I7100.01 - Process for Developing Grant Proposals

The district administration, at the direction of the school board, has established a process for developing and approving all grant proposals.  Basically, the board wants to ensure that proposals meet district objectives and are submitted with the knowledge and support of all concerned staff members.  The sequence to follow is:

1. Develop an idea to meet an educational need or objective.  Consult with teachers, curriculum coordinators, and administrators.
2. Obtain the approval of the appropriate administrators.  This will always include the building principal and often the appropriate directors, as well.  Projects that are highly innovative may require discussion at the district level.  Important considerations include: 
   1. Is the proposed project compatible with district goals, objective, and policies?
   2. Will the concerned staff support and cooperate in the project?
   3. Are the expected results worth the effort?
   4. Is thie project feasible, i.e., do we have the capabilities to achieve the expected results?
3. Determine whether a funding resource is available.  Ask the help of the Grants Office.
4. Contact the funding source for application guidelines and forms.  A preliminary inquiry about the acceptability of the proposal idea may be appropriate.  The Grants Office will help with this.
5. Write the proposal.  Ask the Grants Office for suggestions, critique of proposal and editing.
6. Submit the district's Grant Description Form (availablefrom the Grants Office) and the grant application or project proposal to the Grants Office.  These materials must be sumbitted a minimum of ten days prior to the meeting of the school board at which the grant is to be considered.  Be prepared to attend the school board meeting at which your proposal is to be considered in case the board has any questions.
7. If the school board approves the grant application, it will be the responsibility of the proposal writer to send the required proposals and applications to the funding agency by that agency's deadline.  The Grant Office will assist with this as needed.
8. If the proposal is funded, the Grants Office will set up the budget and review operating procedures for compliance with the requirements of the funding agency.  Should a proposal be rejected, the Grants Office will help analyze the reasons it was rejected and advise on possible rewriting for future submission.
9. Operate the project according to the requirements of the grant.
10. Upon completion of the project, submit the required final report to the Grants Office.  Copies of produced materials must also be sent to the Grants Office for the district's grants depository.