Cool Research Links

This will be our stockpile of links...I'll just start it here and add to it as we grow:

Health:
http://www.healthinschools.org/News-Room/Grant-Alerts.aspx

Education:
www.cde.ca.gov
www.ed.gov
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/grants/additional_grants.shtml

General
http://www.fundsnetservices.com/

Recording your Research

The following sheet has been adapted from Linda Vallejos, instructor for 'A to Z Grantwriting'

Funder Research Information Sheet (RIS)

Contact Information

Organization name:

Web site address:

Mailing address:

E-mail address:

Phone: Fax:

Contact person:

Title:

Due date:

Geographic limitations:

Documentation

Organization Information (Sierra Foundation or SUSD):
o History and Background	o Press and Printed Materials, Photographs
o Mission and Goals	o Projected Income and Expense Budget
o Major Accomplishments	o Audited Financial Statement
o Board of Directors (with Affiliations)	o Future Funding Paragraphs and List
o Contributors List	o Staff and Leadership Bios
o IRS 990 Form	o Other ____________________________
o 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Papers
Proposed Project Package:	Initial Approach:
o Overview of Proposed Program Paragraphs	o Letter of Inquiry
o Need Statement	o Letter of Request
o Measurable Objectives	o Formal Proposal
o Timeline	o Application Form
o Evaluation Plan
o Letters of Support or Collaboration
o Project Budget and Request

Contact History
Call Date	Name of Contact	Outcome and Next Steps

Funding Source Profile

Program emphasis:

Decision-making process and turnaround time:

Types of support:

Average gift:

Giving history:

Proposal Information

Language (buzzwords):

Approach:

Final reporting:

25 Jan 2011 Meeting

Grant Writing Meeting

Tuesday, January 25, 2011: Sierra High School Library

I. Identify our Researchers

II. Match Researchers with a program/need listed below:

Program	Grant Researcher/Writer	Faculty Liaison & Contact
Athletics, Sports, PE	Danielle Sotello dysotelo@gmail.com	Cathy Lauritzen clauritzen@sierra.k12.ca.us
Ag	Rob Actis ractis@netptc.net	Rich Vandenack rvandenack@sierra.k12.ca.us
Art and Drama	Eva Burton eburton@sierra.k12.ca.us	Nancy Gaseor (FMS Art) ngaseor@sierra.k12.ca.us
Music	Jamie Bennett minafair@hotmail.com	Bruce Weinberger (SHS) bweinberger@sierra.k12.ca.us D’Arcy Weinberger (FMS & elem) dweinberger@sierra.k12.ca.us
Math and Science	Stephanie Cobb scobb@sierra.k12.ca.us	Natalie Maxwell (SHS Math) nmaxwell@sierra.k12.ca.us Mr. Durando (SHS Science) jdurando@sierra.k12.ca.us
Technology/Computers/Career Technical Education	Jennifer Cooper jcooper@sierra.k12.ca.us	Rob Moshier (SHS CTE) rmoshier@sierra.k12.ca.us
Emotional/Psychological Support	Gabe Huerta Ghuerta94@gmail.com
Transportation	Kirstin Cross crosskik@aol.com	Ben Kimbler bkimbler@sierra.k12.ca.us
Foreign Languages	Andrea Marjala jyunkoart@msn.com	Giselle Hallam ghallam@sierra.k12.ca.us
Social Sciences/Citizenship	Richard Cain valleycapitol@att.net
English/Language Arts		Vicky Hoag (SHS English) vhoag@sierra.k12.ca.us
Heath and Healthcare

III. Where to begin looking for available grants?

1. In each program area, brainstorm all large and small companies associated/in this industry.

(Ex: in Ag, consider feed companies.)

2. Create an extensive list of all companies, etc. that may be associated, and then go to their websites to see if they have a grant program.

3. Use your RIS to write down all details.

4. Go to websites provided tonight to begin looking.

5. Contact directly department heads and ask for ideas, grants they may have heard of, etc.

IV. When you feel you have found something that “fits”, please email Connie immediately. (If it is in a different area than yours, please also email it so that it can be routed to the right person.) At that time, a committee will begin writing for this grant. (Your RIS sheet will be critical here.)

Connie Schlaefer: cnmschlaef@gmail.com

V. Grant Writers

1. Take RIS and all other information from researcher (researchers are welcome to write as well!), and channel the emotion of our districts needs into words that cultivate compassion for our students. Describe the problem, highlight the solution.

VI. Collaboration with other Community Groups

1. If it is found that a particular grant suits our needs and shares our vision but requires collaboration of other community groups, businesses, or non-profits, it is at that time we will approach possible partners.

