![[Grants Development]](http://www.morris.umn.edu/UMMimages/banners/grant_ban.gif)
List of search terms/keywords used to find these opportunities
Funding SourcesSponsor:American Honda Foundation
Deadline(s):02/01, 05/01, 08/01, 11/01 annually
Objectives:
The sponsor provides grant support for projects in the areas of youth and scientific
education. The sponsor defines "youth" as pre-natal through twenty-one years of age.
"Scientific education" encompasses both the physical and life sciences, mathematics, and the
environmental sciences. Grants are made to worthy, national non-profit causes, programs, and
organizations which directly benefit the people of the United States. The sponsor will
engage in grantmaking which is consistent with the following characteristics: dreamful
(imaginative); creative; youthful; foresightful (forward thinking); scientific; humanistic;
and innovative.
To be considered for possible funding, programs related to youth and scientific education should: be dedicated to improving the human condition of all mankind (humanistic); look to the future or be foresightful programs; be innovative and creative programs that propose untried methods which ultimately may result in providing solutions to the complex cultural, educational, scientific, and social concerns currently facing the American society; be broad in scope, intent, impact and outreach; possess a high potential for success with a relatively low incidence of duplication of effort.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are national organizations working in the areas of youth and scientific
education. Applicants should be in urgent need of funding from a priority basis (not
necessarily financial need); i.e. the relative importance of the program or project to the
public. The sponsor will make grants in these fields to: educational institutions, K-12;
accredited higher education institutions (colleges and universities); community colleges and
vocational or trade schools; scholarship and fellowship programs at selected colleges and/or
universities or through selected national, non-profit organizations; other scientific and
education-related non-profit, tax-exempt organizations; gifted student programs; national
youth educational or scientific programs or institutions; national educational radio and/or
television stations or networks; nationally distributed and aired films, movies, film
strips, slides, and/or short subjects concerning youth and/or scientific education; college,
university or other non-profit laboratories engaged in scientific education; private,
non-profit scientific and/or youth education projects; other non-profit, tax-exempt,
national institutions in the fields of youth and scientific education; and national programs
pertaining to academic or curriculum development that emphasize innovative educational
methods and techniques.
Organizations should not submit a grant application more than once in any twelve-month period. Repeat requests will not be considered in the same year. Only one request per institution in any one quarter may be submitted. The sponsor will consider all of the following possible types of grants: seed; operating; project/program; general support/continuing support; challenge; matching; conditional; scholarships and fellowships; and proactive. The following grant ranges will apply to requests of a one-time only basis, payable in one lump sum, within one quarter's (three months) grantmaking: $10,000-$50,000. The average grant range is $20,000 to $50,000 per year. The sponsor does not allow indirect costs. Examples of the types of support the sponsor will not provide are: support for individuals, including individual scholarships; organizations operating for profit; loans for small businesses; arts and culture; health and welfare issues; research papers; medical research and/or educational research; programs outside the United States; private foundations; and student foreign exchange programs. Guidelines are available. Proposals may not be submitted by fax.
Sponsor:Annenberg Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support for program development and some pilot projects. Support is
primarily made for precollegiate education, and specifically on public school restructuring
and reform, grades K through 12. These areas are of particular interest: public education,
K-12; early childhood education in relation to public education at the primary level; and
child development and youth services.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations that are not classified as
private foundations. Projects extending over more than one year are normally not
considered. Grants are normally not made for basic research, capital construction, or
general operating expenses. No grants are awarded for annual or capital campaigns,
scholarships, debt reduction, endowment, conferences, the production of films, or programs
focused exclusively on research or evaluation. The sponsor will make no awards intended
directly or indirectly to support candidates for political office or to influence
legislation, and is generally unwilling to assume responsibility for the long-term support
of any organizations or activity. The sponsor generally does not generally fund programs
dealing with mental or physical disabilities, and does not fund book publication or
educational media projects, such as television programs, films, or videotaped documentaries.
The foundation cannot consider proposals from cultural organizations, social service
agencies, or institutions of higher education located in other countries. Initial contact
should be a letter of inquiry. Formal proposal guidelines are provided.
Sponsor:Department of the Army
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor supports conferences and symposia in special areas of science that bring experts
together to discuss recent research, education findings, or to expose other researchers or
advanced graduate students to new research and education techniques. The sponsor encourages
the convening in the United States of major international conferences and assemblies of
international alliances.
Restrictions:
Requests for support should be submitted a minimum of six months prior to the date of the
conference. Eligible applicants are tax-exempt, scientific, technical, or professional
organizations. Co-sponsorship of conferences and symposia with industrial concerns is
prohibited. Foreign participants are eligible with the exception of those from communist
countries. Funding amounts vary depending upon the scientific and technical conferences.
Funds can not be used for payment to any federal government employee for support,
subsistence, or services in connection with the proposed conference or symposium. Potential
applicants are urged to contact the ARO Legal Office at (919) 549-4292, or e-mail at
Rutter@aro-emh1.army.mil before submitting a proposal for a conference or symposium.
Sponsor:AT&T Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor supports a variety of comprehensive civic and community service programs. The
sponsor is especially interested in projects that utilize technology to advance one or more
of the following objectives: support projects of organizations that provide direct health
services to those in need, including private or independent, not-for-profit hospitals, if
they are first-call hospitals to which the sponsor refers employees for emergency treatment,
are near a major AT&T facility, and serve a substantial number of the medically underserved;
encourage diversity in the work force and society through education and direct-service
programs promoting equal opportunities for minorities, women, and people with disabilities;
support environmental projects or initiatives, particularly in the areas of technology,
education, volunteerism, sustainability and clean water; support U.S.-based national
organizations that study broad public-policy issues related to governance, and social and
economic conditions; and enhance the effectiveness of the nonprofit sector, and support of
organizations that work to engage more people more effectively in volunteer community
service.
Sponsor:AT&T Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor supports education programs that focus on the use of technology to enhance
teaching and learning, concentrating on the role of technology in education and its capacity
to connect students, teachers, classrooms, institutions and communities. Funding is offered
under the Learning Network Grants Program and the Invitational Grant Program. The Learning
Network Grants Program provides funding to projects which demonstrate effective and
innovative uses of technology in supporting families, schools and communities to accomplish
the following: encourage family involvement in education; provide professional development
opportunities for educators and assist in the preparation of future teachers; and develop
and implement plans to promote lifelong learning and community collaboration. Invitational
grants provide funding for projects that address issues of technology in public policy;
systemic education reform; academic standards, assessment, and accountability; and access to
educational opportunities by all segments of society. Special consideration will be given
to: projects that involve collaboration among families, schools, colleges, universities,
educational organizations, and/or community-based organizations; and schools, institutions,
organizations and projects located in areas where the sponsor has large concentrations of
employees and business operations.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are all accredited public
and private
elementary and secondary schools as well as accredited public and private two and four-year
institutions of higher education and educational nonprofit organizations in the U.S., Puerto
Rico and all U.S. territories. Applicants must be tax-exempt organizations. The program
focuses on the use of technology, not on the equipment and infrastructure necessary to
support that use. Grants will not fund requests which are exclusively for the purchase of
computers, modems, wiring or other infrastructure needs. The sponsor does not: award grants
to individuals; support organizations whose chief purpose is to influence legislation or to
participate or intervene in political campaigns on behalf of or against any candidate for
public office; support endowments or memorials; support construction or renovation projects;
sponsor sports teams or any sports-related activity or competition; purchase tickets to
fund-raising events or sponsor advertising.
In addition to the general sponsor exclusions, the Education Program does not support: the purchase or installation of computers, modems, printers, telephones, facsimile machines, wiring, or other equipment, unless a small but integral part of a larger project; scholarships to individual students; non-academic or extracurricular programs such as sports programs or administrative activities; student organizations; endowments, memorials or named academic chairs; or general operations. Interested applicants should submit a brief letter of introduction and description if the project is local in scope to the appropriate AT&T Regional Contributions Manager. Information on the regional office serving your state or nation is available from the sponsor. If the program is national in scope, the sponsor should be contacted at the address above.
Sponsor:Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Deadline: Open
Objectives:
The sponser focuses on programs in literacy, the arts or education
(kindergarten to grade twelve). Barnes & Noble is proud to provide support
for local, regional and national programs that focus on these areas of
development.
Eligibility:
For local and regional programs, eligible organizations should be located
in areas where the sponser has business interests. Regional or local
proposals should be submitted to the Barnes and Noble store. For national
programs, proposals should be submitted to the address listed on the
sponser's website.
Sponsor:Carnegie Corporation of New York
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to academic institutions and national and regional
organizations for projects concerned with programs three main focus areas: Early childhood
education and care; urban school reform; and higher education.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE--research and policy analysis needed to expand the availability of affordable, high-quality programs that improve all children's chances of success in school and that better meet the needs of working parents. Particular attention will be paid to financing, professional development, and system design options.
URBAN SCHOOL REFORM--analyses of progress and barriers to change in a number of cities; identification and dissemination of effective district practices with respect to key roles, such as professional development of teachers; assistance for local school change; the institution of accountability mechanisms; and mobilization of public support.
HIGHER EDUCATION--concentrate initially on the dissemination of the best models of teacher education to encourage their wider adoption; on assistance to governors and other state policymakers in developing incentives and accountability mechanisms to promote more widespread change; and on promoting broader public understanding of the importance of teaching quality; and exploring the most effective ways to address these questions about undergraduate liberal education and, therefore, will not be accepting unsolicited proposals in this area until further notice.
Restrictions:
The sponsor makes grants primarily to academic
institutions and
to national and regional nonprofit organizations for projects that have potential for
national or international impact. Grants are not generally made to individuals. Support is
not provided for scholarships, fellowships, or travel grants. The sponsor does not make
grants for basic operating expenses, endowments, or facilities of individual schools or
school districts, colleges, universities, or human service organizations. It does not make
program-related investments. There are no application forms. Applicants should submit a
brief statement containing a description of the project's aims, amount of support required,
duration, methods, personnel, and budget. Detailed proposals may be requested if the project
is within the sponsor's areas of interest.
Sponsor:Citigroup Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support for organizations that contribute to the vitality of
communities worldwide. The sponsor's mission is: to improve the quality of life now
and in the future for children, families, and communities around the world. The
sponsor makes grants in the following areas:
EDUCATION (EARLY CHILDHOOD)--grants are made to programs that promote affordable, high
quality, early childhood learning experiences that prepare children to be
school-ready. Priority is given to programs that improve daycare availability,
standards, curriculum and staff training.
EDUCATION (K-12)--grants are made to strengthen K-12 education in low-income
neighborhoods. Grants emphasize creation of "smarter schools" and "smarter
classrooms." The "smarter schools" initiative supports improvements in the governance
of public schools and higher standards for student performance. It also funds
alternative schools that offer more individual attention to students as well as
mentoring and tutoring. The "smarter classrooms" initiative supports creative
financial literacy initiatives, innovative classroom technologies and successful
school-to-work programs.
EDUCATION (COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES)--grants are made to increase representation
of minorities and women, to raise global awareness and understanding, and to invest in
technologies that transfer knowledge.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS--a limited number of grants are directed toward
organizations and initiatives that focus on environmental education and sustainable
development.
Restrictions:
Organizations encouraged to submit proposals may do so at any time during the
calendar year. The sponsor encourages submissions early in the year. Eligible
applicants are non-profit, tax-exempt organizations. Grants are not made to
individuals for educational or other purposes; political causes or candidates; or
religious, veteran, or fraternal organizations, unless they are engaged in a
significant project benefiting the entire community. The sponsor prefers to solicit
proposals from prospective grantees with demonstrated success in the areas described
above. Unsolicited proposals will be accepted, but a favorable decision is less
likely. Funding and duration of grants will vary from proposal to proposal.
