Current Grant Opportunities and Resources

SBC Excelerator Technology Grants Program

Purpose: This year's multi-million dollar program focuses on helping nonprofits fully integrate technology into their ongoing operations and community outreach.

Program Qualifications: To qualify, the major focus of the organization and project must have emphasis in one of the following areas:

• Education
• Community Development
• Health and Human Services
• Arts and Culture

Individual K-12 schools, districts, systems foundations, both public and private are NOT eligible to apply as a 'lead agent'. (Please note that K-12 schools may be part of a collaborative grant request, but not the lead agents.)

Guidelines: SBC Excelerator seeks to fund projects that build the technology infrastructure of nonprofits enabling them to increase their organizational effectiveness and/or service delivery capability.

Amount of Funding: The majority of grants will be at the $5,000 level.
Collaborations by two or more organizations will be considered for grants up to $50,000 for one year. No grants over $50,000 will be awarded.
Grant funds may be used for data communications services, hardware, software, technology training, personnel, and application development.

Deadline: August 13, 2004.

Contact: 1-800-591-9663.

More information at http://www.sbc.com/foundation


Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Grant

Purpose of Grant: The Improving Literacy through School Libraries (LSL) program promotes comprehensive local strategies to improve student reading achievement by improving school library services and resources.

Eligibility: Local education agencies in which at least 20 percent of students served are from families with incomes below the poverty line may apply. A list of districts with their family poverty percentages for the 2004 competition is available at http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html

Amount of Funding: The estimated average size of an award is $100,000. (Estimated number of awards: 200; Range of Awards: $30,000--$350,000)

Deadline: May 20, 2004

Contact: Beth Fine lsl@ed.gov 202.260.1091 beth.fine@ed.gov

More information at http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/index.html

RGK Foundation Grant

Eligibility: Grants are made only to nonprofit organizations certified as tax exempt under Sections 501(c)(3) or 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and are classified as "not a private foundation" under Section 509(a). Hospitals, educational institutions, and governmental institutions meeting these requirements are eligible to apply.

Foundation Interests: The Foundation's primary interests within Education include programs that focus on formal K-12 education (particularly mathematics, science, and reading), after-school tutoring and enrichment, integrating technology into curriculum, teacher development, and higher education. The Foundation is particularly interested in programs that raise literacy levels and programs that attract female and minority students into the fields of mathematics, science, and technology.

Amount of Funding: While the Foundation does award some grants for over $25,000, we anticipate most grants awarded during 2003 and 2004 will be under $25,000.

Deadline: There is no deadline for submitting an electronic Letter of Inquiry. The Foundation reviews electronic Letters of Inquiry on an ongoing basis. Within three weeks, the Foundation will send an e-mail message either declining your request or inviting you to submit a formal application packet for further consideration. If you are invited to submit an application packet, your message will include detailed instructions on how to apply. Please allow up to four months for proposals to be reviewed by staff. In some cases, a phone conference or site visit may be scheduled as part of the review process. The Grants Committee meets four times each year to consider requests over $50,000 that have been recommended by staff for review. You will be notified if your proposal will be considered at one of the Grants Committee meetings or will take longer that four months to review.

Contact:
RGK Foundation -
1301 West 25th Street - Suite 300 - Austin, Tx 78705-4236
(512) 474-9298 Phone

More information available at www.rgkfoundation.org

Technology Opportunities Program Grant (TOP)

Purpose of Grant: The Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) is a highly competitive, merit-based matching grant program that promotes the use of advanced telecommunications and information technologies in the non-profit and public sectors. TOP provides organizations with the opportunity to explore the possibilities that new interactive technologies offer to improve the provision of "educational, health care, or public information." These projects encourage the deployment of broadband infrastructure, services, and applications throughout the Nation.

With respect to educational information, TOP will support projects that expand training and learning opportunities or create innovative educational or training methods through the use of network technologies

Priority: ….Priority also will be given to projects demonstrating the use of new telecommunications and information technologies. NTIA is especially interested in applications of wireless technologies including, but not limited to, WI-FI, unlicensed spectrum devices, and projects demonstrating the potential application of 3rd generation or Advanced Wireless Services. All projects are expected to advance the body of knowledge and expand service availability and effectiveness in their respective content areas.

Eligibility: Non-profit entities, public sector organizations as well as state, local and tribal governments are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, faith-based organizations, national organizations and associations, non-profit community-based organizations, non-profit health care providers, schools, libraries, museums, colleges, universities, public safety providers, or other providers of social services.

Amount of Funding: Approximately $12.9 million is available for federal assistance under this program. NTIA expects this year's grant round to be very competitive. In Fiscal Year 2003, NTIA received 569 applications collectively requesting more than $269 million in federal funds. The Department of Commerce announced 28 awards totaling $13.95 million in federal funds.

Deadline: April 27, 2004

Contact: (202) 482-2048 or top@ntia.doc.gov

More information at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top/whatsnew/whatsnew.htm#FY2004_Grant_Round
American Honda Foundation

Eligibility: The American Honda Foundation will make grants in the field of youth and scientific education to entities including:

• Educational institutions, K-12.
• Accredited higher education institutions (colleges and
  universities).
• Community colleges and vocational or trade schools.

Guidelines: The American Honda Foundation will engage in grantmaking
which is consistent with these characteristics.

• Dreamful (imaginative).
• Scientific.
• Creative.
• Humanistic.
• Youthful.
• Innovative.
• Foresightful (forward thinking).

Amount of Funding: $10,000 - $100,000 average

Deadline: May 1, 2004. (There are 4 deadlines throughout the year: Feb 1, May 1, Aug 1 and Nov 1.)

Contact: (310) 781-4090

More information at http://www.hondacorporate.com/community/index.html?subsection=foundation

SBC Knowledge Network Explorer’s Grant Opportunities

It is an ideal “how to” get started in your grant seeking, writing, and follow-though. SBC is a good source of in-kind contributions including professional development workshops, network and other consulting, demonstrations, letters of support, and more. Include your local SBC Account Team, Education Advocate, or Library Advocate in your grant discussions. For other grant opportunities access the California LIBRARY News, which can be accessed through the link at the top left corner of SBC's Knowledge Network Explorer.

For more information http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/grants/index.html

 

SchoolGrants.org

SchoolGrants was created in 1999 as a way to share grant information with PK-12 educators. The SchoolGrants goal is to help the most kids possible by empowering those who teach them with the knowledge and resources necessary to write successful grant proposals. Site offers a list of grants that are available from the government, as well as grants from foundations at the national and regional level.

For more information: http://www.schoolgrants.org/grant_opps.htm

 

ESchool News Ongoing Grant Opportunities

This up-to-the-minute list of grant programs and new funding sources can help you locate those hard-to-find technology dollars.

For more information: http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/funding/ongoing.cfm

 

Foundation Center: Finding Funders

Definitive list of foundations that offer grants. Search more than 2,400 annotated links to grantmaker Web sites. The links are categorized by grantmaker type, and all annotations are searchable.

For more information: http://fdncenter.org/funders/