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Grants and Incorporation for Educators

Some grant applications require short answers to specific questions, while others ask for grant narratives within a word count without providing many (if any) guiding questions. Certain organizations provide funds to individuals, while others focus on giving grants to schools or other incorporated entities, such as limited liability companies (known as LLCs).

Reliable Funding for Educators

Mr. Hollands Opus Foundation

This grant consists of musical instruments and equipment only; no cash grants are awarded. The school must be a public school (including public charter schools) located in the United States, Washington, D.C., or a U.S. Territory, and at least 65% of the student population must be economically disadvantaged.

Carnegie Foundation of NY

This foundation supports innovative projects, organizations, and individuals that are striving to create meaningful change with a focus on projects that promote democracy, education, and/or peace. 

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

This organization distributes monetary grants through four different programs with the following focuses: civil society, education, environment, and Flint (MI) area.​

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Frequently Asked Questions on Grant Applications (with explanations and examples):

Who is the primary beneficiary of your project? 

Describe your audience’s experience and educational level regarding your project's topic. Then, state your current inventory quantities and the percentage of students relying on school equipment (prior to receiving this grant).

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Mention the percentage of students in your program and the school as a whole who receive free or reduced lunch. Sometimes, the percentage of your district that receives these benefits determines eligibility for grants. Contact your central administration office by phone or email for these statistics. 

Describe your budget.

Write a comprehensive breakdown of how you would allocate the grant funds. For each expense, explain why you estimate that particular cost, and demonstrate how the allocation aligns with the long-term objectives of either the audience or the project.

 

Example: "A bulk supply of 50 magnets, priced at $12.45, can be purchased for a total of $37.35 at Target, providing an essential resource for this third-grade science experiment focused on teaching forces and motion. The hands-on experience of manipulating magnets is essential for third-graders, as it directly supports their understanding of this key concept, which is later assessed in the fifth-grade state science tests in Michigan."

 

Double-check that this budget aligns with the amount of funds you are requesting.

Describe the impact of the project.

Describe how this current project fits into any of your future projects or impacts the far futures of the audience of your project outside of the budget, i.e., how this project generally supports a vertically aligned curriculum in your district. 

 

Example: "Introducing third graders to grammar scoot cards allows them to simultaneously identify subjects and verbs in sentences and physically create simple subject-verb agreement. This sets up students for success in the fifth-grade Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP), which focuses on sentence structure and verb tenses."

Exploring LLCs through the lens of educators:

A Limited Liability Company, commonly referred to as an LLC, is a business structure that legally separates your company's services from your personal assets. If you provide educational services, such as tutoring or educational seminars, this legal separation typically ensures that your private home, vehicles, and bank accounts remain protected in the event of a lawsuit.

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Key Components of an LLC:

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  • Operating as an LLC can enhance the credibility and professionalism of a business. Individuals or business partners can form an LLC to operate under a separate business name and maintain a distinct business bank account. 

  • LLCs can deduct business expenses, including business travel and training costs, when filing taxes. (It is also possible for an LLC to be taxed as a C corp, S corp, or a nonprofit, if specifically set up for this during incorporation.)  

  • Certain grants and loans are only available to incorporated entities,​

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