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Sources of Grant Funding

Sources of Grant Funding

The process of seeking external funding for special projects requires a multifaceted approach. Most federal and state Requests for Proposals (RFPs) focus on system-wide initiatives. Therefore, it would be helpful for the Office of Planning and Grants to know if you school has a specific area of interest. Below is a description of primary sources for grant funding.

Federal Grants

The Federal Register published daily (Monday through Friday) lists grant opportunities from each federal department. The Office of Planning and Grants reviews these grant opportunities on an ongoing basis. Visit Web addresshttp://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html.

State Grants

The South Carolina Department of Education and the Governor's Office send all notifications of grants opportunities to the Superintendent. Visit Web address http://www.myscschools.com/.

Local Grants

Local grants are funded typically by agencies within a given county.

Foundation Grants

Foundation grant opportunities are found in a variety of sources including professional journals and newspapers, books on grant-seeking and year-end foundation reports. Many foundations can be found on the Internet. Visit Web address http://www.schoolgrants.org.

Types of Grants

Competitive Grants: Funding in which applicants vie for awards based on defined guidelines and criteria. Most grants are competitive in nature.

Collaborative Grants: Funding that is based on partnerships across organizations or institutions. The school and/or district is not the lead applicant or primary writer/developer of the grant proposal.

Entitlement Grants: Funding that is allotted based on the number of students or teachers.

Seed Money: Funding to develop and support experimental, new or innovative programs that require "start-up" money.

Project or Program Grants: Funding to support a particular project that meets the funding institution's goals. Projects are specific and measurable in their results.

Challenge or Matching Grants: Funding to encourage matching monies to be raised from other sources, such as foundations, school districts, corporations or community groups.