Guidelines and FAQs
Grant Programs
Introduction
The Greeneville City Schools (GCS) Education Foundation is an independent, community-based, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The organization's Board of Trustees assume an advocate's role while seeking to enhance the educational opportunities offered to all students in the Greeneville City School System through solicitation of funds, and greater involvement from parents, businesses, and the community at-large.
One of the primary goals of the GCS Education Foundation is to provide funding for innovative projects that reach beyond the scope of the school system's regular operating budget. Since its beginning in November 2002, this goal has been realized through the annual "American Education Week Grant" program. (Now called the S.E.E.D. - Supplying Essential Education Dollars - Grant.)
In the fall of 2009, the GCS Education Foundation launched a new program called "FOCUS Grant". Both programs are aimed at providing an opportunity for teachers to seek funding for their creative ideas and educational tools that will enhance the Greeneville City School system's standard curriculum.
The following pages provide additional information about the "S.E.E.D. Grant" and the "FOCUS Grant", as well as some tips about getting started in the process of applying for these awards.
The S.E.E.D. Grant
(Formerly called American Education Week Grant.)
These are typically "large" grants (up to $5,000 awarded annually) for teacher/classroom projects, teaching teams, and school or system-wide projects. Grant applications are accepted annually, in the spring semester, and awarded in early May. Award winners must be able to implement their program in the next school year, and provide an evaluation report to the Education Foundation at the end of that same school year.
One of the goals of the GCS Education Foundation is to provide funding for projects that reach beyond the scope of the school system’s regular operating funds. In November 2002, this opportunity began as an annual event showcasing American Education Week. The focus of S.E.E.D. Grant requests do not need to revolve around the celebration of American Education Week, but should reflect the spirit behind American Education Week: providing students with creative learning experiences.
It is the intent of the Education Foundation that the process be as simple as possible for applicants, and that the evaluation process be both objective and impartial. The Education Foundation has budgeted $5000 to award to applicants.
By applying, you are agreeing to spend the money as your application describes, and to provide financial and anecdotal reports to the Education Foundation at a future date .
A history of American Education Week Grant awards can be found at the end of this document.
FOCUS Grant
Small grants (under $500) for teachers/teaching teams focused on classroom programs or projects that may be smaller than those eligible for American Education Week Grants. Up to $4,000 is available annually. Grant applications are accepted any time throughout the school year (August through May). The Education Foundation aims to respond to each grant request within two weeks of receipt of each application.
Newly offered in fall of 2009, the FOCUS Grant program is aimed at providing funding (when other funding sources are not available) for educational projects or program opportunities that arise anytime during the school year. These educational projects and programs are typically somewhat smaller and less costly than those represented in American Education Week Grant request, but have a broad impact none-the-less. FOCUS Grant requests will be accepted and considered throughout the school year, as long as Education FoundationFOCUS Grant funds remain available.
The following pages provide helpful information about the Education Foundation's grant process. Reading this information and following the grant application guidelines will assure that your application receives proper consideration.
FAQs
What do GCS Education Foundationgrants support?
GCS Education Foundation-funded programs should enhance, but not duplicate, the Greenville City School system's standard curriculum. The Education Foundation invites grant requests seeking to fund innovative, creative ideas that fall outside the ordinary school budget. Ideal projects are those that encourage and demonstrate a partnership between teachers, schools, disciplines, and local community resource agencies.
GCS Education Foundation grants are not meant to be used to help underwrite basic school needs, project awards, prizes, or consumables.
Who decides whether or not a project receives funding?
The GCS Education Foundation Grant Review committee, which is comprised of members of the Education Foundation Board of Trustees, thoughtfully reviews each grant request.
How are the applications reviewed?
FOCUS Grant requests are forwarded via email to the Grant Review committee members for their individual evaluation of overall content, value, students served, and the project or request's relationship to current curriculum standards.
S.E.E.D.Grant requests are forwarded to the Grant Review committee in hard copy form, within a notebook containing all other AEW Grant applications received before the annual deadline. Each Grant Review committee member preliminarily scores each grant request according to a basic rubric. Some of the items addressed in the rubric are: the quality of the application format; the content; the number of students served; and the cost value. Next, the committee comes together to review their findings. The decision to fund a request is reached by consensus.
In fairness to all applicants, guidelines and deadlines (when mandated) are strictly adhered to. Of course - applying does not guarantee an award. Remember that available funding and competition for funding is an unpredictable element of the process.
Am I limited to one request?
No.
Is it possible that my request could be partially funded?
Yes. Applications chosen for award may be funded at a percentage of the request. In your grant description, please address the issue of partial funding. For example: (amounts in this example are non-specific) "I am requesting $3000, but if you can award me $2000 I'll do this ..., and with $1000 I'll do this ..." PLEASE NOTE - If you do not include a plan for partial funding the grant committee will assume that you will only accept full funding.
How can I get started?
•· Analyze your idea or project based on the defined scope of the grant.
•· Collaborate with others to make your project more meaningful and affective.
•· Search the school system to be sure your project is not being duplicated elsewhere.
