Innovative Grant Guidelines

2023 Innovative Education Grant Guidelines

GRANTS

Grant applications due on February 24, 2023​

GRANT FUNDS MUST BE USED BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.  IF FUNDS ARE NOT USED BY THIS DATE YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO RE-APPLY FOR THE 2024 GRANT.

The mission of the Arrow Education Foundation is to "provide resources to genuinely enhance opportunities for students in the Watertown School District".

The Foundation awards grants for innovative and creative educational projects, which are beyond the scope of the regular school budget.   

Eligibility

All Watertown Public School District pre-kindergarten to 12 staff are eligible to receive grant funds.  Grant awards must benefit public education to students. 

Description of Innovative and Creative Projects

Grants are awarded for innovative and creative educational projects. The project may be for a classroom, a grade level, a school, several schools, or the total Watertown School District. Applicants may be made by one or more teachers, a group of teachers/staff, a teacher-parent group, or another WSD employee or group.

Innovative grants can be:

  • A new or innovative project, tool, or technology for a school or classroom. Examples include: an all-school art and writing competition, locally made stand-up desks for a school’s 6th-grade classrooms, cutting-edge microscope attachments for high school science classes, bird watching kits for a 4th-grade classroom, or Frisbee golf discs for a middle school team.

  • A one-time event or experience that offers students a unique experience that would not otherwise be available. Examples include a high school physical science class attending a special science education day at an amusement park, all elementary orchestra students attending a children’s performance at the Washington Pavilion, and a week-long musical and history artist-in-residence program at each elementary school.

  • An immediate impact grant that boosts a program or activity to another level. Examples include: an expert consultant in emotionally bullying working with all elementary students and educators, a full kitchen play set for a kindergarten classroom, three hundred The Richest Man in Town books for an all Middle School read and focus on character building, and $60,000 in tools to support teachers in better linking curriculum to student learning with laptops at the high school.

Grant Writing Assistance

The Arrow Education Foundation staff is available to assist applicants at any stage of the grant process.  Grant recipients, principals, department heads and program directors may be good resources to assist in writing the grant application.  Technical grant applications need to be discussed with the technology department before being submitted. (See details in a following section.) 

Guidelines

  • Grant fund requests can be from $300 to $5,000.

  • The full cost of the grant may be funded by the Foundation alone or in partnership with another donor you have identified. You do not need to have another donor to apply.

  • One person or several persons may apply for the grant. One of the lead applicants must be a Watertown School District employee. List all persons who are applying for the grant.

  • Grant applications need to describe the project clearly and specifically.  Use the "Innovative Education Grant Criteria for Evaluation of Grant Application" chart on the last page to guide you.  Include graphs, drawings, descriptive materials, catalog pictures and costs of materials. Non-educators, as well as educators, will assess the application so explanations need to be in common language. Applications are not limited to one page.

  • Consult your principal or director and the WSD technology department for technical grants about your grant idea.  This is to avoid duplication and to assure that the project cost cannot be funded from the regular school budget or a federal/state program.  Building principals need to indicate if it is to become necessary, whether their building budget will be able to support replacing of grant-sponsored equipment.

  • The budgeted costs must be reasonable, allowable, and cost effective for the activity proposed.

Guidelines for a Technology-Related Grant Application

Along with the guidelines above, please consult the Technology Director regarding specific considerations for technology-related grant applications.  Deb Fredrickson will answer questions and offer assistance to anyone with a technology-based AEF grant application.  All recommendations will be made by the Director to ensure fairness and consistent, accurate advice.

Guidelines  -  The technology is:

  • innovative and new to the district or group (department, classes across the district, classes in a school or the whole school)

  • compatible with the school's network

  • can be supported technically by the backbone and staff

  • fits within the acceptable use agreements

  • has been reviewed by the Technology Director

  • uses an acceptable bandwidth if connected to the Internet. 

Application Process

  • Applications are due on February 24, 2023. 

  • All technology grant applications should be discussed with the Technology Director, Deb Fredrickson, on the process of writing the application.  Contact information:  deb.fredrickson@k12.sd.us

  • Applications are found HERE

  • Applications may be emailed to the Foundation at WatertownAEF@k12.sd.us

  • Please confirm receipt of your application with the office staff.

  • Grant award and non-award notification will be made by March 31, 2023.

Upon Receipt of the Grant

  • Grantees will inform parents and colleagues about the project and acknowledge the Arrow Education Foundation as donor. 

  • Tag Foundation gifts with bookplates or tags.  Please request these from the Foundation office.

  • Label materials with WSD asset tags and include in inventory.

  • Grantees will be asked to provide information and photos for Foundation public relations purposes.

  • All materials purchased with Foundation funds must stay within the district, but may move with the grant recipient from one classroom or school to another.

  • Grantees agree to use Foundation funds solely for the purpose requested.

  • Grantees will return unused funds to the Foundation within one month after the project period is finished.

     

Grant Reporting

Grantees will be expected to produce a 60-90 second video for the HARVEST 2023 fundraising event or other media that shows how the awarded dollars are being utilized. Recipient to be respectful of submission date to be determined.

Selection Process

A granting committee, comprised of community and Foundation board members, will review the grant applications.