5 Steps to Winning Grants and Increasing Student Success
Do you have an excellent idea for a science project or need equipment, supplies, or professional development but lack the funding to make it happen? Grants deliver financial support, but many educators struggle with the process. And why wouldn't they? Grant writing is an art that takes practice, and educators have enough on their plate.
The Ward’s Grants Services team is here to help—for free! First-time grant seekers and those who have already attempted to get funding can benefit from our wealth of up-to-date information regarding the grant application process, guidelines, and funding sources. Our in-house consultant uses their extensive experience to increase your chances of winning the science funding to help your students succeed and prepare them for the future. Free for all: teachers, faculty, and administrators in public, private K-12 schools and districts, colleges, universities, and technical schools.
C'mon, what have you got to lose? Besides all that grant money!
Five steps to Funding Success
The funding and grant application process can be daunting, but our Funding and Grants team makes it easy. So when school budgets can’t cover your ingenious project ideas, these steps will increase your likelihood of success, so your ideas become a reality.
Step one, if you’ve got 30 seconds to spare (you know you do!), contact Ward’s Funding and Grants consultant today to get grant information sent directly to your inbox. Then set up a time to talk live. They will hold your hand through the entire process, answer your questions in an easy-to-understand way, and set you up for success.
You’ll get free help, from planning the project to writing the application. You’ll get answers to questions such as:
- What is a grant?
- Who can apply?
- Where do I find grant opportunities?
- What information should I include?
- How do I craft a compelling story?
- How to write a grant budget?
- How do I connect with funders?
- How do I avoid common mistakes?
- And more!
This step is the easiest but the most important, by far.
Step two, stay updated on current openings. Find a central place to check what's open. It’s never too early to know about them. If you completed Step one above, the Ward’s Funding and Grants team is doing this for you, at no charge! Yea, we got you!
Step three, check with your superiors (principal, superintendent). Some of the grants are awarded to districts, not the classroom. So, make sure the district supports your request.
Step four, plan to invest 3-5 hours over three weeks for planning and preparation. Many grant applications are denied due to poor writing and weak formulation of ideas. Warning: If you didn’t complete step one above, the amount of time you need to invest would increase to a gazillion hours!
Step five, identify partnerships. Partnerships are becoming big; funders love it. They want to see who you're partnering with in the community and how you'll keep the money going. So, ask your principal who the school’s partners are. Career and technical education (CTE) are perfect partners. CTE and science education work together, so it makes sense to apply for grants together. Grants are for ALL students; if your school has a CTE program, talk to them. They may recommend grants suitable for your science students.
Use these steps to get funding to help make the impossible possible! If not you, then who! If not now, then when?
The process for obtaining financial support is usually very competitive, particularly when there are limited resources. Funding bodies also want to ensure their grants will be put to the best use, maximizing the effect on education. The five steps we outlined will help you be among the successful applicants.
Andrew Hayes, April 2023
(Everything in the tank behind Andrew was purchased with grant funds!)
Connect with our Funding and Grants Consultant today to get started with these five steps or learn more.