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spelling, and usage; if they demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the grant(s)
described, including information from the books, the web, and from contacting the granting
agency (i.e., they go beyond simply summarizing the grant's web site); if they align to needs you
identify in your school that go beyond simple hardware needs
Intro Description
In the past, students would go to their school library to gather resources for papers and projects.
Presently, students do not visit libraries just for research but they come to create, invent, and
learn. These libraries have been termed “Makerspaces”, and overall can cost the school large
amounts of money due to the resources needed to create to space. Makerspaces do not only
include books but include computers,software, printers (inkjet and 3-d), art supplies, and small
electronic devices such as video recorders. To change our library into a Makerspace we would
need these resources. Students that have the ability to use these resources in a Makerspace
can now gather to create, invent, and further their learning.
Grant Opportunity #1 - Steph
Computers For Learning – Computers For Learning gives classrooms computers and
facilitates the transferring of computers from government agencies and the private sector to
schools and educational nonprofits. In order to be eligible to receive computers, a school must
be a k-12 public, private, homeschool, or parochial school. Deadline is rolling.
Email: Computers.Learning@gsa.gov
Website: http://computersforlearning.gov/
Up to 50,000
https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_us/about/company-overview/corporate-responsibility/mot
orola-solutions-foundation.html
The Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, focuses its
funding on public safety, disaster relief, employee volunteerism and education, especially
engineering and information technology programming.
Grant Program Focus Areas The Motorola Solutions Foundation will focus its giving in three key
areas: (1) STEM education, specifically focused on technology and engineering, (2) public
safety education and (3) blended public safety and technology & engineering education
programs.
The grant program, supported by the Braitmayer Foundation, located in Marion, MA, aims to
support "innovative programs to enhance the quality of education at the pre-collegiate level."
This year's program is emphasizing two key areas: "curricular and school reform initiatives" and
"preparation of and professional development opportunities for teachers, particularly those
which encourage people of high ability and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12
teaching."
The deadline for letters of inquiry is March 15 at midnight. Site visits, if deemed necessary, will
occur between October 2018 and January 2019. Notifications will be sent to recipients March
15, 2019.
The Braitmayer Foundation doesn't specify the number of awards that will be granted each year.
Over the last three years, the number of awards has been in the three to five range. Recipients
in past years have included K–12 schools, colleges and universities, individual academic
programs within schools or districts, organizations that support extracurricular activities and a
variety of nonprofits. Complete details, including a list of past recipients and their projects, as
well as the online application, can be accessed at braitmayerfoundation.org.
More
http://www.msetonline.org/grants.html
Grant Opportunity #6
https://www.educatorsusa.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-vTRmI6k2gIVD4zICh1MVgEbEAAYASAA
EgJPRfD_BwE
Welcome to Educators of America. We believe in changing the face of education through
classroom technology, project based learning, and giving teachers the opportunities to
rediscover their love for teaching. As educators ourselves, we see the problems where the
disconnect lies between teachers and students and what roles classroom technology and
projects play in that scenario.
Our mission is to deliver new, sustainable, and useful educational technology to classrooms and
schools across the country through our micro-grant program. Educators, teachers, and
administrative professionals alike can apply for the micro-grant program, which will outfit the
school with the requested technological resources including web-connected devices, electronic
whiteboards, tablets and more.
Educators of America also believes in the power of project-based learning. For students and
teachers alike, it opens up collaborative and engaging avenues never seen before. From
sustainable community gardens to water conservation practices, PBL gives students the ability
to increase their critical thinking, creativity and teamwork skills. Attractive, right? If you are a
teacher and are unsure of teaching PBL methods and techniques, Educators of America offers
BIE Certified Project Based Learning Professional Development for Teachers. Our PBL Training
Seminars can be for entire grade levels, departments or entire institutions. If you’re interested in
PBL Training, click here to learn more.
