RESOURCES
Never written a grant before?
Not a problem! Austin Ed Fund’s Innovation Grants are designed to encourage and reward innovative teachers, and you don’t have to be an expert grant writer to be awarded. Many teachers never wrote a grant before receiving an Innovation Grant award!
Enroll in the the Innovation Grants BLEND Training online!
About this Course:
This course is appropriate for any AISD staff person who is interested in applying for an Austin Ed Fund Innovation Grant. The course explains the details and guidelines for the Innovation Grant program, as well as tips for success and insights on what the review committee will be looking for in your application. After this course, you should feel prepared to begin writing your grant proposal for the Austin Ed Fund!
Rough drafts can be submitted through this course or emailed to ryan.odonnell@austinisd.org.
Tips for Success
- Draw in the reader’s interest: Choose a catchy project title.
- Link to demonstrated need: Why will this project benefit your students?
- Provide a way to measure success: State how you will evaluate the benefit of the grant. This can be more creative than standardized test results!
- Be concise but persuasive: Application word limits are a maximum, not a minimum. No jargon necessary. Paint a descriptive picture of project activities and innovative aspect. Use bullet points where appropriate.
- DREAM BIG but be a realist: Write a project plan that you are confident can be fulfilled within a year.
- Ask for what you need: $2,000 and $10,000 are the maximum amounts and we want to fund as many projects as possible.
- Make sure your principal has approved your project.
- Let your love for teaching and your students show through!
When Applying for a grant, please remember the following:
- Grants are to be used to fund projects that cannot be provided in the school or district budgets. Expenses that will not be considered for funding include salaries and facility maintenance or construction costs.
- All line item expenses must be tied to the overall project idea. Materials will not be funded if not aligned with project goals.
- Objectives and outcomes should be consistent with the goals of your school and the district.
- When creating your budget, be realistic. Small grants are just as likely to be awarded as large grants. Partial funding will be considered.