•· Note the grant application guidelines provided as you assemble your grant request. Pay close attention to providing necessary copies of your request, obtaining approval signatures, and to deadlines (when mandated).
•· Contact the GCS Education Foundation's executive director to help resolve questions or provide guidance.
What are some successful factors to consider?
•· The grant proposal should demonstrate creativity and innovation in educational programming and target a significant number of GCS students.
•· Whenever possible, proposals should demonstrate collaboration between schools, educators, outside local community resources, and parents.
•· The proposal must be complete and in compliance with any deadlines.
•· Applications should be concise in content, typed, and understandable for non-educators.
•· Please avoid requesting funding for prizes, snacks, or other consumables.
Where's the application?
There is no application "form" to complete. A printed version of the S.E.E.D. Grant Guidelines is available by selecting the "Documents & Forms" tab on our website.
For a FOCUS Grant, simply follow the guidelines below to submit your request:
For FOCUS Grants -
Prepare a title page which includes your name, your principal's name, the name of your school, the name of your project, and the amount of funding you are requesting.
Provide a brief narrative summarizing your project and the need the project addresses. Include mention of your project's specific educational goals and objectives. Briefly explain how you plan to implement your project and measure its success.
Include a budget. Please indicate if partial funding is an option.
Include any additional information such as photos, or price comparisons, etc., if you think doing so would be beneficial to the committee members as they review your request.
Save your FOCUS Grant request as a PDF, make sure your principal has approved your request, and then email it to: waddella@gcschools.net.
For the S.E.E.D. Grant-
The Education Foundation will email an American Education Week Grant application packet to each teacher in early February. A printed, downloadable version of the S.E.E.D. Grant Guidelines is available through the "Documents & Forms" tab on our website. The packet includes these details about the application process for the grant, and a guideline for submitting a grant request:
I. Cover Page - 1 page
Include the name of your school, your name and signature, your principal's name and signature, the event / purchase name, and the dollar amount of your request.
II. Project description - maximum 3 pages
Include a description of your request, addressing:
1. information about the main focus of your event / purchase
2. is this a new initiative or a continuation of an existing program
3. your implementation plan for the event / purchase
4. how many students will be served
5. how you will spend the funds you are requesting
Questions?
Please direct any additional questions to the GCS Education Foundation's executive director:
Amanda Waddell (423) 823-0001
waddella@gcschools.net
www.gcseducationfoundation.net
History of American Education Week / S.E.E.D. Grant Awards
November 2002 (No competition, just a request)
GMS / A school-wide workshop presented by author, Sharon Draper
November 2003
Highland (Larry Neas) / Highland Homecoming - 70th Birthday
CFT (Lori Grabner & Pat Carpenter) / Heart-Saving First Aid
May 2004
CFT (Glennis Huffman) / Voice Recognition Software
GMS (Danna Brickell) / "One Book - One School"
May 2005
TV (Joyce Johnson) / $1,000 / International Fair
TV (Diane Stearns) / $600 / Listening Update
TV (Kerin Carter & Amy Hoese) / $650 / "Steps to Success"
May 2006
TV & HI (Nellie Blevins & Pat Barnett) / $2,000 / Cherokee Day
HH (Lisa Bennett) / $1,500 / Listening Lab for Early Literacy
May 2007
System-wide (Nellie Blevins & Pat Barnett) / $2,500 / Cherokee Day**
TV (Pat Donaldson) / $800 / Peer Tutoring
GMS (Bill Muhlhahn) / $1,700 / "Get Real"
**Now supported annually by GCS Education Foundation
May 2008
GMS (Amanda Gricunas & Amanda Rigell) / $4,000 / "Greene Scene"
GMS (Larry Blalock) / $840 / "My Word Coach"
May 2009
GHS (Jason Horne) / $1,000 / Virtual Field Trips
GMS (Cindy Monroe) / $2,400 / Digital Visual Presenters
GHS Jr. ROTC (Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kirchmeier / $1,600 / Flight Simulators
May 2010
(Note: 2010 was the first year we offered FOCUS Grants and we ended the school year with an excess of $1,846.00 in our FOCUS Grant Award budget, which we elected to apply to the American Education Week Grant pool. This enabled us to award a total of $6,846.00)
GHS (Jamie House) / $450* / "Flip For Flips" video cameras
GHS (Jamie House) / $1,000* / "Differentiated Instruction Mini-Grants"
GMS (Andrea Tolley) / $2,440 / "Dell Mini 10 Notebooks"
Eastview (Lorraine Amos) / $1,020 / "Differentiated Instruction Reading Library"
Eastview (Marsha Hybarger) / $936 / "Kindergarten Manipulatives"
GCS System-wide (Jason Horne) / $1,000 / "Virtual Field Trips"
*Funded using FOCUS Grant excess.