____________________________________________________________________________
Introduction Description
In the past, students would go to their school library to gather resources for papers and
projects. Presently, students do not visit libraries just for research but they come to create,
invent, and learn. These libraries have been termed “Makerspaces”, and overall can cost the
school large amounts of money due to the resources needed to create to space. Makerspaces do
not only include books but include computers,software, printers (inkjet and 3-d), art supplies,
and small electronic devices such as video recorders. To change our library into a Makerspace
we would need these resources. Students that have the ability to use these resources in a
Makerspace can now gather to create, invent, and further their learning.
Grant 1
Computers for Learning gives classrooms computers and facilitates the transferring of
computers from government agencies and the private sector to schools and educational
for All Children in the Next Century", the grant supplies the highest preference to schools and
related equipment to meet their needs. The program makes modern computer technology an
integral part of every classroom, connecting classrooms to the national infrastructure, providing
teachers with the professional development they need to use new technologies effectively, and
https://computersforlearning.gov/htm/hp_programDesc.htm
Schools and educational nonprofit organizations are eligible if located in the United
States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or
public, private, or parochial school serving some type of pre-kindergarten through grade 12
population, while day care centers must provide a state approved preschool curriculum in order
participate. First, it must serve some portion of the pre-kindergarten through grade 12 population.
Second, it must give evidence of its nonprofit status by being tax exempt under section 501(c) of
the U.S. tax code. Third, it must operate primarily for the purpose of education. If an educational
nonprofit organization is "riding" on the 501(c) certification of a parent organization, the parent
organization must meet these criteria. Fourth, it must be approved, accredited, or licensed.
https://computersforlearning.gov/htm/hp_eligibility.htm
The grant is restricted on spending money on shipping and handling for the computers.
Generally the school must pay for transporting the hardware unless there is a special legislative
authority given to cover the cost. If the school does not take possession of the computers in a
timely manner, the governmental agency who owns the merchandise may withdraw their offer.
The grant also helps identify which schools or nonprofit organization qualify for the
computers. The Computers For Learning GSAXcess® website facilitates the implementation of
Educational institutions then register on GSAXcess® to search and request computers they need
through use of a virtual shopping cart and checkout process. GSAXcess® then sends an email
notification to the holding agency of the educational institutions' interest in acquiring the excess
computers. GSAXcess® also provides a screen that allows the reporting activity to view all of
the schools and educational nonprofits that have requested their excess computers immediately
after the request is made. This screen is used by the reporting activity to allocate and transfer the
Emily Butler, a teacher at Patterson High School in Baltimore, Maryland, received the
grant after applying on their website. Her success story shows how the Computers For Learning
grant effectively began to close their digital divide by supplying computers and internet access to
all classrooms.
Alice Bibbins
Office of Corporate Services
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
I would like to thank you and the US Patent and Trademark Office, on behalf of Patterson High
One year ago, Patterson had only one small computer lab in the library for use by our
1,600 students, and two even smaller computer labs for students enrolled in two of our
vocational technology programs. Many of these computers were broken and in need of repairs.
The computers available to staff were limited to administrators and a few secretaries, and
record keeping was the primary use. We didn't have computers to give to our teaching staff, so
most of their work was done by hand or on computers at home, unless they were able to get
their own donation or were lucky enough to have an extra one to bring to school. We had
internet access in every classroom, yet no computers with which to access it. We have students
who are excited by computers and the internet, but have very little access at home, in their
When I took the five minutes necessary to post our school's information to the site, I was
hoping to receive a few computers to use in my classroom with students. Your donation of 252
Pentium 3 computers, 54 monitors, and 32 printers was well beyond my wildest dreams.
Today, thanks to your donation, all classrooms at Patterson HS are equipped with two
equipped with four. We were also able to update our labs. Student and teacher interaction with
computers and the internet at Patterson HS now occurs daily. The challenge of educating high
school students in large urban communities is tremendous. Positive change is often the result of
multiple initiatives and hours of work by many dedicated people all coming together, and the
results, when measurable, are often small. Your donation-which cost me the five minutes
necessary to post our school's information on the Computers for Learning site-fundamentally
changed the way we work and educate students at Patterson HS. We-our leadership team, led
by Principal Laura D'Anna, teachers, students, parents, and alumni-cannot thank you and the
Sincerely,
Emily Butler, 9th Grade English Teacher
Patterson High School
100 Kane Street
Baltimore, MD - 21124
Another success story supports the vision of Phyllis Clark and her administrative staff from
Carver Vocational-Technical High School. Their donation of computers created a computer lab
in the library and supplied each teacher with computer hardware for their classrooms.
