Grant Hunting for Music Teachers: Tips for a Successful Search
Polina Mann St. Rita School, Hamden, CT
pmann.stritaschool@
gmail.com
Have you ever wanted to get more instruments or supplies for your classroom but not sure how and don’t have a budget? Maybe you have thought about apply- ing for a grant but not sure where to look or how to apply for one? As teachers of a special area, we are often overlooked for funding, leaving us with few resources for our students. As someone who began her grant hunting journey last year and managed to win several grants,
I
would like to tell you that the grant opportunities are out there. With a little digging and diligence you can find something, and apply for a grant in almost any teaching situation.
Here are some tips if you are interested in finding, applying and receiving grant money for your classroom:
1. Do Your Research-I would start with a general search for grants such as just “grants for teachers”, “grants for music teachers”, and/or do a grant search in your state and see what the search engine gives you. Of- tentimes there is a long list of grants per click and I would advise you to go through as much of that as you can to see if you come across anything your school can qualify for.
2. Check, Check, Check-Once you find a grant of in- terest, check to see if the grant is still available as there are many websites still left over from years past for grants that no longer exist. If it is active, check the deadline as well as who can apply-public school teachers, private school teachers, teachers who work for a non-profit, etc.
3. What Do You Need?-Check the application require- ments as well as what you need to apply-an essay, a lesson plan, a video, a picture, etc. If you are part of
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a non-profit tax exempt organization, please ask your business office for the tax ID and tax exempt form so that you can submit this with your application. I would ask for other paperwork as necessary with this application such as proof of tax exempt status, proof of Title 1 funding, etc.
4. Know What You Want-research the items, prices, SKU numbers, vendor, etc. that you will need for your grant. Some grants may ask for only the items and the vendor but some get very specific. Knowing what items you want, how many, who they will ben- efit and how. The more specific the plan, the more you can advocate for your grant!
5. Know Your Situation-this may sound obvious but this isn’t always the case. For example, a Catholic school is considered to be a private school which is also parochial school. A charter school is considered to be a public school but operates independently of the public school system and usually has non-profit status. Knowing what type of school you are in as well as what status it has with the IRS can often qualify or disqualify you for a grant. Another important thing to check is Title 1 funding. While often given to pub- lic schools, charter schools and Catholic schools can also apply for this. If a school receives such funding, it qualifies as a Title 1 school which can also make it eligible for certain grants.
6. Proofread and Spellcheck-This one goes without say- ing. Make sure to proofread your work and run it by a friend or colleague before sending it in. Having an extra set of eyes look at this also doesn’t hurt.
7. Hold on to the Memories-Grant committees like to see your passion for the classroom. Try to think of a time that you made a difference in the classroom, stu- dents were successful in their lesson, you connected
MAY 2021
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