Free Resources
Download these FREE printable resources to make your job easier.
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FREE Training videos and podcast
Scroll down to find more free resources. You'll find videos and a podcast to learn more about writing grants for your school.
Grad Schools for Charter School Leaders
Ready to go for your next advanced degree? How can you find out what Master's and Doctoral programs are right for charter school leaders? I've done the research for you! Download this list of (mostly) online programs that support charter school leaders.
50 Grants for Schools
All of the grants on this list are shown as National at and indicate that charter schools with nonprofit 501(c)(3) status qualify to apply. There are many more grants that serve specific communities. Search for additional grants by selecting your state or community, project goals, grades served, and deadline dates.
Delegate (without losing control)
Most charter school leaders struggle to get it all done. You are expected to be an expert in too many jobs, and you never have enough time. It is easy to get buried in the details of a job that someone else could be doing, but how can you decide what to delegate? How can you be sure the job will be done well? Who is responsible if it fails?
This chart will help you decide when (and when NOT) to delegate, and how to manage outcomes and responsibility.
COVID-19 Grants & Resources
Find the funding support your school needs.
Download this list to find a grant for your school. You'll find curated lists of grants from a variety of grants experts. You're sure to find a grant the works for you here!
Put your FAQs to work for you
Learn how to write FAQs that boost enrollment and send the right message.
Classroom Grants List
Teachers from charter schools can apply directly for any of the grants on this list. Purpose, typical or maximum award amounts, and current deadlines are listed for easy reference.
Make It Easy to Make It Make Sense
Learn the basics of how to use assessment data to understand your charter school's progress and set meaningful goals.
Tips for Grant-Writing Success
Working on a grant? Grab your FREE list of tips for grant writing success.
Visualize Your Grant Program
Download this worksheet to help you plan a grant program that funders will want to support.
Funding Plan Template
This free spreadsheet will help you plan your overall funding strategy. Let's get started!
Grants Admin Checklist
This free checklist will help you prepare to manage your grants program.
Are you ready to get started?
Get Results with Grants
Course 1 Sample/What Grantmakers Want
I’ve been asking a question lately - what are the missing ingredients that keep you from being successful with winning grants for your school? And the most common answer I’m seeing has been that you don’t know how to package your grant idea in language that grant agencies will fund. You have tried to write grants before and lost out to higher needs schools or larger programs. You know that your school deserves to win grants, but you are not sure what you are doing wrong.
In this training video, I’m going to show you what grantmakers want from you and how to win their support. With careful attention to language and shared goals, you can find the grant funding your students deserve. Learn how in this free training. You can find the full training course on my product page at www.gumroad.com/peggydowns
#NCSC19 Workshop
Rated Top 20 by Attendees!
Watch this presentation from my workshop at the National Charter School Conference 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Charter School Grants: How to Save Time and Write a Better Grant
Sponsored by charter.support
A shared vision; learn how to partner with donors to make a difference. This session will change the way you think about grants. Find out how to see your grant proposal from the funder’s perspective. Learn how to craft your message to meet their needs, and then develop your program, find your grant donor, and write a proposal that works. Developed by a grant writer who was a charter school director for 8 years and who has spent that last 6 months researching and evaluating grants, this session provides the answers you need to write a successful grant proposal.”
Featured on November 11, 2018
Why do donors fund charter schools? What mindset should have as a leader looking for more funding? In this episode, I interview Peggy Downs, author of The Most Efficient way to write a Charter School Grant.