Approximately seventy-five percent of the grant budget will be dedicated to funding
requests for community development and education programs. The remaining budget will
be used for programs in the arts, health and human services, and environmental
education. Grants are not made for fundraising events, telethons, marathons, races,
benefits, or courtesy advertising. Applications and guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Coca-Cola Foundation
Deadline(s):03/01, 06/01, 09/01, 12/01 annually
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to encourage new solutions to countless problems that impede
educational systems today, and it supports existing programs that work. The sponsor offers
support to public and private colleges and universities, elementary and secondary schools,
teacher-training programs, educational programs for minority students and global educational
programs. The sponsor devotes much of its efforts to partnership in three main areas:
HIGHER EDUCATION--pipeline programs connecting various levels of education that encourage students to stay in school and to proceed with confidence to college and graduate school; scholarship programs in support of graduate and undergraduate students; and minority advancement in the form of scholarships, urban programs and cultural diversity programs.
CLASSROOM TEACHING AND LEARNING--innovative K-12 public school programs, and those outside the "four walls" of the classroom; teacher development programs; and smaller projects dealing with specific activities in the elementary and secondary classroom.
GLOBAL EDUCATION--global exchange programs that encourage international studies, global understanding or student/faculty exchange; and programs outside the U.S. promoting education.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are tax-exempt organizations, public and private colleges and
universities, and elementary and secondary schools. The sponsor does not make grants to
individuals; religious organizations and endeavors; political, legislative, lobbying or
fraternal organizations; or organizations that do not have tax-exempt status. Funding
amounts will vary. Applications and guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Davis (Arthur Vining) Foundations
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
Support is concentrated in the following
areas:
SECONDARY EDUCATION--the majority of grants will be made to innovative professional development programs that strengthen teachers and their teaching in grades 9-12. Consideration will be given to projects which seek to address the concerns and problems of secondary education on a national level. Collaborative partnerships between the faculties of colleges (e.g., arts and sciences and education) and high schools or combined efforts involving reform organizations, colleges/universities, and high schools are also encouraged. Proposals will be accepted from institutions ranging from graduate schools of education to free-standing educational research institutes.
PUBLIC TELEVISION--the Foundations are interested in public television as an educational medium. Grants primarily provide partial support for major educational series assured of airing nationally by PBS. Consideration will also be given from time to time to single stand-alone programs of exceptional merit. Programs should have lasting educational value. A consideration in evaluating competing proposals is their utility in K-12, college/university and continuing education settings. Children's series are of particular interest. Consideration will also be given to innovative uses of public television (including computer online efforts) to enhance educational outreach in schools and communities. Proposals for "capstone" grants which assure completion of production funding are preferred. Research and pre-production funding are seldom supported.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are institutions within the U.S. and its possessions. Individuals are
not supported, except as participants chosen by the grantee institution in an organized
scholarship program. The sponsor does not support publicly governed colleges and
universities and other entities (except medical institutions) which are primarily supported
by government funds. For grants in the category of secondary education, public as well as
private universities and colleges are eligible for funding; only in exceptional cases will
proposals be accepted directly from individual private or public schools or school
districts. Grant amounts normally range in each area of interest as follows: private higher
education--$100,000 to $200,000; secondary education--$75,000 to $150,000; health
care--$50,000 to $200,000; religion--$75,000 to $150,000; and public television--$100,000 to
$500,000. Projects requiring multi-year annual funding are not supported. Applicants should
submit a letter, for which guidelines are available. All proposals must come from the
president or other primary executive of an institution.
Sponsor:Delmas (Gladys Krieble) Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor intends to further the humanities along a broad front, supporting programs in
the following areas: languages, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history;
jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history,
criticism, and theory of the arts; and those aspects of the social sciences which share the
content and methods of these humanistic disciplines. The program includes institutions of
the humanities such as learned societies, museums, archives, and major editorial projects.
It also sponsors projects that explore the boundaries between the humanistic disciplines and
other areas of scholarship. Support is provided for programs at the postgraduate and
university level, but will not exclude projects designed to strengthen preparation for the
humanistic disciplines in secondary education.
Restrictions:
Research institutions and cultural or educational organizations are eligible. Awards are
made for both general operating and project support. No grants will be made for building
campaigns. Endowment contributions will be considered only in cases where the purpose and
benefit of the grants are clearly focused. Applications are by invitation only. Letters of
inquiry, within the scope of the programs outlined, should be addressed to the Secretary to
the Board. Information and guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Department of State
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor offers an assistance award program to support the development of programs of
instruction and faculty training at universities in Tunisia in business management, public
administration, or another field with significant potential impact on the Tunisian economy.
Eligible applicants may apply to pursue institutional or departmental objectives in
partnership with one or more Tunisian institutions with support from the College and
University Affiliations Program. The means for achieving the objectives of the applicant and
its partner(s) may include mentoring, teaching, consultation, research, distance education,
internship training, and professional outreach to public and private sector managers and
entrepreneurs. Proposals emphasizing practical strategies to assist the Tunisian faculty
and administrators to develop new curricula, teaching methodologies and programs are
encouraged. All proposals should explain the potential impact of the project on the Tunisian
economy.
Eligibility:
In the United States, participation in the program is open to accredited two and four-year
colleges and universities, including graduate schools. Applications from consortia or other
combinations of U.S. colleges and universities are eligible. Secondary U.S. partners may
include governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as non-profit service and
professional organizations. Participants representing the U.S. institution must be U.S.
citizens. With the exception of outside consultants reporting on the degree to which project
objectives have been achieved, participants who are traveling under the Bureau's grant funds
must be teachers, advanced graduate students who are teaching or research assistants, or
administrators from the participating institution(s). Advanced graduate students are eligible for Bureau-funded participation in this program only if they are working under the
direction of an accompanying faculty participant. In Tunisia, the partner must be a
recognized institution of post-secondary education. Secondary foreign partners may include
relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as non-profit service and
professional organizations concerned with issues in business development or public
administration training in Tunisia. Foreign participants must be citizens or permanent
residents of Tunisia and must be qualified to receive a J-1 visa.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):04/17/2003 (anticipated)
Objectives:
Building on work supported under the multi-agency Digital Libraries Initiative, this program
aims to establish a national digital library that will constitute an online network of
learning environments and resources for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology
(SMET) education at all levels. The program will accept proposals in four tracks: (1) A Core
Integration project is expected to focus on the coordination and management of the library's
core collections and services and to develop the library's central portal. (2) Collections
projects are expected to aggregate and manage a subset of the library's content within a
coherent theme or specialty. (3) Services projects are expected to develop services which
support users, collection providers, and the Core Integration effort and which enhance the
impact, efficiency, and value of the library. (4) Targeted Research projects are expected to
explore specific topics that have immediate applicability to one of the other three tracks.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are U.S. colleges and universities, nonprofit, non-academic
organizations, for-profit organizations, State and local agencies, and unaffiliated
scientists and engineers.
Sponsor:Xcel Energy Foundation
Deadlines: 5/7/2003, 8/6/2003
Objectives:
The sponsor's giving is focused in three areas-building stronger
communities, education, and arts and culture:
Eligibility:
Focus area grants are provided to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations within
the sponsor's company service territory through the foundation focus
areas. The sponsor's service area includes: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas,
Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota,
Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):08/14/2003,11/15/2003
Objectives:
Grants support activities which provide rich and stimulating opportunities outside formal
school settings, where individuals of all ages, interests, and backgrounds increase their
appreciation and understanding of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. As part
of the Informal Science Education program, the sponsor supports After School Centers for
Exploration and New Discovery (ASCEND). ISE will accept proposals for innovative projects
for engaging youth in substantive out-of-school activities in specific areas of science,
mathematics, and engineering. The sponsor is interested in projects that would provide
unique opportunities for middle school and high school students to explore science,
mathematics, and engineering in creative after-school and/or weekend programs. Such projects
should not be extensions of the formal programs offered during the regular school day but
rather should explore new content and strategies to interest youth in on-going discovery as
well as careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology fields. If appropriate,
projects may connect with, and build upon, existing informal education projects that engage
students in real-world science and technology experiences. Activities should also include
parental involvement.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are all institutions with an educational mission, including colleges and
universities, industries, informal science education institutions, professional societies,
middle and secondary schools, and community agencies. Proposers are strongly encouraged to
include partnerships with industry, the local community, the scientific and/or business
community and others. An individual may serve as the Principal Investigator on no more than
one proposal per round of competition.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):04/01/2003,08/25/2003
Objectives:
Grants support professional development projects reforming the delivery of science and
mathematics education, grades K-12. Such projects are expected to initiate systemic efforts
that will make significant progress in implementing recognized standards for content,
teaching, and assessment. Such projects represent a shift in focus from professional
development of individual teachers to that of all teachers within an entire school
organization. Projects should result in the establishment of professional communities that
empower teachers to change practice and to reflect on their own teaching and learning. In
these projects, new beliefs, skills, and behaviors are learned and explored within a
supportive school culture, which is engage in renewal. While projects must clearly be
placed in the context of a comprehensive strategy of reform for grades K-12, they may
address a component of that system.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are school districts or coalitions of school districts in the U.S., in
partnership with at least one U.S. organization with a scientific or educational mission.
Among the latter are the following: colleges and universities, State and local education
agencies, school districts, professional societies, museums, research laboratories, media
producers, private foundations, private industry, publishers, and other public and private
organizations whether for profit or not-for-profit.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):TBA
Objectives:
Grants support activities which provide rich and stimulating opportunities outside formal
school settings, where individuals of all ages, interests, and backgrounds increase their
appreciation and understanding of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. The
program especially encourages projects that are creative and innovative learning activities
that reflect and apply recent research in science, mathematics and technology (SMT)
education; contribute to strengthening the infrastructure of informal science education
through such activities as electronic networking, technical assistance, and professional
development; and conduct research on the informal education process to determine the
effectiveness of innovative techniques for motivating and informing the public about topics
in SMT. Community based programs may increase the sciences, mathematics, and technology
interests and literacy of their audiences.
Supported projects included, but are not limited to: television series and programs for youth or for the general public; films on SMT topics; exhibits or educational programs at science and natural history museums, science-technology centers, aquaria, nature centers, botanical gardens, arboreta, zoological parks, and libraries; and educational programs and activities at community and youth centers. Most projects are designed to reach large audiences and to have a significant regional or national impact.
Restrictions:
Full proposals are due June 1, with
preliminary proposals
submitted no later than March 1; and November 15, with preliminary proposals submitted no
later than August 1. Eligible applicants are U.S. organizations with a scientific or
educational mission, including colleges and universities, State and local education
agencies, school districts, professional societies, museums, research laboratories, media
producers, private foundations, private industry, publishers, and other public and private
organizations whether for profit or not-for-profit.
Proposers are strongly encouraged to involve participation from other sectors. The expectation for significant cost-sharing is dependent on the scope and nature of the project. In most media projects, the sponsor may contribute up to one third of the total project cost. For museum and community/youth-based projects, the sponsor generally supports up to two-thirds of the total project costs. Indirect costs are allowed, but not on participant costs. In the past, awards ranged from $25,000 to $3 million, for one- to five-year projects. Submission of preliminary proposals is required. Unless otherwise specified in the Program Announcement (NSF 99-92), proposals should be prepared and submitted according to the guidelines and using the standard NSF Forms found in the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 00-2). The document is available electronically at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf002/start.htm; paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Clearinghouse, 301-947-2722, pubs@nsf.gov.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):04/01/2003
Objectives:
The Teacher Enhancement (TE) program supports professional development projects to broaden
and deepen the disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge of teachers. Areas of special interest
include: building the capacity of K-12 mathematics; professional development of
middle-school mathematics teachers; professional development of secondary science teachers;
and innovative high risk projects with a potential to make substantial and sustainable gains
for the improvement of science, mathematics and technology (SMT) education. The following
categories of proposals are encouraged:
Educational Leadership Projects--opportunities will be provided to: build a core of leaders who can provide professional development opportunities to those who will be staff developers and leaders of school reform on a regional basis, and prepare teachers and other educators to serve as members of teams that provide professional development for SMT teachers; and, prepare teachers to serve as school or district mentors and/or change agents responsible for supporting program improvement.
