Soliciting for grants is a tough job but not when you’ve got the advantages we’ll talk about there. It’s as if writing grants is a science and art all rolled into one and if you don’t know the lingo of grant writing you’ll be paddling upstream the whole time.
You’ll find from the start that there are qualifications for each grant and it’s how you word things that will increase your chances of success. Here you’ll see an example of when an application to the California Department of Education Secondary Specialized Program Grant. Going through this process was the game changer, and brought about the Art Studio@PV Program
The grant money didn’t last long so they had to figure out other ways to raise capital. We went to another crowdfunding site but it didn’t cater to what their niche was so they had to negotiate and get approval to use their resources. After some negotiations were able to get in and things went well. It became successful enough for us to rely on that venue for further support. Believe you me, you do not want to burn your bridges behind you by messing up after receiving a grant nor do you want to get caught up in a situation where a grant’s bounty has run out and you’re left short.
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Upward And Onward
Ever upward and onward, I had to focus on my local college that helped with developing pro level talent. The grants offered here allowed me to work with other members of academia and it was a rewarding experience across the board. It also was an experience where I learned more alternatives and techniques and tactics that furthered my agenda. This then brought me to the attention of the NAEA National Conventions. Talk about a rewarding experience!
Now I’ve been able to get a California Teachers association Institute for Teaching Grant that targets on what is referred to as “Strength Based Teaching”. It took a while for me to get a handle on just what that is, but after a while I took to it like a duck to water.
Moving On
Here we’ll take a look at what our grant is about for this year.
TITLE OF GRANT
The purpose of our grant this year is to get students and classmates to engineer and sell a workable and salable as well as scalable business idea or ideas. The participants will get a look into the minds of real and successful entreprendurs. The participants will get the chance to show off their ideas to these professionals to the advisory board known as “Entre Board”, which consists of a group of professional entrepreneurs who’ll review and advise before the participants take their products and services to the real world where they’ll sell them.
The priorities are that the works and services be creative, be efficient for marketing, shows their ability to problem solve, and network with the community. This will all occur under the guidance and advice of administrators who will be making sure the participant’s efforts will lead to success in the business world.
It Worked
This entire experience so far was new. Had a lot of studying and application to do and that opened eyes to the responsibilities and potential. There were a number of people sending in crafts to market and after following the guidelines people learned, and the participants then got together to create and work on their own products.
Not only that but the participants then got to study on other ways of branching out and expanding. This was a real booster for all as it had found we can all contribute to both study and application regarding development of new products or revamping old products and not only getting them to market, but also in the various skills needed to promote and sell.
Another good idea is what’s called an “Art Booster” group. It’s a form of granting that dishes out mini sized grants for each semester. The money dished out is just a few hundred dollars, but it sure comes in handy. With this kind of grant you can support your community with a variety of targeted projects that not only benefit yourself but the community at large.
Looking Back
These approaches may or may not be available in your area, but it’s not a bad idea to look to see what’s offered. Creative development of grants, using the grants properly and responsibly are of great value to one and all. The old saying, “Every little bit helps.” sure is an axiom here. Sure you’ve got to tow the line and be disciplined enough to meet the criteria and follow through with responsible conduct, but in the short and long term, you and everyone else benefits highly.
Grants are a great responsibility. The people who invest and distribute such grants wants more than you to see you become successful. It’s a form of validation to them that their concern and efforts and resources are going to a good cause and not being abused by criminals. When one uses a grant for good, at the end of the day, all people benefit and it encourages others to pitch in, in both developing and administering grants. Overall, this has been a rewarding experience for us and can be for you too.
Conclusion
Remember, you’re looking at three things here, learning how to get a grant, applying for the grant, and using it properly so that others can benefit from the granter’s generosity. You don’t want to ruin things for others so being responsible, across the board is what it is all about.
