Grant Application

APPLICATION GUIDLINES

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The major objective of the BCET and the Great Ideas Mini-Grant Program is to enhance the quality of educational experiences for our students. The emphasis is on stimulating new teaching ideas and new learning opportunities within the classroom made possible through the creative spark of the teacher. An additional emphasis is also placed on developing community outreach projects, encouraging students and schools to work with the community.

ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS

The program is open to all public and non-public teachers in Beaver County, grades K-12. Team projects from several teachers working together with multiple groups of students are also accepted and encouraged. For the school year 2024-25, building administrators and resource specialists are invited to submit a group proposal with a minimum of five staff members that is designed to include an entire department or building.

FUNDING/BUDGET GUIDELINES

The maximum amount of a grant to be awarded for an individual teacher or several teachers who are collaborating on a project is $500. Building administrators or supervisors who develop a project at the building level with a team of teachers (minimum of five) may be eligible for a grant up to a maximum of $1000.

Expenditures for program materials to enhance or extend a regular program or to create a new program are encouraged; they should be beyond the scope of the regular school-line item budget. If a pre-packaged kit is the major activity for your project, indicate how you would supplement the kit and customize it for your program. Please indicate how the project ties to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and/or the National Standards of your discipline.

Items or areas not eligible for funding include the following: capital improvements, large equipment, salaries for personnel (including speakers, consultants), transportation, food and or beverages and admission fees. Also, no grants will be awarded for behavior modification programs, life skills, prevention, tutoring or mentoring.

SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSALS

Proposals must be completed using the electronic application form. Project proposals must be submitted no later than OCTOBER 16, 2024. Notification to all applicants will be made by December 31, 2024. Awardees are to complete their project by May 10th and submit a written report summarizing the results, expenditures, and effectiveness of the project not later than May 31st

• Notification to all applicants will be made by December 31st
• Awardees are to complete their project by May 10th
• A report summarizing results, expenditures, and effectiveness of the project is due no later than May 31^st

AWARDING OF MINI-GRANTS

Following the submission of all applications, the BCET Advisory Committee which is comprised of some area educators and some members of the BCET board of trustees will review the applications. Each application is scored according to the enclosed rubric. Winners are determined on a countywide competitive basis, with awards going to the top-ranked proposals, regardless of the number of awards from the same school district. Factors taken into account in the final decision include adherence to proposal guidelines, creativity of the project, impact on students and community, and the opportunity the project presents to make a difference in the education of students. Projects must be innovative, advanced academics for that grade level and demonstrate value added to the schools curriculum.

Please note, STORY-Walk and STEAM-Walk Grants use different Google forms.