Teacher and Student Development Through Research Experience Projects--allow teachers and students to work beside practicing scientific and technical personnel. The sponsor supports projects that involve teachers where research is a means of professional development; and projects that involve teachers and students in research, such as research apprenticeships for teacher/student teams or team participation in research, large-scale data collection, and analysis.
Professional Development Materials--supports the development of the curricula and training materials for pre-K-12 teachers and instructional leaders of science, mathematics and technology, enhancing teachers' understanding, adoption and implementation of effective, standards-based instruction that uses state-of-the-art student materials, assessment strategies, and educational technologies. Projects may range from the creation of new teacher enhancement materials/curricula to the upgrading of existing ones that respond to innovations in student curricula and instruction; from development of comprehensive teacher enhancement curricula to a few modules for focused content or instructional topics; from focus on a single subject to integration of several disciplines; and from supporting specific comprehensive materials to providing generic teacher enhancement for targeted content and pedagogy.
Technology in Support of Professional Development--supports projects that find innovative ways to utilize educational technologies in providing teachers with the capabilities and support needed to go beyond the typical in-service course. The program also supports a few projects that: extend electronic networking, information access, and two-way communications to isolated communities in order to support cooperation, collegiality, and the development of a professional community of SMT educators; develop and implement new technologies that provide in-service and ongoing support for the dissemination and adoption of IMD projects; and extend the model of in-service training allowing teachers to contribute to their field or adopt roles where they have a lifelong involvement in their discipline.
Implementation and Dissemination Projects--supports the establishment of implementation sites that will provide information and technical assistance to decision-maker who are responsible for selecting materials and ensuring their implementation in those districts that have decided to implement NSF-supported exemplary materials.
Teacher Enhancement does not support the development of curriculum or instructional materials for students. Proposals that target communities with the greatest need (e.g., geographic areas with high percentages of underrepresented and underserved populations--urban, rural, and resource-poor school districts) are especially encouraged.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are U.S. organizations with a scientific or educational mission. These
include: colleges and universities, state and local education agencies, school districts,
professional societies, museums, research laboratories, media producers, private
foundations, private industry, publishers, and other public and private organizations
whether for profit or not-for-profit. Partnerships are encouraged.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):12/19/2003, 01/29/2003, 02/19/2003, 03/29/2003
Objectives:
The program seeks to broaden the participation of girls and young women in all fields of
science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET) education by supporting research,
demonstration, and dissemination projects that will lead to change in education policy and
practice. Typical projects will investigate gender-related differences in learning;
gender-related differences in educational experience, interest, and performance; and
pedagogical approaches and teaching styles that are gender-neutral or encouraging to female
students. The findings and outcomes of the program will lead to understanding, for example,
how to maintain the interest of girls in science past middle school, how to bring more girls
into elective high school mathematics and advanced placement science courses, and how to
increase enrollments in undergraduate studies in SMET, particularly in physical sciences,
engineering and computer sciences.
Eligibility:
Organizations eligible to submit proposals include universities and colleges; nonprofit,
non-academic institutions; and State and local governments. For-profit organizations may be
included as collaborators. Only one proposal may be submitted per institution per
competition. An institution may not, in the same competition, submit as the primary
performer and at the same time participate in another proposal as a collaborator.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The Evaluation Program recently completed a five-year plan to evaluate the science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) education initiatives. Evaluation findings
may be used by the sponsor to improve science education programs; by principal investigators
as they direct their own education projects; and by policy-makers, administrators, and
members of the instructional workforce who implement and adapt the various products of NSF
programs, including materials, computer software, teaching strategies, and research
findings. Evaluations and impact studies are produced by outside researchers and
organizations under competitively awarded contracts. The program also may accept proposals
for the development of innovative techniques, approaches, and methodologies for the general
improvement of the field.
Restrictions:
There are no fixed target dates for submission of proposals under this program; however,
preliminary proposals are required in all cases in which a grant is sought. Eligible
applicants are public and private colleges and universities, industry and business, and
other organizations and associations with an educational mission. Support is provided for up
to five years. Indirect costs are allowed. Cost sharing is generally required at a minimum
of one percent on unsolicited proposals. The sponsor makes only a few awards in this program
area, generally no more than five per year. Application forms and guidelines are available.
Proposals must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the Grant Proposal Guide, NSF
00-2, available from the NSF Clearinghouse, 301-947-2722, pubs@nsf.gov. or electronically at
www.nsf.gov. Applicants are advised to contact the sponsor before submitting a request for
funding.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor, in partnership with the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)
in the Department of Education (ED), and the National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development (NICHD) in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports
rigorous, interdisciplinary research on large-scale implementations of promising
educational practices and technologies in complex and varied learning environments.
The goal of the IERI is to improve preK-12 student learning and achievement in
reading, mathematics, and science. Priority will be given to IERI applications that
meaningfully address one of the following two focus areas:
Early Learning of Foundational Skills--this focus area is concerned with the acquisition of foundational skills in reading, mathematics, and science in preK through grade school, assessment of readiness for learning in theses domains, research for measures for determining the achievement of proficiency, and investigation of the role of teacher learning and performance on student learning and achievement. It is anticipated that planning grant and research study proposals will contribute knowledge regarding instructional practices and related educational policy issues.
Transition to Increasingly Complex Science and Mathematics Learning--this focus area is concerned with the processes involved in the learning and integration of science and mathematics by students. The sponsor is also concerned with the use of computer and information technologies in improved student learning. It is anticipated that planning grant and research study proposals will contribute knowledge regarding instructional practices and related educational policy issues.
Proposals must also address all of the following benchmarks: research methodology; scalability; technology; and interdisciplinary research teams.
Restrictions:
Proposals may be submitted by individual investigators or by small groups of investigators
from colleges, universities or other non-profit organizations including local and state agencies.
Proposal teams should reflect synergistic collaborations among researchers and
practitioners. Collaboration or partnerships with industry or government laboratories
is encouraged when appropriate. A principal investigator may submit only one proposal
and he/she may collaborate in one other proposal as a co-investigator. Group and
collaborative proposals involving more than one institution must be submitted as a
single administrative package from one of the institutions involved.
Funding for planning grants will be for a maximum of $100,000 for up to twelve months; funding for research study grants will typically be up for $6 million for the life of the award (up to sixty months). The sponsor anticipates making twenty-five awards. Proposals submitted for research study grants that do not meet one or more of the benchmarks but are judged to have merit may be offered a planning grant so that further development work can be conducted prior to re-submission. Pending the availability of funds for both FY 2000 and FY 2001, the total funds available under this Initiative in FY2000 (the first award date) will be $38 million, with $25 million from NSF, $10 million from OERI, and $3 million from NICHD. The total funds available under this Initiative in FY2001 (the second award date) are projected to be $48 million. Formal proposals must be submitted electronically via FastLane. Proposals must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 00-2), available electronically on the sponsor's web site at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf002/start.htm. Paper copies are available from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, 301-947-2722, pubs@nsf.gov.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):03/01/2003,06/01/2003,09/01/2003,12/01/2003
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to advance progress toward the EHR goals through the
development and application of new scientific knowledge. Goals for the ROLE Program
are: to discover and to describe neural, cognitive, affective, and conceptual learning
processes required for life-long SMET learning; to understand how prekindergarten
through secondary teacher and post-secondary faculty content knowledge and pedagogy
relate to the implementation that innovative and effective curricula, materials, and
assessments require; to develop research-based learning tools, pedagogical approaches,
and materials that enhance SMET education at all levels; to reevaluate the overall
curriculum structure (including selection, ordering, and priorities of topics) to
enhance SMET education at all levels; to develop and to refine new education research
and evaluation methods; to increase the research capacity of the field, especially the
development of new researchers and research-oriented education practitioners; to
collect and to analyze data and to use data to inform researchers, decision-makers and
the general public; to understand the factors that enhance the full participation of
all Americans in the SMET enterprise and the approaches that can increase this
participation; and to increase the knowledge of learning, teaching and organizational
models that lead to substantial and large-scale improvement in the efficiency,
efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of the United States educational system.
The goals of EHR are: making high quality science and mathematics education available to every child in the United States; ensuring that the educational pipelines to careers in science, mathematics, engineering and technology yield a diverse, well-educated technical workforce adequate for the needs of the United States; ensuring that the instructional workforce has the disciplinary and pedagogical skills necessary to provide an excellent education to every student in science and mathematics; ensuring that those who select careers in science, mathematics or engineering have the best professional education at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and promoting scientific literacy and public interest in and awareness of scientific and technological developments through high quality informal science education and college courses for nonspecialists.
The ROLE Program will support research across a four-quadrant science of learning continuum that includes: brain research as a foundation for research on human learning; fundamental research on behavioral, cognitive, affective and social aspects of human learning; research on SMET learning in formal and informal educational settings; and research on SMET learning in complex educational systems. Each of these quadrants constitutes a broad research area, with its own distinct characteristics and historical foundations.
Brain Research as a Foundation for Research on Learning--will support a limited number of theoretical studies focused on human learning that help frame advances in areas that may include but are not limited to biological neural networks, computational neuroscience, functional imaging, neuroplasticity, and adaptive systems. The ROLE Program seeks proposals for workshops and similar activities that will inform and gather advice from relevant scientific communities in these areas.
Fundamental Research on Behavioral, Cognitive, Affective, and Social Aspects of Learning--to enhance the multidisciplinary understanding of the foundations of human learning. NSF seeks proposals that formulate compelling and innovative bridges from cognitive science either to brain research (Quadrant I) or to research on learning in educational settings (Quadrant III). A sample of areas of interest includes: modeling of cognitive processes and mapping of models to brain function in the context of human learning; sociological, ethnographic, anthropological, economic, and organizational studies that address the special characteristics of educational environments; and understanding the cognitive and pedagogical implications of new scientific and technological advances.
Research on SMET Learning in Educational Settings--to provide a stronger base to support sustained improvement in science and mathematics educational practice in settings such as classrooms, informal learning sites (including the home), and technological learning environments (e.g. non-academic technological education). Another expectation is to bridge research and educational practice. In particular, ROLE seeks proposals that bridge research on science and mathematics learning with areas of educational practice associated with programs in the EHR Divisions and that include collaborations with investigators funded under such programs.
Research on SMET Learning In Complex Educational Systems--welcomes proposals that study existing large-scale reform experiments, in which foundational research on human learning or research in components of SMET educational practice are embedded in a sustainable and scalable way in actual complex systems of practice. Eligible research includes studies that involve testable hypotheses, studies that challenge current systemic reform strategies, design experiments, and other research methods such as quasi-experiments, testbeds, longitudinal data, and national and international comparisons. A sample of research areas of potential interest includes: studies of systemic reform strategies, including predictive modeling, frameworks for systemic change, and evaluations of costs and effectiveness; "Innovation flow" and organizational mechanisms conducive to policy changes and sustained, coherent improvements in systemwide practice; interactions among accountability reforms, curricular reforms, textbook adoptions, technologies, teacher professional development opportunities, revised graduation requirements, schedules, and other reforms; modeling of large educational systems and their evolution in terms of multilevel adaptive systems, with possible theoretical parallels to issues and research in the first three Quadrants.
