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Grants
The Grants Office assists program managers in identifying and applying for grant opportunities to support instruction and other special projects in accordance with the Roanoke City Public Schools Strategic Plan. The Grants Office is responsible for the financial reporting of all grants and supports grant administrators in their effective implementation of grant-funded projects.
PurposeThe purpose of the Grants Office is to advance the mission of Roanoke City Public Schools and support the division's goals of creating an optimal urban learning environment, developing a high-performing organization, and to better prepare students for further college education and careers. This is accomplished through a strategic approach to grants development and management.Grants staff help to identify funding opportunities, research and write proposals, review budgets and manage necessary financial accounting, reporting, and auditing functions.
Grants ManagementAny RCPS employee who would like to submit a grant must first contact the Grants Office. The Superintendent or her designee is the only person authorized by the Virginia Board of Education to authorize a grant application, so this preliminary contact is required to ensure proper review and approval of any potential grant proposal, except those funding opportunities identified by the Grants Office as local site-based fundraising opportunities. Opportunities that fall into this will be posted to the Grants Office webpage.Additionally, RCPS requires that the Grants Office be notified of any grant prior to submission, with the exception of identified fundraising opportunities.
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Grant Opportunities for Teachers
ACS-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grants
Since 2008, over 600 high school chemistry teachers received ACS-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grants to support ideas that enhance classroom learning, foster students, and reveal the wonders of chemistry. Grants are up to $1,500. Individuals interested in this grant opportunity should visit the American Chemical Society website for more information.
Adopt-a-Classroom ProgramThis program requires teachers to register at the Adopt-a-Classroom website. Classrooms can be adopted by an individual, small business, corporation or a foundation. Once adopted, teachers receive a $500 credit to purchase items to enrich and extend learning opportunities for their students. The credit can go toward the purchase of classroom technology, books or other materials. Teachers assist in soliciting their own sponsors within their communities by downloading and distributing program flyers or through personalized email from the Adopt-a-Classroom program website. Sponsors receive information about their adopted classroom and the impact their donation has on instruction. Information about this program is available at the Adopt-a-Classroom website.The Awesome Foundation Grants Program
The Awesome Foundation provides funding to conserve, sustain, and support the worldwide ecosystem of awesomeness. Past projects funded include a wide range of areas including technology, the arts, social good, and more. Interested applicants can obtain more information at The Awesome Foundation website.
Box Tops for Education Program
The Box Tops for Education Program allows administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members to go online to register, select a school and go shopping. Purchasing selected products points to the selected school account. Shopper's cards, such as Kroger, can be pre-loaded with point values for purchasing selected products. Three points yield approximately $1 or the school. Points can be redeemed for educational products. Interested individuals can obtain more information and register on the Reward Your School website.
Campbell's Labels for Education Program
Labels for Education is a fun and easy program where families and members of the community work together to “Earn Free Stuff” for their school. By collecting UPCs and beverage/sauce caps from over 2,500 participating products, supplementing your earnings through the eLabels for Education℠ program and with our bonus offers, your school earns points that can be redeemed for Arts, Athletics, and Academics merchandise. Interested persons can check out their catalog and register their classroom and school by visiting the Campbell's Labels for Education website.
Class Wish
With Class Wish, teachers and school organizations can create a wish list of the supplies you need for your classrooms. Class Wish then helps you spread the word to parents and other supporters. Visitors see exactly what is needed and how they can help. Many companies match employee contributions, and that can double the funding. Donors can see on your Wish List which supplies you received. Interested teachers, principals, and PTA/PTOs can obtain further information from the Class Wish website.
