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Introduction

Becoming a Successful Grant Writer

“How can I teach with no materials or supplies?”

“If I only knew how to write grants and get award money,I could help change things around here.”

“Why do others get grant awards and I don’t?”

THE PROSPECT OF RESEARCHING a grant and writing the application can be intimidating, especially for busy educators who have much on their plates with the everyday rigors of their jobs. Your interest in reading this book shows you likely have the initiative to become the most successful grant writer in the history of your school; you just need to learn how. It is true that grant awards are not that easy to get and you cannot expect to receive one just because you asked for it, but for educators, administrators, and staff members who take time to investigate three key questions, the odds for writing a successful grant skyrocket. Before putting their fingertips to the keyboard, they know the answers to the following important questions. After reading this book, you will know the answers, too.

1. Where is the money? You will learn where to find grant opportunities and how to keep track of them.

2. What format does a funding agency want to see? You will be guided in writing winning grant proposals to corporations and foundations.

3. Exactly what do I have to write in order to receive high review points and win grant awards? You will understand the ins and outs of applying for a government grant—monies funneled through your state’s department of education or the U.S. Department of Education.

Today, most large school districts have dedicated grant writers or full-fledged development offices that churn out corporate requests, foundation proposals, state education agency grant applications, and federal grant applications. Smaller school districts, charter schools, and even individual schools usually do not have the advantage of a dedicated grant writer. Instead, a hurried administrator or a frazzled teacher takes on the task of grant writing, often willingly but unprepared. When their efforts are denied funding, the momentum is filed in the bottom drawer along with a copy of the failed grant application or proposal. But there really is no reason to let rejection letters stop your school from applying for grants again.

A small group of teachers—or even one teacher—can have tremendous success at the grant writing game. It takes leadership, and every school building has these leaders. They are:

• Self-starters (they work on their own initiative)

• Visionaries (they see the big picture)

• Change agents (they make things happen)

• Strategic thinkers (they plan and coordinate)

• Committed individuals (they remain focused)

It is your moment in time to be a leader at writing and acquiring grants for your school or district. This book gives you a tremendous boost—the chapters are filled with expertise and encouragement and are written with the concerns of every educator who has asked, “How can we do this?”

Sharpen your pencils, blow out the dust in your computer mouse, and get ready to combine your writing and computer technology skills with the grant seeking and grant writing tips and knowledge offered in this book.