By Admin / May 18, 2018

Grant yourself an easy summer

As the school year winds down, our thoughts turn to summer vacations, relaxing by the pool, and catching up on some good reads.

Well . . . maybe not everyone’s thoughts are there quite yet. For teachers, summers are also often filled with professional development, room organization, and curriculum prep for the following year.

If your mental meanderings are still housed inside those brick-and-mortar walls, perhaps we can help. We’ve compiled a list of grant opportunities that can be used to fund everything from robotics and PD to makerspace, STEM, and 3-D engineering programs.

The Brown Foundation is a good place to start. Recently funded grants include a program built on closing the opportunity and achievement gaps for middle school students, robotics training camps, teacher training programs, and a career and education day. Projects that meet one or more of the following criteria stand the best chance of being funded:

  • Addressing root causes of a concern rather than treating symptoms
  • Serving as a catalyst to stimulate collaborative efforts by several sectors of the community
  • Resulting in a growing, long-lasting impact on the situation beyond the value of the grant itself
  • Reflecting and encouraging sound financial planning and solid management practices in administration of the project

The Halliburton Foundation makes direct grants to US-based elementary and secondary schools and higher education institutions and programs with focuses on community involvement and general education.

Grant-writing-1366-0518

Have a STEM program you want funded? Check out the Cargill Foundation or the American Honda Foundation. Cargill’s education grants “support programs and projects that improve access to primary and secondary education for children [and] build skills in science, technology and engineering” (Cargill Foundation). The Honda Foundation funds STEM education projects with grants from $20,000 up to $75,000.

The Toshiba America Foundation is another great place to for grant shopping. Their Grants for Grades K-5 can be up to $1,000 and focus on innovative ideas and programs for hands-on, project-based learning with an aim to improve science and math education. Recently funded grants include a “Jr. Paleontologist” project, “Forensic Joe Fridays,” a robotics program, and a maker program.

The Grants for Grades 6-12 fall into two main categories: requests for $5,000 or less (deadlines are throughout the calendar year) and requests for $5,000 or more (deadlines are May 1 and November 1). Successful projects make math and science more engaging for students and encourage students to use their natural curiosity to explore the world around them. Previously funded projects have included “STEM Lessons with Robots,” an inquiry-based exploration lab, a greenhouse, and a course on digital models and rapid prototyping using 3-D printing and laser cutting. 

To find these and other grant opportunities, visit our Grants and Funding page. The sooner you get those grant applications filled out, the sooner you’ll be sinking into the warm sand and letting the ocean breeze lull you to sleep.

And don’t forget to apply for a $350 Pitsco Grant. We award them monthly.

APPLY NOW

 

TOPICS: FUNDING, Teacher Resources, Science, STEM, Grants

Admin

Written by Admin

A few of Pitsco’s cool staffers contributed their knowledge and time to this post. We’re proud to have a great group of developers, writers, managers, builders, and creatives who can help bring the Pitsco Blog to life.