Donors Choose ProgramDonorsChoose.org is a program that matches donors with classroom needs. The program requires teachers to register at the DonorsChoose.org website. Teachers post their classroom needs to the website and donors across the United States can select or adopt one or more projects for funding. In return for a project, teachers must submit photos of the project in use and thank-you notes from their students. These are then sent to the project's donors. Teachers may submit multiple projects for funding. Information about this program is available at the DonorsChose website.Ezra Jack Keats Mini-grant ProgramThe Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers mini-grants of $500 to Public Schools and Public Libraries for programs that encourage literacy and creativity in children. Programs relating to the work of Ezra Jack Keats (writer and illustrator) are welcome but not required. Creative programs funded in the past have included (1) ongoing pen-pal projects bringing disparate communities together, (2) multi-cultural portraits in art shows, murals, or quilts, (3) bookmaking, (4) creation and performance of puppet shows, and (5) inter-generational For more information about this grant, go to the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation website.Funding Factory
From Environmental Reclamation Services, LLC, FundingFactory is a free fundraising by recycling program for schools, nonprofits, and charities. Participating organizations can earn points redeemable for cash or new technology by recycling empty printer cartridges, cell phones, and other small electronics from their communities and supporters. For more information about this opportunity, go to the Funding Factory website.Harnisch Foundation
The Harnisch Foundation is seeking applications for its Awesome without Borders grants program. The program supports projects that demonstrate: (unusually creative solutions to unsolved problems; simple answers to big challenges, and the power of love in action and a contagious passion for the project. Grants are funded up to $1,000. Interested individuals can obtain more information at The Harnisch Foundation website.NASA Explorer Schools Project Grants
NASA's Explorer Schools Project offers free online resources to help science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators inspire and engage future scientists, engineers, and technicians. The Project gives educators of grades 4-12 access to NASA’s people, missions, research, and facilities. Free materials include online videos, training materials, lessons, live chats, and collaboration tools. Additional information is available at the NASA Education website.Pets in the Classroom Grants
The Pets Care Trust is for K-6 teachers in the United States who wish to teach students about caring for pets. In order to receive a grant, teachers must shop at a local pet supply store. Grant certificates will be distributed in the amounts of $50, $100, or $150 and may be used to purchase new pets, pet environments, or pet food and supplies for existing classroom pets. Additional information may be found at the Pet Care Trust website.PledgeCentsPledgeCents is a site for classrooms. You post a source and the amount needed for the project. Regardless of whether the goal is met or not, you will be able to keep the funds to put towards the project. Additional information is available on the PledgeCents website.Ready Classroom
Discovery Education is offering free online resources to prepare K-12 classrooms for various emergencies, including earthquakes, extreme heat, floods, hurricanes, landslides, thunderstorms, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanoes, wildfires, and winter storms. The site also offers downloads of an emergency plan worksheet, emergency supply kit checklist, and H1N1 resources. Interested staff can obtain additional information at the Discovery Education website.Scholastic Reading Club ProgramWith Scholastic Reading Clubs, teachers register their classroom/school and flyers are sent to the teacher. Flyers are then sent home with the student. Parents who purchase books for their student(s) give points to the classroom/school. The school can then order new books and supplies from Scholastic. For more information check out the Scholastic Reading Club website.Teachers Helping Teachers Award Program
The Literacy Empowerment Foundation (LEF) would like to acknowledge the many early elementary educators who help other educators. Individuals may nominate an educator for an award. Every week, a new award winner will be chosen. LEF will send each winner $100 worth of books for their school, along with a certificate that acknowledges their achievement. For more information about this opportunity, visit the Literacy Empowerment Foundation website.
Ward's Science Grant-Match Program
This grant provides matching [meaning the school must be able to match the amount awarded] funds ranging up to $1,000 to help schools purchase science laboratory equipment and materials. Further information is available at the Ward's Science website.
WatchKnowLearn!
WatchKnowLearn has indexed over 20,000 educational videos and placed them into a directory of over 3,000 categories. The videos are available free to K-12 teachers and students. Users can directly access the directory or search for videos by subject and age level. Videos come with accompanying titles, descriptions, age-level information, and ratings. Individuals interested in obtaining videos can check out the WatchKnowLearn website.
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Director of AccountingDonna Caldwelldcaldwell@rcps.info | (540) 853-2125
Grants reports to Fiscal Services, which is led by:
Kathleen JacksonChief Financial Officer(540) 853-1347 | kajackson@rcps.info
