January 2004 — Web/Net
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Tips for Getting Your Technology Projects Funded
Grant proposals that simply provide classrooms with computers and Internet access are no longer acceptable; technology must be used as an effective part of the learning process. NCLB and Ed Tech have also impacted foundations, which have begun to incorporate similar requirements for technology-funded projects. If you want to improve your proposal's chances for being funded, learn about the focus and goals of the federal government because they have a far-reaching influence on technology funding in education.In addition, notice the key words and common threads that run through the list of purposes in Ed Tech. When planning projects that include a technology component, it may be helpful to refer to these phrases to help determine the likelihood of receiving federal and state funds earmarked for education and technology. These terms, if appropriate, should be meaningfully incorporated into grant proposals.
Foundation Funding
Foundation grants are a great source of funding for educational technology projects and are available from two primary areas: corporate foundations and private family foundations. Although foundation grants are usually less competitive than those available from federal and state agencies, the maximum grant award may also be significantly less.
When writing a foundation grant, as with federal and state grants, learning about the funding agencies or organizations and the purpose for which the grant funds may be used is important. Foundations may have stipulations, such as geographic area, which exclude everyone outside of the targeted area. When seeking funds for educational technology projects, research large and established technology companies, especially those in your local area, state or geographic region. For example, companies like Dollar General ( www.dollargeneral.com/), Staples ( www.staplesfoundation.org/) and Target ( http://target.com/common/page.jhtml?content=target_cg_index) have foundations that provide educational technology grants to schools, districts and universities.
Planning Proposals That Get Funded
Much planning for a grant proposal must take place long before a word g'es on paper. Planning for the initial $250,000 Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board grant, under which Irving.Net was established, began seven years before the successful proposal was awarded. While every proposal d'esn't require seven years of planning, a grant writer d'es need to plan and begin building a portfolio of data, demographics and research. Grant writers also should begin establishing partnerships and collaborations, as well as clarifying and refining their concept. Irving.Net is an Irving ISD project; however, this community network project was established through an interlocal agreement between the city of Irving, Irving ISD, the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and North Lake College. This partnership expanded the project's resources, provided valuable expertise and created project credibility.
In particular, federal agencies and foundations fund projects that are original in concept.
