The Classroom Innovation Grant applications are reviewed using a point system. The more points earned, the better the chance your project will be awarded. The better you explain your project and its benefits, the more points you will receive.
Please note: Projects approved from prior years are no longer “renewed,” nor does prior approval guarantee future approval. Because we receive new applicants each year with new project ideas and have limited funds, all projects are considered “new” each year and are awarded based on the points received and how they will benefit the students.
Helpful Tips for Applying:
Classroom Innovation Grant Title:
Be creative and clever but the title should clearly indicate what the project is about.
Students’ Educational Diagnosis:
Be specific because SEF needs supporting data to seek out funding sources.
Select the Category that Best Describes Your Project:
Technology, for example, should only be marked if that is the main purpose of the project; needing an iPad does not constitute a project. The iPad should be the item needed to implement the project, not the project itself.
Project Description:
Be sure to guide the readers as to why/how the project idea evolved; remember the projects should be creative enrichment-type ideas – not the main teaching tool to meet a student’s IEP goals. Items needed to meet a student’s IEP goals should be part of what SSD provides via tax dollars. SEF teacher grants are going above and beyond what SSD can’t provide in terms of extra enrichment activities. Also, remember the projects are to benefit the students in a way that you asked for your project to fund activity and got turned down. Explain that it was supported, but that there were no funds available.
Itemized Project Budget– Name/Qty/Price:
You will earn more points if you list the name of each item and its cost; make it easy for the reader to give you points. Providing a detailed or itemized list shows real thought and consideration for your project.
Total Amount Requested:
The total requested should match the total itemized budget, do not round up to include tax – the SSD Tax Exempt letter should be used for all purchases; tax will not be included in the amount awarded. Grant requests may not exceed $1,500; list the real cost even if it is over the maximum allotted.
Partial Funding Would Be:
If you check accepting partial funding, be sure to have a plan for your items to fit your project to what may be awarded to you - projects will not be adjusted later based on if you did not receive your full amount requested. If your project requires the full amount requested to implement it, then choose that partial funding would be rejected option.
Describe the Preparations Involved in Developing the Project:
Guide the reader as to what you have ALREADY done to develop the project; do not state that once funding is received . . . tell the reader all the steps you have taken prior to asking for the money. For example, make sure the reader knows that you have discussed the project with others and that your supervisor loves the idea, but has no money in the budget to fund it. Explain if you have met with others and came up with the outline of the project in terms of what it would look like if you had money to spend, including thinking of ways to evaluate the success of the project. Again, preparations should already have been completed.
Describe the Evaluation Process for the Project:
Do not indicate that you are going to use progress on student’s IEP goals, remember this is above and beyond – an innovative enrichment project is the purpose of the Classroom Innovation Grant Program. Make the evaluation simple with this bottom line question in mind – Would you and/or your students want to do the project again? Since the grants are all about the students – include student feedback as to how they liked it and ways to improve it next time. We are also looking for more than just using a Survey as an evaluation tool.
Research Support:
Make sure the reader understands that your project is research based and if quoting sources they are current best practices. Your research should sell the project to the readers, explaining that there is benefit to your project. Links to your research will not be looked at. The information needs explained as your answer to the research. Our reviewers will not go searching for the information via links.
Previous Recipient of a Classroom Innovation Grant:
If you were a previous recipient of a grant last year, you MUST have completed a Feedback Form by the indicated deadline. Not having completed a Feedback Form will result in your project being declined. (Feedback Form deadlines will occur after all monies would have been spent and projects completed by the end of that school year.)
Approval from Your Special Education Coordinator or Principal:
You MUST talk to your educational coordinator or principal and they understand what you want to do, the items you need, the cost of your project and that they can’t fund it for you. SEF reaches out to Principals and Coordinators oftentimes to discuss Classroom Innovation Grant projects, so make sure they have verified your project is being submitted to SEF. Not having this verification will result in your project being declined.