Alice Bibbins
Office of Corporate Services
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
I would like to thank you, Ms. Bibbins, and the US Patent and Trademark Office for the
wonderful donation of the Pentium 4 systems to our school. Our Principal, Mr. Michael
Frederick, had a vision earlier this school year of totally upgrading our library and our general
computer lab, as well as making sure that each teacher in the school had a computer in the
classroom. Needless to say, it was just a vision until we heard from you. We are presently in
the process of imaging each computer and installing them in the library and computer lab. We
will also place a system in each teacher’s classroom. In some of the classrooms, (English,
Foreign Language, Math) we plan to install three to four computers along with a workstation
for the teacher. This donation goes a long way in fulfilling our needs and helping to improve
academic achievement for our students. Thank you again for your wonderful donation!
Regards,
Phyllis Clark
Carver Vocational-Technical High School
2201 Presstman Street
Baltimore, MD 21216
https://computersforlearning.gov/htm/hp_successstories.htm
There are no identified restrictions on how much one can request. The foundation
evaluates and assigns grants based on school needs. One pro which was mentioned in one of the
success stories, is that it only takes a few minutes to register your school. When participants see
how easy the registration process is, they are encouraged to participate since it only requires a
few minutes of their time. Technology leaders can easily take the time to evaluate and register
their school. Another pro is the verbiage on the site is reader-friendly. The reader is not bogged
down by fine print and excessive jargon. It is well organized and supplies thoughtful passages
and links to help find information and guide the user. Computers For Learning shows a way to
help close the digital divide. Its support in supplying schools with computers is one of the first
steps schools need to take in order to enhance learning environments and support the building of
student networks.
Our school would benefit from this grant by creating more computer labs. Many of our
one to one devices do not work and having a reliable hardware option would be a valuable
solution for teachers who create lessons where each students needs an individual computer.
Grant 2
The Educators of America Grants are awarded to schools to improve their technology
tools that will assist in better student achievement. The purpose of this grant is not to award
money, but to actually purchase the technology tools that a school would need to help students
be successful. According to their website, they state, “Outfitting a school or classroom with the
correct technological resource can further the reach of teachers, enhance the skills of students,
and create endless opportunities of education methods. Using web-connected devices, electronic
whiteboards, tablets, and STEM Labs are a much better use of resources than new textbooks due
to their engagement abilities and high levels of usability. Children in Schools today are far better
equipped with knowledge of technological and internet-equipped devices than ever before. Why
inhibit these skills when it can be used in conjunction with educational technology to help
students prepare themselves for the future?” (Educators and Grant Applicants, 2018).
According to the website they award grants quarterly (January, April, July, and October).
This is beneficial because the grant application can certainly be completed at any time during the
year. There really are no eligibility requirements other than the grant has to be used for a school
and it must be used on technology specifically to improve student achievement. There was also
no limit on the amount that could be requested. The website and the application don’t indicate a
maximum amount. What they do indicate is that the grant needs to be used to outfit a school
In trying to get a makerspace created and supplied, our school could use this grant
specifically to purchase technology to be used in that setting. Specifically, this grant could be
used to purchase ipads for student use in the makerspace. The makerspace will be designed for
students to create and collaborate with both high and low tech tools. We believe the ipads will
give students the opportunity to design, communicate, and create in a high tech way. These
devices will be a part of the makerspace and will be available to all students in the school. Right
now, the school has laptop computers that teachers can sign out for classroom use. There are no
ipads in the building. We believe that the ipads will give students another tool to use to create
projects and improve their ability to use technology in a creative and innovative way. In
addition, students can use the ipads for audio and video production as well as many other
multimedia uses. In addition, students can use these devices to access information on the
internet and communicate with other students and other schools. We believe that students in the
21st century need access to multiple technology tools in order to remain competitive. As we
move to create a makerspace, the ipads will give students a high tech option.
