Sunday, June 11, 2006

Science Program Grant: "Making a Difference" Award

My principal just forwarded me a link to this grant application: DCAT "Making a Difference" Award. It's for $2500 to expand a successful middle school science program. You have to describe your program and prove that it has been successful. I think it would be a relatively easy grant to write, and that we might have a shot at getting it. We have the test scores as a starting point for proving our success, and I'd ask some former students to write letters of support indicating their on-going interest in science. What would be harder is making the case that we have a coherent program at all. What we have has developed organically - is still developing - and is full of holes that we are struggling to close. Although we've done some curriculum mapping and whatnot, I don't feel like we have a strategically-designed "program" yet. Then again, if I learned anything in college, it was how to take fragments and present them as though they were a whole - and I can do it pretty convincingly. And goodness knows, we could use the funding, and I would LOVE to attend NSTA (except I'd be out of the country and wouldn't be able to go, anyway).

And then there's the bitter, immature part of me that is like, Write the d*mn grant yourself. You don't even want me here. But why cut off my nose to spite my face? We'll probably apply.

4 Comments:

Blogger NYC Educator said...

I'm not sure I'd characterize it as immature to not wish to do extra work for an administrator who doesn't appreciate you. A good AP, and I've had a few of them, will get you to jump through hoops.

You'll do it without thinking and appreciate the opportunity to help out. It can happen.

7:13 AM  
Blogger Amerloc said...

Had that grant might help fill in some of those holes...

9:05 AM  
Blogger Andrew Pass said...

It's interesting that you're writing about a science program that has developed organically and therefore many not truly even be a coherent program. I'm in the process of writing a report on a program evaluation that I conducted on a literacy initiative and the initiative has been somewhat successful. The major point that I'm going to make is that since it developed organically and not through a "framework" we don't really know if we are accomplishing what we want to accomplish, since we don't know what we want to accomplish. However, we still have something and something is a lot better than nothing. We can develop the framework post-facto and thereby continue improvement. Perhaps you could write that getting this grant would allow you to do the same thing. The grantors may be pleased to know that they are helping something that has already been somewhat successful but could certainly improve even more, rather than taking a risk on an unknown entity.

6:22 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Many grant writers work on a freelance basis; others work for an organization or business as a staff member. No matter which type of employment is procured, a grant writer assembles the pertinent information from which to write the grant proposal. After a proposal is submitted, it is the grant writer who maintains contact with the grantor to verify that all necessary information is supplied.


diabetic diets
murad skin care

11:27 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home