2018 DEER CREEK SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

GRANT PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

  1. The primary criterion for dispensing grants will be that high quality educational content is central to the proposed project and appropriate for study by the intended audience.
  1. The Foundation will fund only those projects which enrich and augment the curriculum such as:
  • an incentive grant program to enhance teachers’ curriculum;
  • student testing;
  • after-school participation in language arts, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or arts and humanities projects;
  • career or hobby related endeavors;
  • summer opportunities for students and professional development for teachers;
  • community resources such as visiting professionals, mentors, and community service;
  • supplemental equipment to enhance learning with the latest technology; and
  • enhanced learning with multi-sensory tools.
  1. The Foundation will not fund textbooks, supplies, honoraria, equipment, professional development, etc., as isolated items, but will fund these items if they are essential to a project that is funded.
  1. The Foundation will fund grants once a year in the spring semester.
  1. Grant funds shall be created by interest on the endowment and by special gifts.
  1. The total appropriation at each site will be disseminated at a minimum of 50% to teacher grants, although teacher grants may be awarded the full (100%) appropriation.
  1. Although funds may be available, the Foundation will only fund projects that meet the established criteria according to the enclosed rubric.
  1. Although there is no minimum or maximum of funds which can be granted for any one project, the grantors shall consider the amount of funds available and the number of worthy projects.
  1. In incidences where the grant committee ascertains that the requested budget needs amending, the Trustees can grant part of the funds requested or ask the teacher to revise the budget.
  1. The trustees shall have the power to call in educational consultants to assist in evaluating proposed or completed projects.
  1. Any application requesting technology-related items will also require the signature of the district Chief Information Officer.
  1. Grant requests must be typed on the 2018 DCSF Grant Application form found on the Foundation website at submitted with complete signatures to the Deer Creek Schools Foundation mailbox or scanned and emailed to .
  1. Once a grant is funded, amendments to the budget or changes in the content must be approved by the chair of the Grant Committee.
  1. In the event that the teacher receiving the grant leaves the district, it will be the responsibility of the Foundation school representative to acquaint the new teacher with materials funded by the Foundation.
  1. Any allocated grant money that is not requested and allocated by September 1 of the following academic yearwill revert back to the general fund.

PROJECT GUIDELINES:

Project applications should address the following:

  1. The educational content should be central to the project and appropriate for the intended audience.
  1. The project should enrich and augment the curriculum rather than take the place of a project, which is or should be funded by the district.
  1. The need for the project should be clearly established.
  1. The goal(s) and objectives of the project should be clear and well defined.
  1. The time schedule should be clearly stated.
  1. There should be adequate provisions for evaluation of the project.
  1. The budget should be detailed and clearly thought out.
  1. The primary applicant should oversee the budget, purchase orders, and ordering supplies related to the funded project.
  1. The project should be approved by the principal and a superintendent representative. If the project involves technology, then the project must also be approved by the District chief information officer.
  1. Procedures for ordering supplies should be followed explicitly, as described in the award letter.

***All grant recipients are required to submit to the Foundation at the end of the project (1) a thank you note, (2) photos from the classroom of student engagement with the items purchased with grant funding, and (3) a report of how your project objectives were met or not met. This information will be used for promotional purposes. Please ensure that permission has been obtained to take student photos.

EMERGENCY GRANTS:

Any grant submitted as an emergency shall be considered on a case-by-case basis. The application should be submitted to the chair of the Grant Committee with a cover letter describing why the request cannot be made during the spring submission. Emergency grants will be considered using the same guidelines as listed above. If the emergency grant is awarded, the Foundation reserves the right to deduct the awarded amount from the requesting school’s next funding cycle.

2018 DCSF GRANT APPLICATION SCORING RUBRIC

Grants will be scored using the following rubric.

Criteria / Developing / Competent / Exemplary
I.
About the grant / The program/project has a defined need but is not supported with facts and evidence.
(0-5 points) / The program/project has a defined need and is moderately supported with facts and evidence.
(6-10 points) / The program/project has a clearly defined need and is significantly supported with facts and evidence.
(11-15 points)
II.A.
Goal(s) and Objectives / The goal(s) is/are provided and few objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based.
(0-6 points) / The goal(s) is/are provided and most objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based.
(7-13 points) / The goal(s) is/are provided and all objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based.
(14-20 points)
II.C. Evaluation / The methods for evaluating the project objectives are not described.
(0-5 points) / The methods for evaluating the project objectives are partially described.
(6-10 points) / The methods for evaluating the project objectives are completely and clearly described.
(11-15 points)
III.
Budget / The budget request is not complete or detailed or not aligned with project objectives.
Amount of funding requested considered minimal, excessive, or not in line with per pupil funding amount available.
(0-5 points) / The budget request is partially complete and detailed or not aligned with project objectives.
Amount of funding requested considered within the normal funding request based on per pupil funding amount available.
(6-10 points) / The budget request is significantly complete, detailed, and aligned with project objectives.
Amount of funding requested considered within the normal funding request based on per pupil funding amount available.
(11-15 points)

Total Possible Points: 65