Can Grants Help You Meet Your School Improvement Goals? (Yes - Here's How)

Take a look at your school improvement goals. What do you need to reach those goals?

By Spring 2025, all students will show measurable growth in Math as demonstrated by Quarterly Benchmarks, Moby Math, and/or Standards of Learning results.

Over the next two years, students in the high needs categories will continue to make considerable growth in academic areas, as defined by the Newton ELA and Math benchmark assessments as well as the state assessment data.

75 percent of students will demonstrate proficiency on the state assessment in the area of ELA.

By June 2025 the percentage of students in grades K-5 performing at or above proficient in Mathematics will increase by 5%.

These statements are school improvement goals from real schools. What are your goals? How will you support your students to reach higher levels of academic achievement? And how do grants fit into the picture?

Many people only think of grants for the “fun stuff”…new musical instruments, classroom art supplies, or playground equipment. Other people only think of grants for “big stuff” like a new soccer field or school expansion project. But grants can offer so much more than that.

What Do You Need to Reach Your School Improvement Goals?

Grants can provide funding for training, curriculum, and innovative programs to support your students. I’ve seen a school leader use a grant to fund classroom aides and a new specialized reading curriculum to support struggling readers. Another funded a full-time teacher’s salary for specialized courses related to a school’s mission. I know a leader who provided one-on-one coaching for classroom teachers to improve math instruction, supported with grant funds. I've seen a grant fund STEM conferences for teachers to improve their implementation of STEM topics. Or a grant could pay for a consultant to help your teachers develop differentiated materials that align with your curriculum.

These projects and so much more are all possible. Take a look at your school improvement goals. What do you need to reach those goals? Here are some very common ideas:

• Specialized resources to meet the needs of a group of students

• Specialized training for teachers to meet their needs

• Additional staff members to create more time for teachers to train, collaborate, and develop shared resources

• Additional staff members to support differentiated small group instruction

• Leadership training to improve teacher development and evaluation

• Manipulatives and computer programs to enrich student engagement and learning

• Stipends for teachers to work together over the summer to create new materials or common assessments

The possibilities are endless. The key is to start with a good plan. What are your school improvement goals? Do you have clear and measurable objectives? Do you have an action plan?

Great! Now, think about how grants can help you meet those goals. Grant makers want to support programs that are likely to have an impact on student achievement. They want to see your students be successful just like you do. You see the need; they have the resources. Partner with grant agencies to do more.

I know it can be time-consuming to look for grants. So I’ve gathered a list of more than forty grants to make the job easier. Start here. Look for any grants that seem to match your goals and then review the website for more information. You just may find a perfect match!

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Grab your free copy of this list of more than 40 grants!

School Grants You Can Use

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Strategic School Fundraising

You now have a list of grant opportunities—but the real question is how to turn those opportunities into funded programs that support your school’s goals.

The Strategic School Fundraising series gives you clear, practical guidance to plan your approach, align funding to your priorities, and move forward with confidence.

Browse the Series on Amazon

Choose the guide that fits your next step.

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