication skill that every school must teach to better prepare their students for the 21st-century workplace. EditMentor is pioneering digital media literacy education through a cutting-edge web-based platform that simultaneously teaches the art of video storytelling and the technical skills of video creation within an interactive environment.
Using this highly acclaimed educational tool, learners — irrespective of their age, gender, wealth, ethnicity and geography— can grasp how to profoundly impact a global audience through video to start a business, create art, and perhaps even change the world.
More than 25 lessons and 300 interactive challenges are found in this CTE, ISTE, and Common Core standards aligned curriculum.
Haven’t signed up for EditMentor yet? We suggest you create an account in EditMentor and try out our video editing courses with an interactive approach, for free.
We hope these funding and grant resources will help you receive the funding you deserve to create impactful classrooms for your students!
