Are both public and private colleges and universities eligible for grants under the Secondary Education program?

Yes.

In the Secondary Education program, do you fund projects for grades K–8?

No. We currently only offer support for teaching in grades 9 -12. Grants in secondary education are for innovative programs that strengthen the professional development of new and experienced high school teachers and their teaching. On occasion, some programs will receive funding that serves teachers from lower grade levels. In these cases, Foundations' support has been targeted directly to high school teachers or the significant majority of teachers served (e.g. 75%) come from high schools.

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If we receive a grant in Secondary Education, how long should we wait before applying for a new grant?

Follow-on requests are eligible for funding if a program proves highly successful but needs additional support to ensure its long-term sustainability and/or to assist with expansion/replication of the project. The competition for these grants is keener than for initial funding.

Who should submit a Secondary Education proposal?

Proposals should come from the president of a college/university or the head of an independent nonprofit organization. In the case of large universities, the dean of the college of education may also submit a proposal.

What should be the length of a Secondary Education proposal?

An initial proposal is generally four to five pages with an attached budget and any other important materials necessary for a full and fair review. It is important to convey the “who, what, when, where and how” aspects of a request. In some cases, an attached timeline is helpful. The initial evaluation screens out proposals that are not likely to be competitive in relation to others received. For those that remain, additional questions may be asked in a follow-up letter from our executive director.  

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How should we present the budget?

Most budgets are attached and presented in a single page. We are interested in seeing a “global” line item budget showing requested support from the Foundations in context with what others will contribute to the total program cost. For example, if a university seeks support, the budget should provide a total cost outstanding after showing what the university, other private funding sources, and/or the participating schools/school district(s) will contribute. It is not uncommon for universities to include overhead/indirect costs as part of what they would contribute to the effort.

If we submit a proposal seeking funds over two or three years, should our request be distributed evenly?

No. We give flexibility in meeting needs. For example, a $200,000 grant could be spread out evenly over three years or structured so that $100,000 is appropriated in the first year, $50,000 in the second year and $50,000 in the final year. Splitting a grant evenly over two to four years is acceptable as well. Approved grants are normally paid in a lump sum.

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