Restrictions:
The March 1, 2003 and September 1, 2003 deadline dates are for preliminary
proposals.
The June 1, 2003 and December 1, 2003 deadline dates are for formal
proposals.
Proposals may be submitted by any organization eligible for NSF support, including
universities and colleges, nonprofit, non-academic organizations, for-profit
organizations, state and local governments, unaffiliated individuals, foreign
organizations, and other federal agencies. Synergistic collaboration among
researchers and collaboration or partnerships with other educational institutions
(including schools or school systems), scientific organizations, industry or
government laboratories is encouraged when appropriate.
ROLE awards may be funded up to three years and will generally range from $100,000 to $1,800,000. Depending on the availability of funding, between twenty and thirty proposals may be selected for support per funding cycle. ROLE will consider planning, workshop and exploratory research grants for up to one year and up to $100,000 each. Twenty to thirty awards are anticipated. Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), NSF 00-02. The complete text of the GPG (including electronic forms) is available on the NSF Web site at: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/cpo/policy/grants.htm. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone 301.947.2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov. FastLane use is required for both preliminary proposals and full proposals.
Sponsor:Foundation for Child Development
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The Foundation for Child Development's grant making activities focus on efforts to
understand and improve the life conditions of children and their families. FCD has a special
interest in children in working families, particularly in those families that are struggling
to meet their children's basic human needs. The foundation makes grants nationally for
research, policy analysis, advocacy, leadership development and in New York City to a small
number of program development projects.
Three cross-cutting themes guide FCD's work: linking research on children and families to formation of relevant programs and policies; identifying fresh approaches to crafting sound social strategies for children and families; and nurturing new generations of leaders in child development research and policy. FCD seeks to support: research or policy activities that develop strategies for building public support for children and families; leadership development activities that are linked to the programmatic focus of the foundation, including the identification and strengthening of effective voices on behalf of children and families; and efforts to link New York City's higher education institutions, in particular their research, policy analysis, and professional education functions with city-based activities on behalf of children and families.
Restrictions:
Proposals are reviewed at meetings of the board of directors held early in March, June and
December.
Eligible applicants are nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations. Grants are not made to organizations outside of the United States.
Recent grants have ranged from $50,000 and $200,000. Funds are not provided for direct-service projects. The sponsor does not consider requests for scholarships or support for individuals, capital campaigns, or building purchase, construction, or renovation.
Applicants are asked to send a brief, one- or two-page letter of inquiry describing the proposed project, its objectives, and the approximate level of funding required. When appropriate, a full proposal is invited. Guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Gloeckner (Fred C.) Foundation, Inc.
Deadline(s):04/01/2003
Objectives:
Support is provided for research and educational projects in floriculture and related
fields, such as plant pathology, plant breeding, agricultural engineering, agricultural
economics, entomology, and plant physiology, as they relate to floriculture.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are universities, colleges and Federal research institutions in the U.S.
Sponsor:Hearst Foundations
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support within a general
policy of assisting
institutions to provide access and opportunity to underrepresented, low-income and minority
populations. Priority areas of interest include:
EDUCATION--primary focus is support of undergraduate education through the establishment of endowed scholarships at private liberal arts colleges and universities. In addition, endowed scholarship support is provided for professional study in teaching, medicine, nursing, engineering, math, science, and the health care professions at the undergraduate and graduate level. A limited number of proposals are also accepted from K-12 independent schools with outstanding academic programs, and demonstrated track records of outreach to economically disadvantaged students. In general, grants are not made to public schools; however, private organizations or coalitions seeking improvement of public education and broadening access to education will be considered.
Restrictions:
Proposals may be submitted throughout the year. Eligible applicants are tax-exempt
organizations. Examples of eligible applicants are colleges and universities, hospitals, and
cultural institutions. Private sector organizations are favored over those financed through
taxation, as are organizations serving larger geographical areas. Individuals may not
receive funding. Organizations may only submit one proposal per calendar year. Grants must
be used for charitable purposes within the U.S. and its possessions. Support is not provided
for loans, funds for radio, film, television, or other media-related projects, or special
events, tickets, tables, or advertising for fundraising events. he sponsor also does not
support public policy, conferences, workshops, or seminars, building projects, or
start-up/seed funding. Application should be in the form of an executive summary, for which
guidelines are available. The above address is the contact for applicants east of the
Mississippi River. Applicants west of the Mississippi River should contact The William
Randolph Hearst Foundations, 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 1212, San Francisco, CA 94105,
telephone: (415) 543-0400.
Sponsor:History of Science Society
Deadline(s):04/01/2003
Objectives:
The award recognizes an author of a book useful in undergraduate teaching or promoting
public understanding of the history of science. Books should be distinguished by breadth,
sufficiency of explanation, and comprehensibility. They should introduce an entire field, a
chronological period, a national tradition, or the work of a noteworthy individual.
Sponsor:Kellogg (W. K.) Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor supports educational and service projects of potential national or
international importance that emphasize the application of new knowledge in addressing
significant human problems. Awards generally provide seed money for pilot projects to
organizations and institutions that have identified and analyzed problems and have designed
constructive action programs and practical solutions. The sponsor provides funding support
in the following areas:
YOUTH AND EDUCATION--support projects to improve the well-being of youth (prenatal through 20 years of age) through comprehensive, collaborative, community-based initiatives. Strategies include: promoting leadership and community development efforts that will improve the quality of life for young children at local, state, and national levels through community demonstrations of effective models, models for training early childhood professionals and paraprofessionals (primarily in minority institutions), and leadership development, public awareness, and public policy education; helping youth make the transition from childhood to adolescence, by concentrating on communities that are working to develop comprehensive solutions to the needs and problems of young teens using effective and holistic interventions including community demonstrations of effective models, education and training of those who work with youth, and leadership development, public awareness, and public policy education; and focusing on programs that support youth in successfully navigating the transition from adolescence to adulthood, while maintaining gains during previous stages of positive youth development, and while developing a sense of responsibility.
HIGHER EDUCATION--support projects to strengthen higher education and mobilize its resources to help address societal needs. Strategies include: helping American higher education to examine and transform structures and practices that impede effective learning, and institutional development; supporting colleges and universities to assist in community problem solving by providing action research, analysis, and partnerships; supporting institutions serving as models of institutional change; and supporting expansion of the knowledge base in adult continuing education.
Certain funding interests of the Foundation are referred to as cross-cutting themes. Requests for funds in these areas often are a part of a request within one of the major programming areas:
LEADERSHIP--support programs that improve the ability of leaders in a variety of fields to find creative solutions to problems that face institutions and communities. The sponsor also helps new and established leaders develop broad perspectives about local and national issues and problems.
CAPITALIZING ON DIVERSITY--supports efforts that help society to maximize the human resource potential of diversity, and capitalize on the opportunities it presents. The aim is to give voice to underrepresented populations by enabling them to share their needs and concerns with other citizens and with policymakers.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT--support comprehensive approaches which integrate resources and foster cooperation at the family, neighborhood, community and policy levels.
Restrictions:
Grants are made to nonprofit organizations and institutions in the U.S., Latin America, the
Caribbean, and southern Africa. Funding varies from proposal to proposal. The sponsor does
not make loans and does not provide grants for operational phases of established programs;
capital facilities, equipment, or conferences; publications, films, or television or radio
programs unless they are an integral phase of a project being funded; endowments or
development campaigns; religious purposes; or individuals (except for fellowships in
specific areas of sponsor programming). The sponsor funds research only as part of a
broader, sponsor-supported, program of action, including investigation of the effects of the
funded project's results. Application forms are not used by the sponsor. Instead, grant
applicants are required to write a one- or two-page pre-proposal letter describing the basic
problem and the applicant's plan for solving the problem. If the proposal is within the
sponsor's guidelines and interests, a detailed proposal will be requested. Guidelines are
available.
Sponsor:Klingenstein (Esther A. & Joseph) Fund
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides grants in the following two major areas of interest: basic research in
neuroscience, specifically related to the etiology of epilepsy; and independent secondary
education, primarily (but not exclusively) for faculty development activities through the
sponsor's Klingenstein Center for Independent Secondary Education at Teachers College,
Columbia University. In addition, the sponsor makes some grants to organizations and
institutions concerned with the historic importance of the separation of church and state
and the preservation of religious liberty; animal-based research; family planning; teenage
pregnancy; minority affairs; and public policy.
Restrictions:
Proposals are considered at Director's
meetings, which take
place four or five times a year. Eligible applicants are domestic tax-exempt organizations.
Previous grants have generally ranged from $10,000 to $50,000. Support has been provided for
conferences/seminars, fellowship programs, general support, matching funds, operating
expenses, project support, research, and seed money. No grants are made to individuals or
endowments and rarely for building or other capital projects. Indirect costs are allowed in
certain cases. Application materials are available.
Sponsor:Mailman (A. L.) Family Foundation
Deadline(s):01/15/2003
Objectives:
The sponsor funds projects of national or regional import in the childhood field. Special
interest is in projects that: improve systems of care (training, financing, quality
improvement, development and leadership); engage and inform families; mitigate the effects
of poverty on young children; build community support and involvement; develop tools and
materials that are needed in the field; and promulgate effective approaches to fostering
emotional, social, and moral development. The national grantmaking areas include: Early Care
and Education; Support; and Moral Education and Social Responsibility.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):04/01/2003
Objectives:
In order to promote the involvement of the research community in public educational
activities, NSF's Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) announces the MPS
Internships in Public Science Education(IPSE) program. IPSE is intended to bring recent
science research results from MPS disciplines to the public by promoting partnerships
between the MPS research community and specialists in public science education. The IPSE
activity will provide support for undergraduate and graduate students and K-12 teachers to
work in conjunction with MPS research scientists, and with professionals at science centers
and museums, on projects in public science education.
Eligibility:
Proposals will be accepted from academic institutions in the U.S. and its territories,
science centers or museums, and MPS-funded centers, facilities, and institutes. An academic
institution is defined here as a college or university granting degrees (2- or 4-year) in
any of the MPS disciplines: astronomy, chemistry, materials research, mathematical sciences,
and physics. Science centers or museums are defined to be non-profit organizations whose
primary mission is public science education, i.e., science centers, museums, visitor
centers, etc., with programs or activities in one or more of the MPS disciplines. Proposals
must show evidence of partnerships between academic institutions and science centers or
museums. Proposals from MPS-funded centers, facilities, or institutes must show the active
collaboration of both research scientists and educators from the organization. Partnerships
outside the institution are encouraged. Eligible participants are students at the
undergraduate or graduate level or K-12 teachers.
Sponsor:North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Deadline(s):Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to a number of scholars each year to encourage research linked
to the CCMS ongoing pilot projects. Current pilot projects are active in the following
areas: (i) pollution control: ecosystem modelling of coastal lagoons for sustainable
management; evaluation of demonstrated and emerging remedial action technologies for the
treatment of contaminated land and groundwater, and; regional transboundary transport of air
pollution. (ii) environmental education and training: forms of environmental education in
the armed forces and their impact on the creation of pro-environmental attitudes. (iii)
health and technological risks: advanced cancer risk assessment methods, and; new
agricultural technologies. (iv) quality of life and planning: clean products and processes;
methodology, focalisation, evaluation and scope of the environmental impact assessment;
technologies for the study, preservation and management of cultural resources; modeling
nutrient loads and response in river and estuary systems; the future trends of concentration
of migratory movements in large cities - consequences for the environment and security, and;
environmental decision making for sustainable development in Central Asia.
Eligibility:
Applicants should be citizens of NATO countries: Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the USA.