The pros of applying for this grant include the rolling deadline. This allows us to apply at
any point during the school year. It also allows our school to apply multiple times if we are not
initially awarded the grant. That way it is still possible to use the grant during the current school
year. In addition, while we are seeking ipads, the grant really can be used for any technology that
would benefit our school and student achievement. It allows for flexibility. The application is
very simple to complete. While it does require a thorough explanation of how the funds will be
used and how student achievement will be measured, the application itself doesn’t present a
barrier.
One of the cons to this grant is the lack of details in the amounts. When applying for a
grant it is difficult to determine if what you are asking for is too much or too little. This may
require specific email follow up with the grant administrators. In addition, this grant appears to
require that the school have a detailed plan on not only how the technology will be used (this is
standard for most grants), but also “what long term strategy will be employed to ultimately
increase student achievement and technology integration.” (Educators and Grant Applicants,
2018). This will require the school to create a long-term action plan on how these devices can be
specifically tied to student achievement, including what measures will be used to show the
effects of the ipads on achievement. This can be difficult as the plan is to use the ipads as part of
a makerspace.
I believe this is a grant that our school should apply for. In our plans to create a viable
makerspace for our students to create, collaborate, and communicate using both low and high
tech tools, this grant can help. Students will continue to need access to multiple technologies in
schools and in life if they are to meet with success. In addition, we believe that the addition of
the ipads will foster many 21st century skills including multimedia production.
Grant 3
The idea is to help create partnerships between the Motorola Solutions Company and the public.
They focus on funding 4 areas: public safety, disaster relief, employee volunteerism, and
Education with a focus in engineering and information technology. Those four areas are very
broad but Motorola mentions their three key focus areas are: STEM Education, public safety
education, and blended public safety and technology & engineering education programs.
Motorola Solutions Foundation wants to overall reach these areas to set up future employees
within the office sites. When companies give back to communities it helps teach the future
workers for their companies or other companies in the area. Most people stick around where
they grew up and can work at a company if they had the tools to learn more while growing up.
The deadlines for this grant are straight forward. In the year you are applying for you
need to fill out an inquiry application in order to get approval to apply for the grant. This is a
process that sorts of who is able to apply for the grant instead of the company sorting through the
long applications and finding out that person wasn’t eligible. The inquiry and application are
online and easy to fill out. You will hear from the company Mid-March if you can apply for the
formal application. The deadline for the formal application is Mid-April. If you apply before the
deadline you should hear if you received the grant by late-July. This is great timing for schools
because whoever receives it can plan on how they will set up their spending for the next school
year. Usually schools or teachers do not try new initiatives until the beginning of the next school
year.
There are very few requirements for eligibility. The first thing you have to be eligible for
is you have to be within a certain surrounding area near a Motorola Solutions office. It is not
specific to a mileage just mentions you can be within the Metropolitan area or outside of the
Metropolitan area. I mentioned before this company focuses on their communities surrounding
their offices so it wouldn’t make sense to apply if you aren’t near one of their offices. The
foundation supports first responders, veterans, professional and volunteer fire personnel, disaster
response professionals, and educators. For the area of public safety, Motorola wants to make
their communities safer by providing the resources to do so. Disaster relief support isn’t just for
the responders but also support the victims who need help during those times of disasters. If you
are an employee they provide you with a matching program, meaning if you donate they match
what you donate. Lastly in Education, their focus is to support programs in STEM to prepare our
next generation of innovators. These focus areas are also their eligibility requests as they work
hand in hand.
