Middle & High School Teacher Project Funding
Teachers Can Find Funds for Educational Programs or Projects
Sep 1, 2009
Teachers work hard to provide interesting educational opportunities for their students. Many times they are stopped by funding issues. The key to finding funding is to have a well thought out project and to be creative in finding funding sources.
Organize Educational Projects that Need Funding
Before searching for funding sources, teachers need to formalize exactly what they want to do and the materials and costs involved. First, a teacher will need to write out a draft of a couple paragraphs explaining what is needed and why. When writing, a teacher needs to make sure to include how it fits into the curriculum, how it uses state standards and indicators and how it helps students learn.
Second, a list of all costs involved will need to be made. Teachers need to include every single item on this list. This may take some research. Shopping around for good prices for items needed may take some time as well. When a formalized list and description is complete, teachers can start searching for funding sources.
Limeaid for Learning
One great site to find funding is Limeaid for Learning, which is sponsored by Sonic and Donorschoose.org. The main focus of this site is to fund teacher projects that inspire learning. Teachers can sign up on the Limeaide for Learning website and post their projects. People can vote on projects when they buy a drink at Sonic.
There are many projects to vote for on the website, so to win funding, a teacher will need to take advantage of the help that the website provides. There are badges to add to school websites, email/blog templates and customizable press releases to send to newspaper, as well as personalized fliers that can be printed.
Donorschoose.org
At the Donorschoose.org website, teachers can also post their projects. At this website, people can donate money to fund a variety of teacher projects. There are teacher tutorials, tips and sample projects to help teachers put together their requests.
For high school teachers, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has offered over $4 million to help fund "high-school teachers at high-need (40% or more students eligible for free/reduced lunch) or rural schools half-funding for all projects to prepare their students for college" for projects placed on the website.
Other Possible Local Sources
In addition to the websites that help teachers fund projects, teachers can also contact local businesses. Places that teachers can try contacting are as follows: soda companies that service the school, local restaurants, department stores, grocery stores, insurance companies, etc. The key is to send out a formal request describing the project, tell how students will learn and the cost. Many times companies will pay for part of the cost. It also helps if a parent works at a company to secure funding.
Send Story to Newspaper With Photo
When a project is funded, it is important for teachers to thank their sponsors with letters from the students. In addition, many local newspapers will print stories about local businesses helping classroom teachers. Teachers need to take the time to send a story describing the project, the sponsors and a photo to the newspaper. This is great publicity for the business that helps fund the project.
There is definitely a time commitment involved in securing funding. Teachers need to get organized and spend some time hunting for financial backing. However, it will all be worth it when students complete a neat unit and learn.
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