Sponsor:National Endowment for the Humanities
Deadline: May and November, 2003
Objectives:
NEH challenge grants help institutions and organizations secure long-term
improvements in and support for their humanities programs and
resources. Awards are made to museums, public libraries, colleges,
research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, public
television and radio stations, universities, scholarly associations, state
humanities councils, and other nonprofit entities to improve the quality
of their humanities activities and their financial stability. Through
these awards, many are able to transform their humanities capacity and
secure permanent support from an endowment. In special circumstances
challenge grants can also help with limited direct costs, such as
acquisitions, the purchase of capital equipment, construction and
renovation, and even funding fund-raising. Because of matching
requirements, these NEH awards also strengthen the humanities by
encouraging nonfederal sources of support. Challenge grants are offered
only when NEH funds will make a significant improvement in humanities
programs, help institutions carry out long-term plans for strengthening
their basic resources and activities in the humanities, and enhance
financial stability through increased nonfederal support.
Both federal and nonfederal funds must provide long-term benefits to the humanities. Challenge grant funds should not merely replace funds already being expended on the humanities, but instead should reflect careful strategic planning to improve and strengthen the institution's activities in and commitment to the humanities. Persons raising the funds and those who will be directly responsible for the humanities programs should be fully involved in the planning from the outset. The most common use of grant funds is the augmentation or establishment of endowments. Funds may be invested in an endowment that produces income to support ongoing humanities activities in education, public programming, scholarly research, and preservation. Endowment income can be used to fund, for example, endowed faculty and staff positions, fellowships, lecture or exhibition series, visiting scholars, publishing subventions, consultants, maintenance of facilities, faculty development, acquisitions, and preservation/conservation programs. Where the need is compelling and clearly related to improvements in the humanities, some direct expenditures may be allowable. Such outright expenditures, which may be combined with endowments, must be for items that have inherent longevity; for example, materials that enhance library or museum collections, construction or renovation of facilities, equipment, conservation of collections, and fund-raising costs (no more than ten percent of total grant funds). Grant funds may also be used for bridging support, where the challenge grant provides for endowment income to meet the same expenses in the future. All challenge grant funds, federal and nonfederal, must be raised and expended during the grant period. For the Challenge Grants program, deposit of funds into an interest-or dividend-bearing account constitutes expenditure.
Activities not supported
Challenge grant funds, federal or nonfederal, may not be used for:
Eligibility:
With the exception of elementary and secondary schools or school
districts, any U.S. nonprofit institution (public agency or private
nonprofit organization) working wholly or in part with the humanities may
apply for a challenge grant. Affiliated institutions (e.g., university
museums) should consult with NEH staff on questions of separate
eligibility. Institutions are permitted to apply for or hold only one NEH
challenge grant at a time, but they are eligible to apply for subsequent
NEH challenge grants beginning in the fourth year after the ending date of
their most recent NEH challenge grant. For example, if a grant ends in
2003, the earliest year to submit a subsequent grant application would be
2007.
Sponsor:National Institutes of Health
Deadline:October 1, annually
Objectives:
The Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program encourages
biomedical and/or behavioral scientists to work as partners with science museum
educators, media experts, and other interested organizations on projects
to improve the student (K-12) and the public understanding of the health
sciences.
Sponsor:National Council for the Social Studies
Deadline(s):03/21/2003
Objectives:
The sponsor provides funding to support projects for the improvement of social studies
education, where social studies is defined as the integrated study of the social sciences
and humanities to promote civic competence. The theme is: "Social Studies Standards: Are
They Impacting Student Learning?" Proposals must address effective social studies
curriculum and standards, teaching and learning, and assessment. The proposal should
emphasize a program(s) in which the NCSS standards are impacting student learning. The
program should serve a student body that is ethnically, culturally, and/or racially diverse.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are current social studies teachers or social studies teacher
educators. Membership in the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is required.
Sponsor:National Council for the Social Studies
Deadline(s):03/21/2003
Objectives:
The sponsor provides an award to recognize an individual or program that is unique and
innovative and strengthens and advocates social studies. The sponsor wants to recognize
those who speak out, sometimes at great personal peril - those who follow their conscience
and act against current thinking; and, those who stand up for equity, freedom, and the
American spirit of justice.
Eligibility:
Candidates may be any individual from the community at large, including teachers,
researchers, and other worthy individuals. Nominations may be made by anyone in the social
studies profession.
Sponsor:NEC Foundation
Deadline(s):03/01/2003,09/01/2003
Objectives:
The sponsor makes cash grants to nonprofit organizations and programs with national reach
and impact in one or both of the following arenas: science and technology education,
principally at the secondary level; and/or the application of technology to assist people
with disabilities.
Sponsor:National Institute on Aging
Deadline(s):02/01/03, 06/01/03, 10/01/03, 02/01/04
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support for research projects designed to examine age-related changes
in reading and language comprehension abilities and to develop interventions that prevent or
compensate for declines. NIH seeks research grant applications aimed at the study of
selected aspects of speech and reading comprehension as they change with age. General areas
of interest include the following: the factors and individual differences related to
comprehending written and spoken language as well as the demography and epidemiology of
age-related changes; the human factors, biological factors, developmental factors,
environmental factors, and the social conditions that interfere with or enhance
comprehension, and research applications aimed at applying research findings; the
development of reading comprehension strategies, compensatory strategies, and the most
effective approaches to the development and maintenance of literacy in adulthood; and
research applications aimed at specific domains including comprehending specific types of
information (e.g., medical, legal, insurance) and maintaining professional competence.
Sponsor:National Institute on Drug Abuse
Deadline(s):02/01/2003
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support for the Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership Award
(SEDAPA), for the development and evaluation of innovative model programs and
materials for enhancing knowledge and understanding of neuroscience and the biology of
drug abuse and addiction among K-12 students, the general public, health care
practitioners, and other groups. The award provides support for the formation of
partnerships between scientists and educators, media experts, community leaders, and
other interested organizations for the development and evaluation of programs and
materials that will enhance knowledge and understanding of science related to drug
abuse. The intended focus is on topics not well addressed in existing efforts by
educational, community, or media activities. It is particularly important to the
sponsor that all members of society understand the role of science, biology, and
technology as they relate to neuroscience and drug abuse and addiction research.
There is a lack of public understanding of behaviors that increase the risk for drug
abuse, the use of animals in drug abuse related behavioral and biomedical research,
and the necessity for basic research to make progress toward improving health.
Furthermore, there is a substantial misunderstanding about the nature of addiction as
a biologically based brain disorder. To address all of these issues, it is imperative
that efforts be made to educate the nation's school children, the general public,
health care workers, members of the judicial system, the media, and other groups about
the science of addiction. To address the goals of the SEDAPA Program, proposed
science education projects should be developed for one or more of the following
groups: students and teachers at the kindergarten through twelfth grade levels; the
general public; health care practitioners; members of the judicial system; members of
the media; and other groups that have a need to be scientifically literate. Programs
aimed at school children should convey the scientific process in a way which makes
learning science fun and interesting for the students and which captures their
enthusiasm for science. Programs aimed at other groups should be directed to
increasing their knowledge of scientific terms, concepts, reasoning, and their ability
to understand scientific public policy issues.
Programmatic activities must propose to increase science literacy and understanding among one or more of the groups listed above. These activities must focus on topics not well addressed through existing efforts by educational, community, or media activities in the geographic area(s) which the program will reach. Wherever relevant and possible, activities must focus on conveying the importance of the responsible use of animals in research. Activities may include, but are not limited to, the following types: provision of training, resources, and support for scientists to speak to students, the general public, teachers, parents, health care practitioners, the media or other audiences, such as at PTAs, in classrooms, at workshops for teachers, the media, parents or students, etc.; preparation and/or presentation of media programs on the science of drug abuse and addiction (these may include television, radio, motion pictures (including videotape and videodisc), newspaper articles, magazine articles, books, experiments, computer software, CD-ROMs, Internet sites, or other written, electronic, or audiovisual presentations designed to educate about the biology of drug abuse and addiction); preparation of programs in settings designed to educate the public about the biology of drug abuse and addiction (these may be in museums, shopping centers, public buildings, schools, science fairs, or any other suitable place, which is open to all or to a segment of the public); and development of programs to provide innovative mentorships for students wishing to learn more about science. This activity may be in formal school settings or may be in community settings. The activity may provide for qualified persons who serve as teachers, as resource persons, or as consultants. Such activities might include working with gifted and talented programs or setting university-based programs for high school students with local school systems.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are domestic organizations with a scientific and/or educational
mission. Such entities include colleges and universities, state and local education
agencies, professional societies, museums, research laboratories, media producers,
private foundations and industries, and other public and private education-related
organizations, for-profit or non-profit. Regardless of the intended audience, all
projects must involve a partnership between scientists and educators, media experts,
community leaders, or other interested organizations. To gain maximum benefit from
the program, priority will be given to projects that are innovative, that do not
duplicate existing programs, that have the potential to be replicated for widespread
use and that build on existing science education programs whenever possible. Funding
will not be provided to maintain ongoing programs. Programs which support science
education for the special needs of underrepresented groups are encouraged.
Awards will use the education projects (R25) grant mechanism. Because of the wide range of programs that may be proposed, it is anticipated that the duration and size of awards may vary. However, annual direct costs may not exceed $250,000. Indirect costs will be reimbursed at eight percent of total allowable direct costs. Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 4/98). Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Application kits also are available on the Internet at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. Direct inquires regarding programmatic issues to the above contact.
Sponsor:National Institute on Disability & Rehabilitation Research
Deadline(s):TBA
Objectives:
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects plan and conduct research, demonstration
projects, training and related activities to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation
technology that maximizes the full inclusion and integration into society, employment,
independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals
with disabilities; and improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Act. Funds
will be provided to establish a National Center on Accessible Education-Based Information
Technology to assist educational entities in providing persons with disabilities with
accessible information technology.
Sponsor:National Institute of Mental Health
Deadline(s):TBA
Objectives:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Education Grants provide a flexible mechanism for
developing innovative educational programs to encourage individuals to pursue mental health
research or to enhance research and career skills in critical areas of need. To meet its
programmatic needs, the NIMH will accept grant applications in response to this announcement
that propose one or more of the following educational objectives: providing experiences to
motivate high school, college, graduate, postgraduate students, and scientists to pursue
careers in mental health research; providing research and related experiences for graduate
students, postdoctoral fellows and other scientists (at any stage of their career), to
enhance and broaden their skills in order to contribute significantly to basic and clinical
neuroscience, behavioral research, and mental health services, treatment and prevention
research; providing experiences that will enhance more experienced investigators' research,
career, and mentoring skills and success, and will significantly contribute to the
advancement of research fields relevant to the mission of NIMH.
Examples of educational programs that would be desirable include, but are not limited to, the following: seminars, workshops, or short-term courses about research career opportunities designed specifically for students enrolled in graduate school degree programs and/or postdoctoral fellows; structured short-term research experiences for promising predoctoral students interested in research involving any of the areas covered within the mission of the NIMH, such as neuroscience and behavioral science, clinical and treatment studies, epidemiology and mental health services research, and AIDS; summer courses or workshops designed to facilitate careers in mental health research for young scientists at the intersection of basic and clinical research; short-term courses or seminars designed to increase awareness about ethical issues surrounding scientific research; and short-term courses or seminars to address issues of relevance to women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in scientific careers; structured summer research experiences, workshops or seminars for undergraduate or high school students interested in pursuing research careers in neuroscience or behavioral science; seminars designed to facilitate research experiences among child clinical psychology interns or child psychiatry fellows; workshops focusing on designing improved or "model" training programs in clinical child psychology; workshops to identify areas of need in mental health services and/or prevention research and research training, including areas such as managed care, cost-effectiveness, social work, AIDS among the seriously mental ill, and public-academic liaison issues; and workshops to design model training programs to recruit graduate students and post-doctoral trainees into AIDS research.