The Motorola Solutions Foundation Grant does not specify too much information on
what the grant has to be spent on but encourages partnerships between the company and
recipients. Grant recipients must be able to show how their program provided measurable
change, meaning the grant made an impact after receiving. If you applied for a specific reason I
could imagine they expect for you to fulfill that task. For our school, we will be focusing on
engaging students in innovation, creation, further their learning by creating a Makerspace with
all of the tools they need to accomplish these tasks. As long as it is impacting STEM and
encouraging invention through the use of hands on technology the applicant in education is
eligible. The total award amounts to a maximum of 50,000. They disperse the grant depending
on the specific need of the applicant. The Motorola Solutions Foundation awarded over 9
Million dollars in grants last year which supported more than 3 million students.
description in the beginning of the paper. This grant will give us an opportunity to fill the
Makerspace with things students can engage in to innovate. Students only get to create things in
certain subjects but can have the opportunity to use this space to create for any area they choose
which also gives every student choice when creating projects for subjects of their choice.
Another reason we would like to apply for this grant would be to improve our STEM relations
within the school. Across STEM subject areas there isn’t a lesson that we all collaborate and
teach. With this grant we can work together to create or group certain lessons to reach across
subject areas that will then show students a connection among subjects that they usually don’t
see. The Makerspace outfitted with certain software, hardware, supplies can heighten the STEM
collaboration by focusing on the science and math background but then using the Makerspace to
build, test, and analyze their designs. Students will get the hands on approach that will help add
By applying for this grant our school will gain many pros but also this grant has a few
cons. One of the pros I believe that is important for our implementation of technology tools is
the amount the grant issues. Technology is expensive and especially when we are trying to buy a
class set of tools for students to use, $50,000 if given the full amount helps purchase all of these
items or at least is a start. The Motorola Solutions Foundation prioritizes middle and high
schools which is a plus for our school since we fit into that category. A con would be we may be
too far out of Baltimore City to be considered for the grant but will not know until we inquiry
apply next year. The company also is looking to issue grants into 3 areas within communities so
the window of opportunity may not shine in our area due to competing areas such as first
responders, fire personnel, disaster relief, or employees that directly work at Motorola Solutions
Company.
Overall this grant would fulfill our need for supplies to create our makerspace. It would
not be hard to show growth after students have begun to innovate, create, and further their own
https://www.motorolasolutions.com/content/dam/msi/docs/about-us/cr/2018_motorola_solutions
_foundation_grant_program_priorities.pdf
Grant 4
The Braitmayer Foundation awards grants up to $35,000 to K-12 and higher educational
systems for proposals utilizing innovative practices throughout the United States. In order to be
eligible, a school must be located in the United States and provide K-12 or higher educational
curricula. The grant program, located in Marion, MA, aims to support innovative programs to
enhance the quality of education at the pre-collegiate level. This year's program is emphasizing
two key areas: "curricular and school reform initiatives" and "preparation of and professional
development opportunities for teachers, particularly those which encourage people of high ability
and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12 teaching." This emphasizes the SAMR
model of innovative analysis. The grant encourages the effective use of technology, but should
also allow teachers and staff the ability to identify and evaluate their current situation.
Collaboration and development of practices is key to moving forward and enhancing classroom
lessons.
The deadline for letters of inquiry was March 15 at midnight. The grant also requires site
visits. These visits will occur between October 2018 and January 2019. Notices are sent to each
site by March 15, 2019. The foundation does not specify the number of awards to be granted,
but over the past three years, the awards have been between three and five. Over the past few
years, recipients have been K-12 schools, colleges and universities, individual academic
programs within schools or districts, organizations that support extracurricular activities and a
variety of nonprofit organizations. The grant registration process can be accessed through this
The Braitmayer Foundation restricts spending grant money to individuals, nor may a site
have multi-year grants, nor grants for general operating, endowment purposes, or building
programs. One con is the grant cannot be awarded to daycares or pre-kindergarten even if they
have educational programs. A few pros is the application process is step by step with a written
guideline for how to register. It also has several contact numbers to offer support and/or answer
questions. Administration or a technology leader could easily contact someone from the
foundation if they had questions or concerns. Administration would also benefit from knowing
the grant awards up to $35,000. Principals are sometimes restricted to how much money they
can spend and what they can spend it on. This grant allows leaders to diversify funds and
Some of last year’s grant recipients have shared their agendas and uses for the funds on
the foundation’s website. KQED, a school in California has created a series of self-paced and
synchronous online professional learning courses that will be free to ready to access by educators
in order to help them learn and practice the digital media literacy skills and strategies they need
to create more effective learning environments. The Urban College of Boston applied in order to
support the high school to teacher dual enrollment program which is a career-focused study in
high school that leads to an early-career certificate and accelerates students’ completion of an
Oakland, California received a grant to support Studio H, a rigorous and nationally recognized
design/build academic program for high school students. It applies core subject learning to teach
fundamental and creative skill related to industry-relevant design, construction, community
Receiving this grant would meet the need of providing teachers with professional
development when it comes to implementing technology in the classroom. Many teachers have
remained stagnant and resistant to the infusion of technology, but with further reinforcement and
specific support, teachers can see how the implementation of technology creates a more
collaborative and authentic learning environment. Being able to Skype with students in other
countries, for example, gives students a more meaningful relationship with learning about varied
cultures and social networks. Overall this grant supports innovative programs designed to
enhance the quality of education and promote the growth of diverse learners.
