Before looking to apply for grants, it is helpful to understand the different types of grants available to schools.

Formula/Entitlement Grants – formula grants are funding sources that distribute financial awards are based on multiple eligibility factors such as: the percentage of students in the school who qualify for free and reduced lunch programs, or a school's AYP status. Recipients do not have to compete for the dollars; rather funds are allocated based on the formula used to determine eligibility.

Districts apply for formula grants on behalf of their schools.

Examples of formula grants include Title I, Title II, and IDEA (Special Education).

For information about matching McGraw-Hill Education products to formula grant
programs, see Partnering with McGraw-Hill Education.

Competitive/Discretionary Grants – unlike formula grants, applicants of competitive grants are not guaranteed the funds they are seeking. Schools typically respond to a request for proposal, and funding status depends on the quality and score of the application submitted.

Districts, schools charter schools, and even classrooms, apply for competitive grants.

Examples of competitive grant programs include Race to the Top, Teaching American History, Striving Readers, grants from the Gates Foundation, Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants, and the Toshiba America grants.

For more information about competitive grants, see Choosing a Grant and Finding Opportunities.

Funds are distributed to schools from many sources including: the federal government, state education agencies, corporate and family foundations, and local community-based organizations. When determining the funding source that is the best fit for your project, consider the following questions:

1.Is my idea big (impacting the district or school) or small (specific to the classroom)?

Typically, federal level are extremely competitive and given to applicants seeking to implement projects that will affect school- or district-wide improvements. Grants from local businesses or smaller foundations are more appropriate for smaller-scale projects. Foundations like Kellogg, Ford, Bill and Melinda Gates, and the Pew Charitable Trust fund large projects, often from pre-selected lists of partners.

2.What am I trying to do?

Particularly when applying for grants from foundations, ensure that the goals of your project are a match with the focus of the organization.

3.When is it due?

Grant deadlines are firm. Be sure you will have time to gather all the resources you need to submit your proposal by the deadline. A poorly organized or poorly written proposal will not have a good chance of getting funded.

4.Can I meet the requirements?

Read grant applications thoroughly to make sure you will be able to comply with all requirements. You need to show the reviewers that you are prepared to run a successful project, should your application receive funding.

There are a variety of grant resources available to educators. Once you've determined the kind of grant that would be the best fit for your project, refer to the list below for possible funding sources.

District or School-Wide Projects

• U.S. Department of Education – Visit the U.S. Department of Education's website to search for overviews of the many grant programs run by the federal government, and to see a list of the programs with open applications.
• State Education Agencies – Visit the website for your State Department of Education. Search for available grant opportunities within your state. (the single best odds of winning a good-sized grant).
• Intel Schools of Distinction – this grant program supports math and science education.
  Learn more.

Smaller-Scale Projects

There are several websites to help individual classroom teachers find financial support for their ideas.

• Adopt- a-Classroom – Adopt-a-Classroom provides an avenue for teachers to post projects that need funding, and for people looking to make a difference in education to get involved.
• AT&T Foundation – The AT&T Aspire Program awards grants that focus on college and career readiness.
• Community Foundation Grants – Local community foundations are a good resource for grants that typically have fewer regulations and more flexibility for innovation. Locate opportunities by searching for "community foundations" in your same geographic area.
• Dollar General Literacy Foundation – Dollar General has multiple grant programs that focus on literary assistance.
• DonorsChoose.org – DonorsChoose.org matches donors to education projects, and provides an avenue for classroom teachers to advertise their needs.
• DuPont – The DuPont Office of Education grants to science-based projects.
• Lowes Toolbox for Education – Lowes grants up to $5,000 for basic, one-time project needs.
• The NEA Foundation – Apply for grants through the NEA Foundation's Learning & Leadership and Student Achievement grant programs.

Grant Resources

• eSchool News has a broad funding section that includes potential grant opportunities and tips for grant seekers.
  
  Visit the funding section of eSchool News for the latest grants headlines, open grant competitions, recently awarded grant funds, and helpful articles such as "How to find private sources of funding" and "How to know if it's worth applying for a grant".
• Foundation Center is a resource for identifying foundation funding sources.
  
  The Foundation Center provides an online directory of over 500 foundations, as well as tips on applying for foundation grant opportunities. The site allows you to look up organizations, check statistics, identify funding sources, and connect to local resources. The database of related tools includes example grant narratives, planning worksheets, and things to consider when applying for grants.
• SchoolGrants is an online resource of grant opportunities, as well as grant writing tips.
  
  SchoolGrants.org contains a wealth of information from grant opportunities, to grants newsletters, to grant writing tips, and sample successful proposals. SchoolGrants.org also offers consultant services including grant writing workshops.

Whether you are looking to get the most from your Title I funds, or you need help writing your School Improvement Grant, McGraw-Hill is your partner in education.

McGraw-Hill Comprehensive Center for School Improvement

CCSI offers a range of school improvement solutions that meet Race to the Top and School Improvement Grant requirements. Our approach is based on the four assurances for education reform listed in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

• Adopting rigorous standards and assessments
• Recruiting and retaining effective teachers
• Turning around chronically low-performing schools
• Building data systems to track student achievement and teacher effectiveness

CCSI brings together all of McGraw-Hill's educational expertise and resources into a unit dedicated to helping states and school districts drive student achievement in chronically underperforming schools.

Contact us for support with your Race to the Top or School Improvement project.

McGraw-Hill and No Child Left Behind

The chart below summarizes some of the entitlement grants your school may receive and highlights some of the products that align to the goals of each program. Keep in mind that you may be able to combine funds from multiple sources when your objectives align with program requirements.