The mechanism of support for this program announcement is the education project grant (R25). Funds requested under this mechanism are limited to $150,000 per year in direct costs. Requests for lower direct costs, as well as matching funds from the applicant institution, are encouraged. Indirect costs are payable at the rate of eight percent of total direct costs, exclusive of tuition and fees (including any health and insurance fees) and expenditures for equipment. Education Grants may be made for one to five years. The NIMH anticipates making approximately three to five R25 awards each year. Mental Health Education Grants may support a variety of educational activities, including: short courses, workshops, or seminars; structured short-term (less than three months duration) research experiences; and projects designed for curriculum development or the design, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs. No use of this mechanism to circumvent or supplement existing training mechanisms will be allowed. Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95). Applications kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Office of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD, 20892-7910, Telephone: 301-435-0714, fax: 301-480-0525, Email: grantsinfo@nih.gov. Requests for program information about Mental Health Education Grants may be addressed to the contact person listed above.
Sponsor:National Institute of Mental Health
Deadline(s):03/01, 07/01, 11/01 annually
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support for research designed to elucidate the diagnosis, epidemiology,
etiology, genetics, treatment, and optimal means of service delivery in relation to Autistic
Disorder ("autism") and autism spectrum disorders (Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, or
"Atypical Autism"). Basic research into the pathophysiology of autism and autism spectrum
disorders, including research on brain mechanisms and genetics, is of special interest.
Also of interest are clinical and applied investigations that may lead to the development of
diagnostic research instruments, treatments, and intervention strategies. Specific areas of
interest thus include epidemiology, early identification and diagnosis, genetic studies,
brain mechanisms, communication skills, cognitive neuroscience, psychosocial (behavioral)
interventions, pharmacological and other medical interventions, and services.
EPIDEMIOLOGY--areas of interest include, but need not be limited to, the following:
--Development of new screening tools for use in a variety of settings
--Research on the expression of the full range of autism spectrum disorders
--Studies on their developmental course
--Studies that characterize the range of expression within families
--Research on co-occurring features
--Studies of risk assessment
EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND DIAGNOSIS--areas of investigation include, but need not be
limited to, the following:
--Key diagnostic features associated with various stages of development
--Assessment of comorbid features including hyperactivity, attentional dysfunctions,
and obsessive and compulsive symptoms
Assessment and further differentiation of subtypes of autistic spectrum disorders
including Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Rett's Disorder, and Childhood
Disintegrative Disorder
--Developmental factors relevant to reliable and valid diagnosis
GENETIC STUDIES--specific areas of needed investigation include, but are not limited to,
the following:
--Large-scale linkage studies of affected relative pairs or extended pedigrees to
identify chromosomal regions harboring disease susceptibility genes
--Family-based association analysis and other linkage disequilibrium approaches that
aim to identify a specific susceptibility gene
--High-resolution mapping and positional cloning studies
--Resolution of locus heterogeneity
--Analysis of gene-environment interactions
--Identification of genes that influence comparable behaviors in mice, through the use
of gene targeting and selectively bred, recombinant inbred and transgenic strains
--Regulation at different developmental stages of genes expressed in neural cells
believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of autism or autism spectrum disorders
--Characterization of transcription elements (e.g., promotors, enhancers) that regulate
genes showing tissue-specific expression patterns in brain regions implicated in autism or
autism spectrum disorders
--Studies of the control and regulation of genes of unknown function that are expressed
in and isolated from brain regions implicated in autism or autism spectrum disorders
BRAIN MECHANISMS--areas of needed investigation include, but are not limited to, the
following:
--Studies of brain mechanisms underlying the development, regulation, and modulation of
behaviors characterizing autism and autism spectrum disorders, particularly those mechanisms
involving communication and social interaction
--Studies of brain mechanisms and biological factors underlying autistic regression, or
the loss of previously acquired skills
--Studies of brain mechanisms involved in the development of abnormal
electroencephalograms and epilepsy and studies to clarify the subtypes of seizures and
seizure disorders in autism
--Studies to define the neurobiological basis of neurological abnormalities and
neuropsychiatric symptoms, including motor stereotypies, gait abnormalities, akinesias,
dyskinesias, obsessive/compulsive traits, and the exacerbation of these symptoms, including
the role of neuroimmune/autoimmune factors
--Studies that seek to define basic processing deficits using neuropsychological and
cognitive neuroscience techniques
--Studies designed to develop and test interventions directed toward specific processing
deficits, thereby potentially providing further confirmation or disconfirmation concerning
the nature of core processing deficits and their relationship to overall behavioral
functioning and social adaptation
--Studies combining neuropsychological and cognitive neuroscience techniques with
structural and functional imaging
--Longitudinal studies to identify structural and functional alterations in neural
circuitry occurring with development
COMMUNICATION SKILLS--areas of research may include, but are not limited to:
--Longitudinal, developmental studies of behaviors that are precursors to later
communication (e.g., imitation, joint attention, early vocalization) and their emergence in
children with autism and autistic spectrum disorders
--Sensory, motor and social-cognitive impairments that impact upon interaction and
communication
--Predictors of loss of or regression in expressive language abilities
--The nature of severe spoken language deficits when other areas of function, such as
written language skills, are relatively preserved
--Interventions designed to remediate communication and related deficits
COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE--areas of investigation may include, but need not be limited to,
the following:
--Developmental studies of relevant behaviors during infancy including attention to
social and nonsocial stimuli, affective behavior, gaze, vocalization, imitation, initiative,
reciprocity, attachment, play, compliance, and self-recognition and their emergence in
children with autism and autistic spectrum disorders
--Research on the delays and deviations in social behavior and cognition during
preschool and middle school, including empathy, receptive social cognitive deficits (i.e.,
difficulties understanding others), and expressive difficulties
--Studies leading to more sophisticated tests of higher cognitive functioning,
especially in social, communicative, reasoning, and problem-solving areas, as well as tests
of basic attentional, emotional and cognitive deficits that may underlie these deficits or
be precursors to them
--Studies of theory of mind, of unconventional verbal behaviors, and of the
sensory-motor factors involved in relevant social cognition
--The development, validation and refinement of interventions designed to address
deficits in complex social and cognitive abilities or their developmental precursors
PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS--needs include, but are not limited to, the following:
--Studies developing new treatments (e.g., behavioral, cognitive-behavioral) and studies
validating, refining and comparing approaches to the treatment of autism and autism spectrum
disorders, as well as studies that analyze and define the critical features of effective
intervention
--Studies that relate characteristics of individuals (or diagnostic subtypes) to
treatment outcomes
--Research on relevant contextual factors including physical environments, parent-child
and sibling-child relationship factors, and peer-child interactions
--Studies addressing generalization or the transfer of learning from one setting to
another
PHARMACOLOGICAL/MEDICAL INTERVENTION--investigation may include, but need not be limited
to, the following:
--Studies aimed at developing and testing the efficacy and safety of pharmacological
agents that specifically target the core features of autism and autistic spectrum disorders
--Studies of the efficacy and safety of pharmacological and combined treatments for the
most common and impairing psychopathology associated with autism (e.g., hyperactivity,
impulsivity, aggression, self-injury, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms)
--New approaches to treatment that build on advances in neuroscience, genetics,
immunology, and other neurobiologic fields
--Focused interventions that test specific theories or hypotheses regarding possible
neuropathogenesis
--Studies that address the benefits of combined drug and psychosocial interventions
SERVICES--areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
--Studies of fiscal, policy, or organizational factors affecting access, availability,
quality, use or outcomes of care
--Studies of the effectiveness of interventions delivered in naturalistic settings,
especially integrated services that target two or more primary settings (e.g., school, home,
community, work, etc.)
--Studies of the impact of family involvement in treatment planning and delivery
--Studies of the cost-effectiveness of various treatments and service delivery models
Eligibility:
Foreign institutions are not eligible for program project (P01) awards. Collecting
clinically well-characterized samples of sufficient size may in some instances require or be
facilitated by the establishment of international consortia. For example, sufficient power
with which to detect susceptibility loci for autism spectrum disorders may be facilitated
through international consortia. Thus, full collaborations between U.S. scientists and
scientists at foreign institutions are encouraged when scientifically appropriate.
Sponsor:National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Deadline(s):TBA
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support for the development of marine aquaculture in the United
States. For purposes of this competition the Great Lakes, and the species in them, are
considered marine. Areas of priority include: research, demonstration, regulatory issues,
education/outreach, financial support, and regional and issue coordination.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, other non-profits, commercial
organizations, state, local and Indian tribal governments and federal agencies.
Sponsor:Department of Education
Deadline(s):TBA
Objectives:
Funding is provided to support the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary
education through the provision of campus-based childcare services. Priority will be given
to projects that leverage significant local or institutional resources, including in-kind
contributions to support the activities, and use a sliding fee scale for childcare services
provided by a facility assisted under this grant in order to support a high number of
low-income parents pursuing postsecondary education at the institution.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education that have a total amount of all
Federal Pell Grant funds awarded to students enrolled at the institution of higher education
for the preceding fiscal year that equals or exceeds $350,000.
Sponsor:Department of Education
Deadline(s):TBA
Objectives:
The sponsor provides funds for the purpose of improving postsecondary education
opportunities. The sponsor is particularly interested in applications that meet one or more
of the following invitational priorities:
Invitational Priority 1--Projects to make more productive use of resources to improve
teaching and learning; and to increase learning productivity--that is, to transform programs
and teaching to promote more student learning relative to institutional resources expended.
Invitational Priority 2--Projects to disseminate innovative postsecondary educational
programs that have already been locally developed, implemented, and evaluated.
Invitational Priority 3--Projects to support new ways of ensuring equal access to
postsecondary education, and to improve rates of retention and program completion,
especially for low-income and underrepresented minority students, whose retention and
completion rates continue to lag disturbingly behind those of other groups.
Invitational Priority 4--Projects to improve campus climates for learning by creating an
environment that is safe, welcoming, and conducive to academic growth for all students.
Invitational Priority 5--Projects to support innovative reforms of undergraduate,
graduate, and professional curricula that improve not only what students learn, but how they
learn.
Invitational Priority 6--Projects to support the professional development of full- and
part-time faculty by assessing and rewarding effective teaching; promoting new and more
effective teaching methods; and improving the preparation of graduate students who will be
future faculty members.
Invitational Priority 7--Projects to promote innovative school-college partnerships and
to improve the preparation of K-12 teachers, in order to enhance students' preparation for,
access to, and success in college.
Eligibility:
Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education or combinations of such
institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies.
Sponsor:Bremer (Otto) Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to sustain the vitality of rural communities located in
Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, and Wisconsin. Support is provided in the following areas:
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, such as activities that address the needs of the general community and
which increase citizenship participation, including, community education, leadership
training, and the development of local citizen organizations. EDUCATION, such as support for
higher education, with community service emphasis for minority students. HEALTH, including
the promotion of individual and community health, environmental quality, and health
education; and support for community hospitals, clinics, rural emergency services, and
chemical dependency programs sensitive to special populations. (Proposals for medical
research and from national health organizations are generally not given priority.) HUMAN
SERVICES, such as programs that address the needs of children, single-parent families,
battered women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and individuals affected by poverty.
The sponsor periodically determines certain areas of program emphasis. Currently these are: PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, including dismantling the barriers that prevent equal access, in the form of racism and other types of bigotry. EQUALITY AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT IN YOUTH, including programs that involve youth in decision-making and allow positive interaction with others in the community.