https://thejournal.com/newsletters/k12-grant-alert/2018/03/20180312.aspx
http://www.braitmayerfoundation.org/
Grant 5
members and focus on effective use of technology in teaching. MSET originated around 1984
and meet to share information and discuss technology programs around the state of Maryland.
Their purpose is to promote the improvement of teaching through effective computer education
Each year MSET offers grants that have to be written meeting 9 different criteria and are
judged and scored in order to achieve the grant. Some of these criteria include: description of the
proposal, goals and objectives, itemized list of needs, assessment of growth, standards it will
meet, and a timeline. The description of the proposal will be published if the grant is selected
and shouldn’t be longer than 75 words. The itemized list needs to include the products to be
purchased, model numbers, quantity, and the cost. This is important to receive the full amount
you are asking for. The MSET would like for the writer to include all standards ranging from
state to national technology standards. Lastly, a timeline that outlines implementation of the
proposal. These 9 things are important for each writer to include when applying for this grant.
The deadline for this grant is early December, this is due to the MSET conference to
which they may ask you to present at. Applicants will be notified by the end of December to
know the status of the grant. Grant recipients will be asked to create an iLearn Maryland course
for other educators to follow after completion. At our school we will want to thoroughly
complete an iLearn course to document how to set up a Makerspace and show improvement due
to the implementation.
Grant applicants can receive up to 2,000 dollars per grant. To be eligible for this grant
opportunity you have to be a Maryland Society for Educational Technology Member. Your
membership fee has to be paid prior to December 1st of each year and only one grant will be
accepted per school. This membership includes eligibility for all grants, subscription to a
newsletter, and networking opportunities by attending their conference events. Being a member
and creating the iLearn course will be overall be beneficial to an educator in the state of
Maryland who wants to implement and assess the use of technology in their classroom.
Grant funds may be used for all types of software, apps, hardware, or input devices such
as a mouse or keyboard. Grant funds can’t be used for professional developments, field trips,
consumables, and infrastructure. These funds must be used overall to promote innovative uses of
technology and help gain digital learning skills to improve student achievement.
