Small Pricetag - Big Impact
Funding Available For Great Ideas!
The GCS Education Foundation is working to help fill the gap between state funded basic education and the excellent educational experience you all strive to provide all Greeneville City School System students. Part of the way we do that is through our FOCUS Grant initiative.
The FOCUS Grant initiative is aimed at providing funding (when other funding sources are not available) for expenses to support educational opportunities that arise anytime during the school year. If you have an idea for a project or program with a big impact and a small price tag ($500 or less) – consider applying for a FOCUS Grant! FOCUS Grant requests will be accepted and considered throughout the school year, as long as Education FoundationFOCUS Grant funds remain available.
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 SEED Grant request, but have a broad impact none-the-less.
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.
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.
Where's the application?
There is no application "form" to complete. For a FOCUS Grant, simply follow the guidelines below to submit your request:
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. Your principal must approve your grant request before you submit it to GCSEF.
Provide a brief narrative summarizing your project:
- Avoid using educational jargon and acronyms that might not be familiar to a non-educator.
- Include mention of your project's specific educational goals and objectives.
- Tell us how many students will be served by your project.
- 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.
FOCUS Grant requests will not be accepted in hard copy form. You must submit your request electronically. Save your FOCUS Grant request as a PDF, make sure your principal has approved your request, and then email it to: waddella@gcschools.net
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.
Questions?
Please direct any additional questions to the GCS Education Foundation's executive director:
Amanda Waddell (423) 823-0001
waddella@gcschools.net
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”
2015
Hal Henard (Elena Black) / $179.17 / “Building Readers in Kindergarten”
Tusculum View (Carla Renner) / $482.87/ “You Wouldn’t Want To… And Magic Tree House Fact Finder Series Set”
GMS (Andrea Tolley) / $300.00 / “Microsoft IT Academy Classroom Mural”
GHS (Cynthia Propst) / $500.00 / “Scientific Literacy”
GMS (Laura Lenker) / $92.86 / “Listening for Learning”
GMS (Laura Lenker) / $313.17 / “Scholastic Science World”
Tusculum View (Jessica Ricker) / $195.00 / “Music Express Magazine”
Tusculum View (Angie Shelton)/ $490.00 / “Tiger Theater”
Highland (Marybeth Bryant) / $270.00 / “A Walk with the President”
Highland (Brandy Rambo) / $99.00 / “OSMO”
GMS (Kim Trivette) / $495.45 / “Scope Magazine”
Early Childhood Center (Pat Carpenter) / $500.00 / “Stability Balls”
GHS Guidance (Amy Wagner) / $465.00 / “Post Graduate College Visits”
GMS (Amanda Moorman) / $74.85 / “MUSE Magazine”
Highland (Heather Fay) / $93.37 / “Fables, Fairy Tales, and Point of View, Oh My!”
GHS (Leslie Creutzinger) / $196.00 / “Learning to Annotate a Text Using Romeo & Juliet”
GMS (Amanda Moorman) / $231.00 / “Let’s Put an End to Movie Day”
If you’re interested in applying for a FOCUS Grant, please visit the Education Foundation webpage for more specifics: www.gcseducationfoundation.net Feel free to contact Amanda Waddell (423-823-0001 / waddella@gcschools.net ) if you have any questions.
GCS Education Foundation – “Beyond the basics!”
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