Restricitions:
Eligible applicants are private nonprofit or public tax-exempt organizations located in
Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, or Wisconsin. Grants are not made to individuals. Priority
is given to communities served by Bremer-affiliated banks. Higher education grants are
limited to post-secondary institutions in Minnesota. Awards are provided for program
development, operating support, capital (including building and equipment), matching or
challenge grants, seed money, internships, and technical assistance. Most grants are given
for a one to three-year period, although some multi-year grants are awarded. Requests for
annual fund drives, benefit events, camps, economic development, medical research, building
endowments other than for the development of community foundations, funds to develop
theatrical productions, motion pictures, books, and other artistic or media projects,
sporting or recreational activities are discouraged. The sponsor does not fund K-12
education. Application guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Pew Charitable Trusts
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor's Education program provides support to raise the performance of students at all
levels of education, especially their capabilities to learn for understanding and to acquire
the literacies they need for productive employment and effective citizenship in an
increasingly complex society. Toward this goal, the program funds K-12 and higher
education. Higher education faces challenges of cost, quality and connection to the public
agenda. The program's three priorities for grantmaking respond to these challenges by:
fostering new aspirations for undergraduate student learning, with a focus on improving the
incentives for attention to quality that are imbedded in ratings systems, methods of state
funding and practices of accreditation, and focus on the design, implementation and
dissemination of exemplary practices that result in higher levels of student learning;
supporting colleges and universities in their efforts to become more strategic partners with
schools in working toward higher standards, with a focus on aligning the standards for
student learning embedded in policies of admissions and course placement more closely with
high, performance-based standards in schools; and supporting that nation's higher-education
faculty in its efforts to facilitate student learning through a better alignment of the
faculty's role with the mission and work of the colleges and universities, with a focus on
reform of the requirements of the Ph.D. for those who aspire to be faculty, the policies and
practices of faculty employment, and the treatment of teaching as scholarly work.
Grantmaking in K-12 will focus on increasing the quality and quantity of accomplished
teaching that goes on in America's classrooms by improving the professional development of
teachers, producing high-quality curricular materials and developing leadership and
community support for accomplished teaching.
In the area of K-12 Reform, the goal is to encourage the fundamental reforms in the profession of teaching and the work of schools that are needed to enable all students to perform at high levels. Objectives are to sustain and advance the movement toward systemic school reform by generating and sharing information about the progress of reform and about what works; and to reinvent professional development policies and practices so that teachers will have the opportunities for continuous learning that are essential to quality teaching. The sponsor especially welcomes: nationally significant initiatives that promise to deepen and broaden professional and public understanding of school reform; initiatives that promise to increase the demand for high-quality professional development for educators, such as state/district policy changes concerning the criteria for recertification, standards for professional development and/or teacher assignment policies; initiatives that promise to increase the availability of high-quality professional development, such as expanded teacher networks and/or new modes of providing professional development via technology; and initiatives that generate and disseminate knowledge about the types of professional development that are most effective. In the area of Higher Education Reform, the goal is to raise the aspirations of both academic leaders and external stakeholders with respect to what they expect undergraduates should learn and what colleges and universities should contribute to this learning. Objectives are to strengthen accountability for student learning; to make assessment of student learning a core feature of campus academic life; and to align high standards for undergraduates with high standards for student learning in K-12. The sponsor especially welcomes: initiatives to develop new tools for measuring college quality and to design effective policies that make use of these tools; initiatives to strengthen the effectiveness of academic peer review of institutions, programs and individual faculty members; initiatives to admit, transfer, promote and graduate students on the basis of demonstrated mastery of learning outcomes, rather than the accumulation of course credits; initiatives that illustrate how assessment results can be used to improve the quality of academic programs and to undergird institutional evaluation; and initiatives to develop standards for admission and placement at colleges and universities that are aligned with and reinforce high, performance-based high school graduation standards. In the category of Special Institutions, the goal is to support institutions with which the sponsor has a special historical relationship. The objective is to respond to the priority needs of selected schools, colleges and universities with which the sponsor has an historic relationship.
Restrictions:
Proposals are accepted year-round and are reviewed on a rolling basis. If a proposal is
considered appropriate for board review, it will be slated for the next available opening on
a board agenda. The board meets quarterly, generally in March, June, September, and
December. Although the sponsor seeks to improve the quality of teaching and learning in all
institutions, the sponsor is especially oriented toward schools and colleges that serve high
concentrations of disadvantaged students. In addition, the Education program provides
support to institutions with which the sponsor has an historic relationship. Individual
school districts, public schools or independent schools, and colleges and universities
outside the United States are eligible by invitation only. An organization whose full
proposal is turned down by the sponsor must wait a minimum of twelve months before
submitting a new proposal.
Although the grant size varies from program to program, the median size in the past year was $400,000. Generally speaking, smaller grants are made in programs that work closely with community-based and direct-service organizations; larger grants are made in programs that work with larger organizations such as research, academic and health institutions. Indirect costs are allowed. Requests will not be considered for: financial aid, fellowships, individual study or travel grants; summer programs, except as a component of a year-round program; endowments; or capital projects, unless invited by the sponsor. Initial application should be in the form of a brief letter of inquiry, for which guidelines are available. If the sponsor determines that the proposed activity falls within the goals and objectives of the program, the sponsor will send an application package. Direct general questions to the above contact.
Sponsor:Pew Charitable Trusts
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to promote policies and practices that protect the global
atmosphere and preserve old-growth forest, wilderness and marine ecosystems. Virtually all
of the activities supported contain well-defined benchmarks that enable the sponsor to
measure progress toward meeting explicit targets. Tightly focused public education
campaigns constitute one of primary ways to encourage a more inclusive process in
environmental decision making. Work on climate change aims to reduce emissions of carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The sponsor supports
strong action by government and the private sector to take the steps necessary to reduce
carbon dioxide emissions in this country and abroad. For much of the past decade, the
sponsor has focused a great deal of attention on protecting old-growth forests and
wilderness areas on public lands in the United States and Canada. Finally, the sponsor been
working to build a broader base for conservation advocacy on public land issues. In addition
to strengthening traditional environmental constituencies, the sponsor has focused on those
constituencies whose voices have been underrepresented in public land management debates.
Marine work is predominantly focused on halting the decline of fisheries in U.S. waters
along with protecting a variety of other marine species including seabirds, marine mammals
and invertebrates together with the habitat on which they depend. This work is undertaken
through a series of major initiatives such as SeaWeb, the Ocean Law Project, the Regional
Fisheries Initiative and Restore America's Estuaries. These efforts utilize communications,
public education, law, and science to increase public awareness about the crisis affecting
the oceans; develop a broader understanding of the ecological and socioeconomic impact of
human activities on the sea; ensure that current laws aimed at protecting the marine
environment are respected by those government agencies charged with managing marine
resources, and promote stronger public policies designed to safeguard the biological
integrity of marine ecosystems and the life they harbor.
The mission of the Environment program is to promote policies and practices that protect the global atmosphere and preserve healthy forest and marine ecosystems. In the category of Global Warming and Climate Change, the goal is to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Objectives are to reduce projected CO2 emissions from the nation's electric power sector; and to encourage the design and implementation of government policies and business practices that will significantly reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Work is undertaken in the following areas: educating the general public about the causes and consequences of, and solutions to, global warming; encouraging the adoption of regulations and policies that support the development of clean energy resources and technologies, reduce power plant emissions, with a particular emphasis on coal-fired power plants, and reduce projected carbon emissions in the United States; conducting applied research aimed at better informing policymakers and the general public about the health and pollution effects of power plant emissions, and developing energy-efficiency and renewable energy programs suitable for a restructured electric power industry; and building demand for electricity supply and service offerings that reduce the risk to public health and lessen the environmental impact of electric power generation. In the area of Old-Growth Forest and Wilderness Protection, the goal is to protect old-growth forest and wilderness areas on public lands. Objectives are to provide permanent or interim protection for old-growth forest and wilderness areas in the United States and Canada; and to encourage the adoption of forest management practices that protect the diverse ecological values of forests, particularly those on private lands. Work is undertaken in the following areas: educating and mobilizing the general public, select constituencies and policymakers to support preservation of old-growth forest and wilderness ecosystems. In the area of Conservation of Living Marine Resources. the goal is to protect and restore fisheries and other living marine resources. Objectives are to educate policymakers, the media and select public audiences about the need to protect the marine environment; and to promote public policies that protect the biological integrity of marine ecosystems. Work is undertaken in the following areas: educating and mobilizing the general public to support the preservation of marine ecosystems; encouraging the adoption of policies that promote the sustainable management of fisheries and other living marine resources; and conducting applied research aimed at better informing policymakers and the general public about the economic, biological and ecological values of marine ecosystems and the extent to which they are being degraded by human activities.
Restrictions:
Proposals are accepted year-round and are reviewed on a rolling basis. If a proposal is
considered appropriate for board review, it will be slated for the next available opening on
a board agenda. The board meets quarterly, generally in March, June, September, and
December. Eligible applicants are organizations classified as tax exempt under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The vast majority of grants are awarded to public
charities. The sponsor does not make grants to individuals or to for-profit organizations
or government institutions. An organization whose full proposal is turned down by the
sponsor must wait a minimum of twelve months before submitting a new proposal. In the
category of Global Warming and Climate Change, proposals will be accepted only at the
specific invitation of the sponsor.
Although the grant size varies from program to program, the median size in the past year was $400,000. Generally speaking, smaller grants are made in programs that work closely with community-based and direct-service organizations; larger grants are made in programs that work with larger organizations such as research, academic and health institutions. Indirect costs are allowed. The sponsor does not fund capital campaigns, unsolicited construction requests, endowments, debt reduction, or scholarships or fellowships that are not part of a sponsor-initiated program. Requests will also not be considered for: equipment purchases, and nonapplied research. Initial application should be in the form of a brief letter of inquiry, for which guidelines are available. If the sponsor determines that the proposed activity falls within the goals and objectives of the program, the sponsor will send an application package.
Sponsor:RGK Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor supports research in the areas of
medicine and
education, with a focus on three main components: Educational, Medical and Community. Grants
in these areas include support for research and conferences as well as support for programs
that promote academic excellence in institutions of higher learning; programs that raise
literacy levels; programs that attract minority and women students into the fields of math,
science and technology; and programs that promote the health and well being of children. The
Foundation has sponsored studies in several areas of national and international concern
including health, corporate governance, energy, economic analysis and technology transfer.
Conferences sponsored by the Foundation have been designed to enhance information exchange
as well as to maintain an interlinkage among business, academia, community and government.
Restrictions:
There is no application deadline and grant proposals are reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Eligible applicants are tax-exempt organizations. No funds are provided to individuals or to
organizations limited by race or religion. Foreign organizations are eligible. In 1998, the
sponsor awarded grants of over $6.5 million and issued challenges for matching grants for
approximately $253,500. Previous awards have ranged from $1,000 to $85,000 and have averaged
$1,000 to $10,000. Support is generally provided for research and conferences. Funds are not
available for facilities, equipment, or deficit financing or ongoing expenses. Indirect
costs are not allowed. There is generally no matching requirement but in certain cases,
following review of the proposal, the sponsor has required some match for the project.
Written inquiries should be directed to the contact person listed above. Telephone inquiries
should be directed to Jami Hampton at the phone number listed above. Application guidelines
are available.
Sponsor:Sage (Russell) Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
Grants support scholars at other institutions to pursue research projects that advance the
sponsor's interests. The sponsor's grants are restricted to support for basic social science
research within the announced programs. These currently include research on the future of
work, immigration, literacy and the social psychology of cultural contact.
Restrictions:
Proposals are reviewed throughout the year. However, all major proposals must be approved by
the sponsor's Board of trustees, which meets at the end of February, June and October.