By applying for this grant our school will gain many pros but also this grant has a few
cons to it to the average grant writer. At first you have to be a member of MSET and pay your
membership fee by the 1st of December of the year you are applying to the grant. This can be a
challenge for some due to membership fees that have to come from the educator’s pocket who
maybe can’t afford this fee each year. It is beneficial if the member uses all of the benefits that a
member has which isn’t too many as I mentioned above. Torn between a pro or con, I would say
it can be a task to create an iLearn course for other educators to follow. I say this is a pro due to
the benefit others can follow and get the same results but a con because it is another part of
planning added to the educator’s pallet. The opportunities to use this grant for software is a pro
because most 3-d printers need software to create in order to print. These software can be
expensive or require a license which expire each year. Students can’t use the hardware if they do
not have the software necessary to invent, create, or innovate in the Makerspace we are trying to
build from the bottom up. In the end, these technological tools needed for the Makerspace will
help student achievement by providing alternatives for students. Student choice helps interest
and interest drives completion if the student sees real world application and learning. For
educators, the grant can help them move up the SAMR model. Most teachers when given
technology or a technology tool do not use it correctly within instruction. Teachers can’t
through the effective use of technology and believe we will achieve that by creating a
Makerspace in our school. This is why we would apply to this grant to add software and
Grant 7
The Verizon Foundation Grant is a grant that is intended to support projects that promote
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Some of the things this grant can be used
for are after school programs, teacher training, and research on improving learning in STEM
areas through the use of technology. In order to be eligible for this grant, the organization must
The deadline for this grant has passed for this year. It is October, 2017. However,
Verizon is accepting grant applications for October 2018. There are many eligibility
requirements listed on the website. To begin, the institution applying for the grant must qualify
as tax-exempt. With that, the organization must comply with all laws regarding registration and
reporting. In addition, the organization must keep books available for independent outside audit
The award amount for this grant has a minimum of $5000 and a maximum of $10,000.
However, there are a lot of restrictions on spending. Grant funds may not be used to purchase
real property or plant capital purchases. At least 85% of the total grant funds must be used for
direct costs of the project. Indirect costs may be no more than 15% of the total grant funds.
computer hardware or software, data, or networks should not comprise more than 20 percent of
the total funds (However, as you’ll see below, this does not apply to schools). There are
additional stipulations specifically for education grants. Schools may not use Foundation money
to purchase computer hardware (computers, laptops, tablets, phones, routers, etc.) or be used to
purchase data or internet service and access. Because the project that we are looking to fund is a
makerspace, we would need to be very discerning on what we intend to use these funds for.
This grant can benefit our project tremendously. While there are many restrictions on
how funds are used, because we intend to create a makerspace, we also have flexibility as to how
we intend to use the money. The grant is specifically designed to support STEM programs in
schools and the makerspace aligns with that perfectly. The benefit to applying for this would be
that our needs line up with the purpose of the grant. Grant funds can be used specifically for
training staff on how to use the new technology in the maker space. Additionally, any other
funds can be used to fund a summer STEM program in the new makerspace with the intention to
While there are many benefits to applying for this grant, there are also some drawbacks.
There are many restrictions that apply to the usage of these funds. Unlike some of the other
grant opportunities which allow for more freedom, this grant requires careful tracking of the use
of the money so that we stay within the required percentages. Within the grant description it
states hardware and software that cannot be purchased with the funds. In a makerspace, though,
there are many hardware items that need to be purchases (both low and high tech). It is unclear
as to whether the funds can be used for things such as 3D printers, cameras, or low tech items for
creation such as Legos, art supplies, or science or math equipment. This is why we would
specifically use these funds on teacher training and to implement a summer STEM academy
instead of trying to haggle over what hardware we can or cannot purchase. Another drawback to
this grant is that it requires that we make our financial books available for review. While this is
While this grant is more complicated than some of the others, I do believe it is worth
applying for. For one, the grant amount is significant and can go a long way to help develop
STEM skills in students. Also, unlike other grants for this project, because of the specific
restrictions, the funds from this grant will go, not to hardware or physical “things” but to teacher
training and the implementation of a summer STEM program for students. When creating a
makerspace it is easy to get caught up in outfitting the space with technology and items for
student use. What often gets forgotten is the need for professional development for the teachers
to properly utilize the space. One of the big pushes with students today is summer regression.
We believe that developing a summer academy in a “camp” style will not only increase student
engagement in STEM but will help to increase student achievement in those areas. The funds
could be used to help fund this summer program (funding of a summer program is specifically
stated in the grant description). We can use the funds to pay teachers not only to work but to
plan a curriculum that involves hands on STEM activities. The program would be a half-day
program for two weeks in the summer in which students would work in teams to collaborate,
plan, and create STEM projects that tie to real world issues. At the end of the two weeks,
students will be required to present their project to students, staff, and parents. Teachers will use
STEM standards to guide the instruction. Again, I believe this grant is worth considering in that
the funds can be used, not on hardware, but on developing a program that will utilize the space
References