MCCS Foundation

FMCCS Announces New Grant Programs for the Spring of 2010!

The Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools is offering two new opportunities for MCCSC employees to enrich the educational experiences for their students.

An anonymous gift of $25,000 from a local donor, will fund an Enrichment Grant Program to supplement core curriculum in all educational content areas. These grants will serve to bring learning to life for students by offerings hands-on and experiential learning activities and experiences. The ultimate goal of the program is to increase student engagement and curricular relevance for students. Grants will range in amounts from $250 to $5,000+. For more information on the application process and eligible grant expenses, please review the Enrichment Grants Information Sheet.

A new partnership between the Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools and the IU Center for the Study of Global Change will offer MCCSC employees the opportunity to apply for Global Grants. The intent of this grant program is to fund projects that will help prepare students to interact and succeed in a globally interconnected and culturally diverse world. The program will allow for the enrichment of classroom curriculum across content areas to reflect a global perspective and to address global issues and ethics. If successful, this program may be extended into future school years. Grant amounts this year will range from $250 to $3,000 and interested applicants may learn more by accessing the Global Grants Information Sheet.

FMCCS Grant Programs Description

The Foundation awarded its first grants in 1976 and continues to award grants annually for the benefit of local students. We believe that every educator should have the resources necessary to ensure that all students are successful. To date, FMCCS has awarded more than $1,285,000 in educational grants to MCCSC faculty, staff and students.

The Foundation of MCCS is proud to announce a revised grant structure for the 2009-2010 school year. We have streamlined the application process, broadened our funding guidelines, and increased our ability to grant responsively. The following charts will help applicants determine which grants program best aligns with their funding needs. All MCCSC faculty, staff, and students are eligible to apply.
All applications and guidelines are available through the "Grant Applications" section of our website.

Amount	Grant Program	Who Can Apply	For What	Application Deadline
Less than $250	DonorsChoose.org	Teachers & Administrators	Materials that directly benefit students (Art Supplies, Books, Technology, Fitness Equipment, Musical Instruments, etc). Enrichment & Global initiatives.	Ongoing at DonorsChoose.org
$250 to $1,000	Classroom & Small Project Mini Grants	Any MCCSC Employee or Student	Materials, Supplies, 50% of Field Trips Expense, Equipment, Technology, No Consumables or Professional Development. Enrichment & Global initiatives.	Ongoing until funds are depleted. Applications & Guidelines available on the website. funds are still available.
$1000 to $5000	Multi-Classroom, School & System Grants	Any MCCSC Employee or Student	Materials, Supplies, Equipment, Technology, Professional Development & More for Multiple Classrooms, Department, Grade Level, School or District Level Projects. Enrichment & Global initiatives (including fieldtrips)	October 4th and February 7st.
$5000+	High Impact Innovation Grants	MCCSC Principals and Administrators	School & district level initiatives that are innovative, research based, transformational and collaborative. Professional development is included. Enrichment initiatives.	One page proposals due on September 14 or May 2nd. Approved Applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal by November 15th or July 5th.

	Donors Choose.org	Classroom & Small Project Mini Grants	Multi-Classroom, School, District & System Level Grants	High Impact Innovation Grants	Elementary Library Grants
Materials, Supplies, Equipment &Technology for Classroom Projects	X	X	X
Materials, Supplies, Equipment & Technology for Multiple-Classroom, Department, Grade, whole school, & district projects	X		X	X
Field Trips	X	X
Library Books & Materials	X	X	X	X	X
Classroom/ School Visits by Experts or Authors		X	X	X
Professional Development			X	X
Fitness & Wellness Programs	X	X	X	X
Globalizing Instruction	X	X	X
Enrichment	X	X	X	X
Field trips related to Globalization and/or Enrichment	X	X	X

Any MCCSC employee or student may apply for grants from the Foundation. However, High Impact Innovation grants must be presented by an administrator. Applications and guidelines are available on this website for all of the Foundation's grant programs. For more information contact your building representative or Tina Peterson at tpeterso@mccsc.edu

Despite these funding opportunities, many educators will still find it necessary to either fund learning materials through out-of-pocket spending or forgo opportunities for their students. To provide teachers and other front-line educators with another option, the Foundation is partnering with DonorsChoose.org, a web-based program that provides a simple way to fulfill needs in the classroom and to foster innovation in our public schools. Teachers post projects online and donors choose what they'd like to fund.

To find out more about DonorsChoose.org, click here.
For Frequently ASked Questions about DonorsChoose.org, click here.