On January 13^th, the LinkedIn Learning Blog, noted the top two soft skills for 2020 are #1 creativity and #2 persuasion.[1] Whenever I think about writing grants or other reports, these two skills seem to surface for me. For many of us, the very thought of writing a grant may stir up feelings of fear and anxiety. Perhaps even hearing the word “grant” gives you the same panic you may have experienced for an upcoming exam.  But let’s re-consider those skills of creativity and persuasion along with writing a grant application. Grant writing can offer a balance between creativity and persuasion. It can enable you, and me, to approach the task of writing with a fresh, exciting, and positive outlook. The same holds true whether you are writing a grant or a book.

As 2020 started off with a roar, a local author, J. Paige Straley, contacted me about his book Jack’s Christmas.[2]He wanted me to write a testimonial. So I had to approach this request from a creative, yet persuasive manner. This is an exhilarating adventure for children of all ages. As I read the story, I realized how Paige Straley used the skills of creativity and persuasion to leave you with a warm, cozy feeling of belonging; something we all long for and need in our lives. For parents, caretakers, and teachers, Jack’s Christmas allows children to experience the often, neglected art of rhymed poetry in a delightful story of nature. Teachable moments abound with themes such as safety and security, perseverance, science, and natural environments. Jack comes alive as he slips and slides his way home. And what a heart warming, home coming it is!

I am grateful to have joined Jack as he takes his exciting trail home. And I am equally grateful for creative writers that bring the warmth and joy to writing.

This year, take a look at some of the opportunities on GrantsAlert awaiting you to be creative. Grants can grant you the opportunity to bring new and exciting learning to your students. Choose one or two grants to pursue. This is a great way to jump-start yourself into the joys of grant writing. Start small and then use your creativity and persuasiveness to write a proposal. It all comes down to explaining what you believe in for your project and how you can persuade the funder to invest in your creativity.

Is grant writing worth the time and effort?  Yes! Keep writing and keep submitting grants. Send me a note, under contact us, and let me know your progress. It would be lovely to read something that said, “Yes, Dr. Love, I got a YES. Yes, we loved your creative project and yes, we will be sending you the money. “

[1]https://learning.linkedin.com/blog/top-skills/the-skills-companies-need-most-in-2020and-how-to-learn-them

[2]http://www.jackschristmas.com

Every year, teachers quietly and anonymously pay an average of $500, and up to a $1,000, a year for supplies for their classroom.  Yet, this goes beyond pens and papers, and can include lessons and the tools needed to teach them.   For example, a recent Gallup, Inc. report shows that 43% of teachers purchase electronic learning tools with their own money, while only 19% apply for grants for these products.  Those numbers should be reversed with the goal being an ever-widening gap between the two.

We get it! Grants can be daunting, especially after a long day of teaching and a longer night of grading. But unless applying for a new library wing, most applications under $5,000 are no harder than a lesson plan. Plus, unlike a lesson plan, you can reuse the material for other grants without groans of bored students.  To get you in the right frame of mind, here are a few key steps:

• Know your target– With a good tool like GrantsAlert.com, you will be able to review a host of possible grants. Target those that fit your need and scope right now and keep a wish list of future grants.  Most often, the worst outcome of a grant is receiving one you cannot complete.
• Take time to prepare– Pick a grant with a deadline a few weeks out, preferably months.Get a cup of coffee and read through what is being asked.  Send out requests for needed data or input and enjoy dreaming what you want.  A rushed grant is evident by the lack of true vision and uneven nature of the narrative.   A last second grant will also discourage future attempts, and this is a marathon not a sprint.
• Write in your own words-Again unless it is a new building, your authentic voice will speak louder than technical jargon. Know your material, speak to your expertise, but don’t forget why this is important.  People fund change in other people, not simply implementation of programs.
• Work with partners-The best grants are team efforts as no one is great at all things.If finances are not your thing, get someone to review your budget.  Grammar are not a universally learned skill.  Plus, your administrative office will often have data you will need. Humility is your friend.
• Enjoy- This work will lead to a student learning a skill, realizing a dream or overcoming a barrier.

Once you have your game plan, start writing and don’t worry about a perfect first draft.  If you need help, ask your fellow teachers if they have applied for grants or search for a website (i.e. grantsalert.com).  If you are going for a complicated grant and need support, go to your administration and see if they know of any resources that exist.  Finally, if you need professional support you can contact a consultant, but understand and factor in the cost.  Many people try to pay for consultants or grant writers out of the proceeds of grants, that is a VERY slippery slope and should be avoided.

Grants are often like the Wizard of Oz.  A lot of noise, confusion and fear that dissipates once the curtain is peeled back.  Yet, also remember there were three others (and Toto) supporting Dorothy to get to the end of the Yellow Brick Road.

Good luck and may you not encounter any flying monkeys, they are the worst.

As educators, we spend much time reading and studying. We know reading is the foundation skill for learning. Perhaps in your classroom you have compiled many books to share with young learners that demonstrate the importance of reading. Sometimes we use bookends to support the series of books and make the book titles stand out. My sister knows my love for horses and gave to me a pair of glass horse bookends that I proudly use to support the many resource books I have on grants, RFPs and other funding sources. By positioning them on the opposite ends, this pair of supports enables my books to be easily accessible to me. Lately in my survey of grants, I am seeing the bookends of education quickly becoming a growing funding movement. The bookends of education are Early Learning and Workforce Development.

These opposite ends of the education continuum are the bookends of a student’s educational career. Beginning with preschool learning through college and career readiness, the bookends of education bring lifelong benefits to each student and level the learning field. As a result, the areas of early childhood learning and career and college readiness/workforce development are quickly rising as major areas for investment among federal, state, local, and private funders. A growing number of public and private funders are issuing calls to action and supporting efforts in the bookends by offering grant opportunities.

Between the bookends, and standing tall, is also an area of growing interest and increase funding – the Whole Learner. The bookends frame and support the efforts of social emotional learning, school culture and safety, personalized learning, and family engagement. These are just some of the many supports contributing to the success of the whole learner and appearing in many grant applications.

As the 2019-2020 school year approaches, consider how your school offers solutions to support the bookends of education. Perhaps you offer solutions to benefit the Whole Learner. Look to funding to support the continuum of learning. It is available, here and now!

February is a time of year when we are surrounded by images and messages of love. Perhaps you, or someone you know, may be considering a Request for Proposal to the love in your life.

At GrantsAlert, we fall in love everyday with being able to help you uncover the resources to make a difference in the lives of your students. We think of it as a love affair with funding. We propose to you, three reasons why you should fall in love with funding.

1. Funding brings the financial means to make a difference in meeting student achievement goals.
2. Funding builds your capacity to identify evidence-based solutions to meet your pressing educational needs.
3. Funding strengthens your skills in planning and preparing to benefit your school and community.

As we buzz around looking for grant opportunities, we want to alert you to the vast opportunities that exist and hope that you take advantage of these funding resources for your students and community. So as the school year moves forward, consider a deeper relationship with funding and let us help you fall in love with funds.