VII. Other?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Quick overview of needs mentioned by Department Heads: (more are expected to be communicated to this group)

Name & Department	Number of Students Served	Needs
Giselle Hallam SHS Foreign Language	329 (German & Spanish)	Sending new Spanish teacher to receive training in TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Story Telling); which is a specialized way to teach foreign language used at SHS
D’Arcy Weinberger, AES/SES FMS Music	All 2-8th grade students; 90 students for band	Depends on cuts
Bruce Weinberger, SHS Music	130 students in band, jazz band, orchestra, 3 choirs	Depends on cuts
Nancy Gaseor FMS Art	277	Half time art teacher position at FMS; additional depending on cuts.
Natalie Maxwell SHS Math	600	Large needs including funding to buy site licenses for computer resources, as well as conferences and professional growth. Also desk and printer repairs, as well as basic needs such as dry erase markers, graph paper, rulers and compasses.
Rob Moshier SHS CTE (Career Technical Education)	Did not say	Computers to run CAD programs, new equipment to bring the program up to date, as it is approx 10 years behind the latest technology.
Vicky Hoag SHS English	Every student at SHS	Class sets of novels (35 per class)
Ben Kimbler SUSD Transportation	900 students +/- daily	Wheel chair bus and the late bus run. Need matching funds of $25,000. Each for two additional busses through Air Resources Board grant (Measure C money.) Need to replace 7-9 busses before 2018 by ARB rules at a cost of $150,000. (approx.) each.

If Connie does not have your email, please get it to her tonight. We will do much communicating via email. In addition, please visit this group’s blog at www.sierracommunitysupporters.blogspot.com.

Thank you!

Planning for meeting #2

OK, we need to reschedule tomorrow's (20 Jan) meeting. I hope this is not a hardship!

Here are some of the things we hoped to get out: we tried to make a one-for-one match in people to focus areas. Check it out, and if you'd like to change it, we're open to your suggestions.

Athletics, Sports, PE: Danielle Sotello
Ag: Rob Actis
Art and Drama: Eva Burton
Music: Jamie Bennett
Math and Science: Stephanie Cobb
IT/Computers: Jennifer Cooper
Emotional/Psychological Support: Gabe Huerta
Transportation: Kirstin Cross
Foreign Languages: Andrea Marjala
Social Science/Citizenship: Richard Cain

Hopefully you can take some time in the next few days to do some focused exploring in your topic area. If there are any hits for due dates around March or April, that would give us our first goals by default!

We'd like to plan on meeting at 6:30 next Tuesday at SHS, in the office area. Also, I set up a website: www.sierracommunitysupporters.blogspot.com . This has the links I passed along earlier, so if you lose the e-mail, hopefully you have a fall back. Please let me know if you have any concerns with this.

Pass this on to any interested folks--Thank you!

Connie Schlaefer

P.S. Another nice link I found is the US Dept of Education: ed.gov

Grant Writing Kickoff

Thank you for expressing interest in learning about our grant writing efforts. Many of you were not able to make the first meeting, so I am attaching the presentation for your information.

The bottom line is this: We are just starting our campaign, and are looking to pull together packages ASAP, and then continue refining the process as we learn and grow. Here's where we need immediate help:

- We need folks to get out and explore the internet and library for opportunities: Corporations, gov't, etc. We have some starter links that we have yet to explore
- We need to brainstorm about companies or even individuals who share our interests. And then chase them down.

We divided our approach into what we call "areas of need". To be honest, these are programs that we assume will take hits, and we'd like to get some money coming in to retain and/or rebuild them. What are the most urgent ones? Are there targets of opportunity...grants that people know about but don't have time to pursue, that we can address first? Can we translate some of our current programs into "proposals"? If you have some thoughts on this, we are open to all points of view as we formulate priorities.

We started a sign-up sheet to match people to their areas of interest, so people can get started exploring if they have a chance. Here are the "areas of need" and folks signed up to research them so far:

Athletics, Sports, PE:
Ag: Jennifer Cooper
Art and Drama:
Music:
Math and Science:
IT/Computers: Eva Burton, Jennifer Cooper
Any Area: Rob Actis, Eva Burton, Richard Cain
Emotional/Psychological Support:

Are there other areas we should include in this list? If you want your name tied to a specific area, let me know.

Here are some starter links I stole from Chrissy's notes from the class she took "A to Z Grantwriting":

foundation.verizon.com
www.arts.gov/grants
www.stuartfoundation.org
www.wellsfargo.com/about/charitable/index.jhtml
teacher.scholastic.com/professional/grants/fundraisingtips.htm
www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants

As you explore, take notes. What are good candidates? Dead Ends? Due dates? We have a "research information sheet (RIS)"--another prize from Chrissy's class, which we should all be using as we go out and explore. I'll send that along a bit later.

We are planning on a 2nd meeting on the 20th of January, 6 p.m., location TBD. We're hoping some folks can get out and explore before then.