3 Reasons to Give Grants a Go

Teachers: are you concerned about funding for next year's classroom? It's a realistic worry - with education budgets tightening around the country, it's getting more difficult to stretch available money to cover an entire school year's worth of costs. When the well runs dry, you have to dip into your own pockets or imagine more creative options. Your students' educational experience shouldn't be limited by shrinking budgets. But, more and more, this is exactly what's happening.

There is another option, one which educators and administrators are turning to with increasing frequency - education grants. We think that you should give them a try. Here's why.

The money is available. Despite the financial difficulties besetting educators, funding is available - lots of it. Right now, for instance, innovation grants are particularly popular. According to a recent article on The Washington Post website, the federal government awarded 650 million dollars for innovative ideas directed towards making classrooms better in 2010. The article goes on to mention that there are still some 150 million dollars waiting to be dispersed in 2011.

It's summer. At first glance, this might not seem to have anything to do with education grants. But summer vacation is the perfect time for teachers to research, plan, and write grant proposals. As you plan for next year, you can determine exactly what you need grant money for. Time off will allow you to take the required time to write a better, and therefore more likely to succeed, grant proposal.

There are many different kinds of grants. Innovation isn't the only kind of grant being rewarded. You can submit a grant proposal for just about anything. Does the basketball team need new uniforms? Do you want to start a special-needs program? Are you looking to get hold of an interactive whiteboard or other technologies? There are funds available for all these and more - you just have to go after them!

Are you ready to get to work? Looking for a few tips or places to submit your grant proposal? Check out LEP's The Educator's Guide to Grants for all you need to know about the process.