May 2011
Highland (Jamie Chapman) / $600 / Document Cameras
Eastview (Robbie Poteet) / $2,000 / Promethean Board
Hal Henard (Donna Robertson & Deanna Martin) / $636.90 / Classroom Literature Sets
Eastview (Meg Brooks, Andrea O'Dell, Kim Treadway) / $897 / Document Cameras
Eastview (Cathy Dickey, Katie Andrew, Robin Jones) / $897 / Document Cameras
May 2012
GMS (April Leonard) / $1,568.91 / Netbooks for Language Arts
Hal Henard (Elena Black, Kendra Collins, DeAnna Martin) / $319.40 / "Space Is Out Of This World"
GHS (Shannon Duer) / $51 / "World Everywhere"
Tusculum View (Keirn Carter, Amy Hoese, Diane Stearns) / $712 / "Great Non-Fiction Books"
Eastview (Gina Broyles, Christie Carter, Andy McCall) / $900 / Acer Laptops
Eastview (Marsha Hybarger) / $1,462.73 / "Common Core Needs"
May 2013
Highland (Jamie Chapman) / $1,405.68 / “CITRIX”
GHS (Gant Patterson) / $2,222.50 / “PASCO Lab Equipment”
GHS (Ashley Bible) / $539.00 / “eBooks for Nooks”
GMS (Laura Lenker) / $$1,000.00 / “Nook Navigation”
Eastview (Cathy Dickey, Marsha Hybarger) / “Promethean Boards”
May 2014
Highland (Jamie Chapman) / $260.00 / “Telling Our Story”
Highland (Judy Williams) / $819.20 / “Techno Tots”
GMS (Fortel, Leonard) / $1,250.40 / “Scope & Upfront”
Tusculum View (Kalyn Miller) / $1,059.47 / “Building Tomorrow’s Thinkers”
Eastview (Amos, Jacobs, & Justis) / $1,497.00 / “iPads”
Greene Technology Center (Donald Burchnell) / $1,000 / “Industrial Electricity”
May 2015
Tusculum View (Candace Wiggins) / $563.85 / “Polydron Sets”
GMS (Amanda Gricunas) / $535.00 / “Memory Mugs”
GMS (Andrea Tolley) / $1,105 / “Wired Tablet
Hal Henard (Elena Black) $393.62 / “STEM in Kindergarten”
History of FOCUS Grant Awards
2011
GMS (Andrea Tolley) / $349.50 / 7th Grade Literacy Books
GMS (Laura Lenker) / $81 / Petal Power Flower Dissection
GMS (Sarah Chapman) / $477.85 / Kindle E-Reader Pilot
GHS (Janet Ricker, Crystal Dugger, Amada Weems) / $307.90 EACH / TI Calculators
GMS (Tracy Holmes) / $200 / Stove for Applied Skills class
GMS (April Leonard, Rebecca Thomasson) / $489.60 / Literacy Books
GMS (Amanda Gricunas) / $200 / "Caps for a Cause"
GMS (Heather Boegemann) / $255 / Inflatable Globes
GMS (Laura Lenker) / 278.83 / Science Thru Science Fiction Books
GMS (Kim Rominger) / $100 / Act of Kindness
GMS (Sarah Chapman) / $330.70 / Hi Interest - Lo Readability
2012
Eastview / $482 / Greene County Tennis Association
Hal Henard / $482 / Greene County Tennis Association
Highland / $482 / Greene County Tennis Association
GMS (Amanda Gricunas) / $400 / Learning Labyrinth
GMS (Ron Wankel) / $295 / Scholars Bowl Buzzer System
Tusculum View (Angie Shelton) / $500 / "Brainology"
GHS (Laura Lenker) / $500 / Frog Dissection
GMS (Andrea Tolley) / $152 / Midnight Books
GHS (Kimber McIntyre) / $85 / Biology Books
2013
Highland (Ashley Garris) / $500 / Language Arts Novels
GHS (Amber Shelton) / $497.50 / UpFront Subscriptions
GMS (Andrea Tolley) / $495.95 / “Worldly Wise”
Eastview (Marcia Brewer) / $206.18 / “Leader in Me”
Tusculum View (Angie Shelton) / $488 / “Technology in Counseling”
GMS (Amanda Moorman) / $466.55 / “Worldly Wise”
GHS Jr. ROTC (Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kirchmeier) / $200 / “Rocket Kits”
GHS Jr. ROTC (Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kirchmeier) / $320 / “First Person View”
2014
Highland (MaryBeth Bryant) / $234.35 / “Seven Habits of Happy Kids”
GMS (Tracy Holmes) / $500 / “Applied Skills Mobile Cart”
Highland (Heather Fay) / $50 / “iMovie for iPads”
GMS (April Leonard) / $498.67 / “Shadows and Bones”
Highland (Heather Fay) / $295.38 / “Active Seating”
GMS (Aundrea Gunter) / $493.95 / “Electrify & Magnetize”
GHS (Leslie Creutzinger) / $196.02 / “Romeo & Juliet”
Highland (MaryBeth Bryant) / $90 / “Walk with a President”
Tusculum View (Carla Renner) / $427.82 / “Who Was/Who Is/What Was”
Highland (Erin Moore) / $295.38 / “Active Seating”
GMS (Amanda Moorman) / $200 / “Classroom Library”
Highland (Judy Williams) / $228.79 / “K-5 Buddies”
GHS Jr. ROTC (Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kirchmeier) / $490 / “Aerospace Science”
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