This toolkit contains practical resources to introduce charter support organizations (CSOs) to the benefits and advantages that leading federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) activities can bring to their state. With a practical set of tools to assist CSOs with CSP engagement, this toolkit focuses on the CSP grants to state entities, which enables…

In this essay, I reflect on my experiences and lessons learned while serving as Commissioner of the National Center for Special Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Although I was in the grant writing business for my nearly 30 years as a professor of special education, I learned that I knew very little…

Physical educators often find it difficult to secure funding for their programs in these tough economic times. However, there is funding out there, if one knows where to look and how to ask for it. This article describes how physical education teachers can make a funding action plan, who to contact, where to write to, and how to get equipment for…

It is not news that software exists to check undergraduate papers for plagiarism. What is less well known is that some federal grant agencies are using technology to detect plagiarism in grant proposals. That variety of research misconduct is a growing problem, according to federal experts. The National Science Foundation, in its most recent…

"We want a grant for 20 computers." This was the author's directive from district administrators nearly 25 years ago. As a district grants specialist, she dutifully wrote the grant for computers so that the schools would be prepared for the 21st century. Back in the late 1980s, the computers themselves were the crux on the federal grant…

Teachers' unions in at least two states are threatening to withhold endorsements of their states' Race to the Top applications, which could jeopardize the states' chances of winning the coveted federal dollars. In a letter printed as an advertisement in the Tallahassee Democrat, Florida Education Association President Andy J. Ford discouraged…

This booklet is a step-by-step guide to developing a grant application for educational project funding. Following a brief review of grant terminology, the booklet discusses sources of funding and the development of federal legislation. A discussion of the actual grant proposal includes such topics as writing the abstract and objectives, the time…

This article addresses two aspects to securing funds through grant writing: (1) how to apply for grants; and (2) where to apply. Grant writing is not as difficult as many people believe. Although there are courses on grant writing, very few people start their career with the goal of "becoming a grant writer." In this article, the author presents…

The Proposal Evaluation Criteria section in a request for proposal (RFP) or grant announcement suggests the information which should be supplied to the funding agency: (1) demonstration of understanding of the program; (2) proposed approach, (3) adequate management; (4) personnel qualifications; and (5) the organization's previous experience. (GDC)

The author discusses his success at obtaining financial support, especially in the area of serving the disadvantaged. Proposal writing techniques and standard proposal components are reviewed and resources for grant seekers are featured. He also covers other facets of resource development. (CH)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides several funding opportunities that can assist states in designing, developing, and implementing statewide education longitudinal data systems. These new and enhanced information systems will enable states to track student progress within and across the secondary and postsecondary education…

The purpose of the adult education program in Louisiana is to provide for the initiation, maintenance, and expansion of instructional offerings for adults. A minimum of 10 percent of the annual federal allocation is to be used to fund special experimental demonstration projects and teacher-training grants. This monograph provides detailed…

This manual is designed for individuals, community organizations, and groups that wish to become Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC). The competition for these grants is issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office of Special Education Programs. The handbook provides…

Lists and discusses six sources of basic proposal writing skills and five sources of examples of proposals or parts of proposals. (CHC)

In the context of a controversial award decision by the National Institute of Education (which contradicted the Project Review Board's recommendation), discusses peer review in competitions for federal research grants. Concludes that the principle of peer review needs clarification and that federal contracting procedures are ill-suited to the…