Proposals must arrive at least eight weeks prior to a Board meeting in order to permit time
for review. Grants generally average about $50,000 with a range running roughly from $10,000
to $200,000. The sponsor tends to provide support for analyzing data and writing up results
more frequently than data acquisition. Indirect costs are allowed up to fifteen percent for
grants over $35,000. No overhead is allowed on Presidential Authority grants. Awardees are
generally expected to offer the sponsor the right to publish any book-length manuscript
resulting from sponsor-supported research. A letter of inquiry is the preferred method of
initial contact. Application guidelines are available.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s): 11/01 annually
Objectives:
The Division of International Programs (INT) contributes to NSF's mission by promoting new
partnerships between U.S. investigators and their colleagues in other countries, or new
cooperative projects between established collaborators. Such activities may be in any field
of science and engineering research and education supported by NSF. Cooperative research
activities are based on international collaborations, carried out either in the U.S. or
abroad. Eligible regions are Africa, Near East and South Asia (ANESA), Americas (AMERICAS),
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), East Asia and Pacific (EAP), and Western Europe (WE).
Such projects initiate international collaboration with foreign counterparts, or promote new
types of activities with established international partners. Research projects are jointly
designed and implemented by U.S. and foreign researchers or educators.
Eligibility:
Proposals must be submitted by a U.S. institution on behalf of the participant(s).
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s): 11/01 annually
Objectives:
The Division of International Programs (INT) contributes to NSF's mission by promoting new
partnerships between U.S. investigators and their colleagues in other countries, or new
cooperative projects between established collaborators. Such activities may be in any field
of science and engineering research and education supported by NSF.
Joint workshops and seminars are usually small and focused on a specific, well-defined research area. They are designed to identify common research priorities, and to explore possible areas of joint research cooperation. Workshops/seminars typically involve a U.S. co-organizer and an international co-organizer, who collaboratively design and implement the meeting, which can be held at either a U.S. or foreign location. INT provides support for ten to fifteen U.S. participants, with no more than two from the same U.S. institution. When workshops/seminars are held in the United States, support may also be provided for participants from developing countries or from those countries whose currency is not convertible. Workshops/seminars normally involve a total of twenty-five to thirty-five participants. Foreign participants may come from more than one country. The pool of U.S. participants should include junior researchers, women and members of underrepresented groups, and/or graduate or undergraduate students. Participant diversity will be considered in making award decisions for support of workshops. The results should be broadly disseminated and, wherever possible, displayed in a workshop/seminar Web site.
Eligibility:
Proposals must be submitted by a U.S. institution on behalf of the participant(s).
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The Division of International Programs (INT) contributes to NSF's mission by promoting new
partnerships between U.S. investigators and their colleagues in other countries, or new
cooperative projects between established collaborators. Such activities may be in any field
of science and engineering research and education supported by NSF. Planning visits offer
U.S. researchers the opportunity to consult with their prospective foreign partners to
finalize plans for a cooperative activity eligible for consideration for support by NSF.
This mechanism is used sparingly. Evidence of substantive prior communication and
preparation is required.
Sponsor:National Science Foundation
Deadline(s):Deadline has recently passed-please check back in
spring for 2003 deadlines
Objectives:
The Division of International Programs (INT) contributes to NSF's mission by promoting new
partnerships between U.S. investigators and their colleagues in other countries, or new
cooperative projects between established collaborators. Such activities may be in any field
of science and engineering research and education supported by NSF. Summer Research
Experiences for Students provide support to PIs to develop opportunities to introduce small
groups of U.S. students to foreign science and engineering in the context of a research
experience which will also help initiate personal relationships that will foster the
students' capabilities to engage in future international cooperative activities. Proposals
should describe arrangements for placing each student with appropriate academic and/or
industrial laboratories, obtaining housing for students, and providing them with an
introduction to the culture of the host country.
Eligibility:
Proposals are accepted from academic research institutions, professional societies, or
consortia on behalf of a small group of students in a particular field, and proposals
involving more than one institution are encouraged.
Sponsor:Sloan (Alfred P.) Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support for the following areas of interest:
EDUCATION AND CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY--for programs designed to educate and interest people in scientific and engineering fields. Topics include: general education and training, including, career choice; retention of students in science and engineering; learning outside of the classroom; immigration of scientists and engineers; minorities and women; and public understanding of science and technology, including books, radio, and television. Under the topic of learning outside the classroom, support is focused on the advance of electronic technologies via asynchronous access to on-line course and library materials. Grants in the past have focused on three categories of learners: those living on or near campus; those within commuting distance; and those very far from campus.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are tax-exempt domestic organizations, including colleges and
universities.
Grants of $30,000 or less are made throughout the year by officers of the sponsor; grants usually support workshops, symposia, and conferences. Grants over $30,000 are made by the Trustees, who meet four times a year for that purpose. Officer grants may not include any overhead charge; for trustee grants, at most, fifteen percent of direct project costs can be budgeted for overhead. The sponsor's activities normally do not extend to religion, the creative or performing arts, elementary or secondary education, medical research or health care, the humanities, or activities outside the U.S. Grants are not made for endowments or for buildings or equipment.
The sponsor has no standard application forms. Often a brief letter of inquiry, rather than a fully developed proposal, is an advisable first step for an applicant. Guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Smithers (Christopher D.) Foundation, Inc.
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides grant support in the field
of alcoholism
prevention and education. The sponsor addresses alcoholism on all fronts--including
treatment, research, public education, and creating awareness of the problem in the nation's
work world. The main thrust is the prevention of alcoholism through education.
Restrictions:
Requests may be submitted at any
time. Eligible applicants are
non-profit, tax-exempt organizations. Recent grants ranged from a low of $100 to a high of
over $187,000. Most grants ranged between $1,000 and $5,000. Application should be in the
form of an introductory letter to Mrs. Adele C. Smithers, President. Guidelines are
available.
Sponsor:Sony USA Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to innovative and committed grantseekers and institutions
interested in strengthening education at the primary and secondary school levels, with
consideration also given to selected higher education initiatives. Consideration is given to
efforts that promote literacy and basic educational competency, as well as, efforts that
encourage the technical and scientific skills required of tomorrow's workforce. Other areas
for funding consideration include health and welfare, minority affairs, civic efforts, and
arts and culture.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are tax-exempt, nonprofit, U.S. organizations. The sponsor does not
provide support for partisan political organizations, committees, or candidates and public
office holders; religious organizations; labor unions; endowment or capital campaigns of
national organizations; organizations whose prime purpose is to influence legislation;
testimonial dinners; for-profit publications seeking advertisements; individuals seeking
self-advancement; foreign or non-U.S. organizations; or organizations whose mission is
outside of the U.S. There is no formal application form. Interested applicants must submit
an initial letter of inquiry. Application guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Spencer Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor encourages research that promises to yield new knowledge about education, in one
or other of its forms, in the United States and abroad. Programs in the research
division support work that shows promise of contributing new knowledge, understanding,
and improvement of educational thought and practice.
Restrictions:
Principal investigators must have an earned doctorate in an academic discipline or a
professional field and must have an affiliation with a college or university, a
research facility or a cultural institution. Grantees may not receive two research
grants simultaneously from the sponsor. Funding is given to research projects
requiring more than $35,000 in grant support. Projects are widely-varied, ranging from
medium-sized studies that can be completed in a year by an individual researcher to
more extensive collaborative studies that last several years. The sponsor does not
grant funds to maintain organizations or infrastructures of educational research. For
research grant proposals over $75,000, the sponsor will pay indirect costs equaling up
to fifteen percent of the direct costs of the proposal. The sponsor cannot give
support for capital funds, operating or ongoing program expenses, direct support for
teacher or staff pre-service or in-service training, and funds for developing tests,
curricula, or for program evaluation. Guidelines are available. Interested applicants
must send a brief preliminary proposal.
Sponsor:Spencer Foundation
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor encourages research that promises to yield new knowledge about education, in one
or other of its forms, in the United States and abroad. It offers a unique opportunity to
researchers and teachers in a broad range of institutions who are engaged in educational
research. The program is appropriate for modest-sized research projects, exploratory
studies, specific phases of larger investigations, and projects which arise in response to
unusual opportunities. The program encourages researchers with diverse perspectives to
develop ideas and approaches which extend the conventional boundaries of a research
question, area, or method.
Restrictions:
The researcher must be currently affiliated with a school or school district, a college or
university, a research facility or a cultural institution. The researcher must have an
earned doctorate in an academic discipline or professional field and/or experience in the
teaching profession. Grantees are not permitted to receive two research grants
simultaneously from the sponsor. Grants made under the program range from $1,000 to an upper
limit of $35,000. Projects may not extend beyond a year in duration. The sponsor does not
pay government-approved indirect costs rates on research grants, and it prefers not to pay
indirect costs in the Small Research Grants Program. Individual efforts as well as
collaborations are supported. Guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Toyota USA Foundation
Deadline(s):Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides support to improve the quality of K - 12 education, with a primary
interest in mathematics and science. The sponsor places a high priority on: systemic math
and science programs that are broad in scope and incorporate interdisciplinary curricula,
"real world" classroom applications and high student expectations; creative and innovative
programs which develop the potential of students and/or teachers; and cost-effective
programs that possess a high potential for success and relatively low duplication of effort.
Grants are made which support innovative programs which foster creativity and inquiry in the
classroom, encourage problem solving and independent thinking, and increase teamwork and
leadership skills.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are tax-exempt organizations in the U.S. Grants may be obtained by
accredited higher education institutions (colleges and universities), by community colleges,
and vocational or trade schools, and by nonprofit organizations. Not eligible are government
agencies, individuals or for-profit businesses. K - 12 public and private schools may not
directly apply to the sponsor, but may be the beneficiary of an independent nonprofit
agency's funding request. The sponsor's annual grants exceed $1.5 million. The sponsor
normally makes one-time grants; however, multi-year requests may be considered for
organizations not likely to become dependent on continuing sponsor funds. Funds are not
provided for routine institutional expenses, operating costs, annual fund drives or deficit
reductions; endowments, capital campaigns, construction and equipment (unless a component of
an eligible program); fundraising events, conferences, meals, and travel; publication
subsidies, advertising and mass mailings; and lobbying organizations, fraternal groups and
religious organizations. Application materials are available.
Sponsor:Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds
Deadline(s): Open
Objectives:
The sponsor provides funds to enrich community life through support of education, arts and
culture. Specifically, the sponsor will focus on programs that will develop effective
educational leaders to improve student learning; provide high-quality informal learning
opportunities for children and families in communities; and promote new standards of
practice to increase participation in the arts.
Restrictions:
Eligible applicants are nonprofit, public, charitable organizations that are tax exempt.
Individuals and private organizations are not eligible to apply. The sponsor expects to
grant nearly $100 million in funding for FY 2000. The sponsor does not provide funding for
religious or fraternal organizations, international programs, conferences, historical
restoration, health, medical or social service programs, environmental/conservation
programs, capital campaigns, emergency funds, or deficit financing. Most grants are awarded
as part of sponsor-initiated programs. Unsolicited proposals are rarely funded. Initial
contact should be a brief letter of inquiry. If more information or a proposal is desired,
the sponsor will request it within four weeks. Application guidelines are available.
Sponsor:Wolinsky Family Foundation
Deadline:Open
Objectives:
The sponser will consider applications for support in all areas of need,
including, but not limited to education, health and human services, arts
and culture, social welfare, and community development. Special regard
will be given to Jewish-related projects or organizations, but all worthy
causes will be given due consideration.
Eligibility:
Applicants must have tax-exempt status.
Campus Home |
Prospective Students |
Current Students |
Alumni and
Friends
Academics |
Visitors |
Library |
Registrar |
Computing
Continuing Education |
Departments |
People |
Athletics |
Search |
Events