The goal is to present at least five Academic Enrichment Grants and five Professional Learning grants in 2018 to be used during the 2018-2019 school year. All grants are for $5,000.
Although grants are awarded to a teacher or team of teachers, checks will be made out and mailed to your school. Access to your funds will be through your school’s bank account.(*Make sure you are allowed to access your funds through the school’s bank account.) The check will be mailed to the attention of the project lead and it is the project lead's responsibility to make sure the check is deposited in the appropriate account.
The Academic Enrichment Grant focuses on the academic needs and enrichment of students and can be awarded to an individual or team of teachers. The Professional Learning Grants are awarded to a team of teachers (grade level or subject team) dedicated to improving their instructional practice in order to better meet the needs of their students.
Regardless of your initiative for academic enrichment or professional learning you will need support from your administration. Your grant will provide you with access to time and resources not available to others in your building. Support from your school’s administration will greatly impact the success of your project.
Funding will only be provided to a teacher or teachers returning to their current school in the fall.
Since your project is built around the needs of students currently enrolled at your school we would not provide funding at a new school. (If a member of your team changes schools, considerations can be made.)
We are looking for educators who understand the social, emotional and academic needs of their students. As a result of that understanding, teachers are able to effectively design and articulate a response to the academic needs of students and/or the professional needs of their colleagues. Word limits for each application question is intentional as complexity does not necessarily equal impact. A key factor in your proposal is the ability to clearly and concisely define the issue, your response to that issue and how you’ll asses its effectiveness. Word limits do matter.
If you and/or your team receive an Ellison Education Grant, we will maintain contact with you throughout your project. An in-person or virtual meeting will be held three times during the school year – September, January, and April.
In addition, we expect a two page project summary by June 30th, 2018 that summarizes the issue you addressed, your response to that issue, and the impact your project had on participants. A brief summary of your project may be shared on our website.
The Ellison Foundation allows the grant writer to provide the rationale for allocation within their proposed budget. We will rely on your justification when evaluating applications. Books, materials, art supplies, stipends, technology, etc., are all within the scope of allowable budget items. Travel expenses are often not funded but can be considered depending on the scope and purpose of the project. Stipends are considered but should not be the bulk of the budget. Fees for substitutes will be considered.
Once your application and a Principal/Administrators Form have been submitted you’ll receive confirmation from the Ellison Foundation and your work is done. All applicants will be notified if they are moving forward as a finalist by March 31st, 2018.
November 1st, 2017 to March 1st, 2018 - Applications are accepted between November 1st and March 1st of each school year; no applications are accepted before or after these dates.
March – Review of applications will be completed through the month of March. You will be notified by March 31st if your application is selected as a finalist.
April - If your proposal is chosen as a finalist, the Ellison Foundation will conduct a site visit interview with the applicant(s) at their school. We will also request a brief meeting with the applicant’s principal or administrator.
May 31st - All finalists will be notified if they’ve been selected as a grant recipient by May 31st, 2018.
August 25th – A check will be mailed to the awardee's school no later than August 25th, 2018. Checks are made out to the school where the project is based. It will be addressed to the attention of the teacher serving as the project’s lead. It is this teacher’s responsibility to ensure funds are deposited in the school’s bank account. If a project begins prior to the start of the school year, adjustments for payment will be considered.