Grant Information
Page updated March 3, 2010
The School Board recognizes the desirability of seeking grant funds for special projects which are consistent with District goals and objectives, and authorizes the Superintendent to establish procedures to promote such grant-seeking activities.
The Need for Grants
In this climate of ever tightening budgets, it becomes more and more important to seek additional funding, so District employees are encouraged to write grants.
You MUST Follow District Policy Rules.
- File a Proposal Development Plan (PDP). This rule applies to any grant that asks for funding over $1000 or needs the Superintendent's signature. The PDP may be printed from this Web site (click here for the form), or a form can be mailed to you (call 503-399-3038). The PDP must be signed by your supervisor and a Cabinet member and must be on file in the Communications office at least one week before your grant application deadline. Important note: If you are applying for a grant that includes technology hardware or software, contact Melissa Garner, Technology Development Coordinator at ext. 3031. Technology and Information Services wants to make sure that the requested hardware or software will work within our network.
- Create a budget. Include a detailed, reasonable budget for your project. You must add the District's required administrative percentage (2009-10 school year, 4.52%) unless it is not allowed by your grant. This fee covers the cost of setting up your accounts, issuing payments and handling Board-required actions.
- Take all completed grant materials to the Communications office. At least one full business day prior to your mailing deadline, bring a copy of your grant and all essential forms to the Communications office for final signatures.
- If you are awarded the grant...forward all original documents to Financial Services within seven working days. Prior to the release of any funds, a budget must be approved by the School Board. Financial Services will submit this request for you and will monitor all budgets and financial documents that are required by the funding agency.
Here are some tips:
- Read your grant guidelines carefully and strictly observe all requirements.
- Cite research that supports the need for your project (use graphs and figures).
- Proofread! Have someone proof your materials for spelling and grammar.
In addition to District rules there are new guidelines for submitting Federal grants.
Federal Grant Submission Process
The grant submission process has changed for some but not all federal grants. Many federal grants must now be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov application site at http://www.Grants.gov. Almost all federal grant applications may be accessed through this site. Copies of application packages can be downloaded and completed offline.
Grant applications that must be submitted electronically can be uploaded and submitted through the Grants.gov website listed above. In order to submit a grant through the electronic filing process you must be an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). The link to the registration process is listed below.
Note from Grants.gov:
- Do not e-mail a copy of a grant application at any time.
- Grants.gov will reject your pre- or full application if you submit it in a paper format and the application states electronic submission only.
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time (which would be 1:30 p.m. here), on the application deadline date. You will be notified if your application is rejected because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 pm, Washington DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your internet connection. It is strongly recommended that you Do Not wait until the deadline date to begin the submission process.
- Review and follow your grant instructions and application.
Those instructions will indicate your options for submission.
To become an Authorized Organization Representative for the Salem-Keizer School District you must register with Grants.gov. Click here for instructions.
A District Authorized Organization Representative Approval Form needs to be completed and turned in before the authorization process can be completed.
Resources (Links)
» The U.S. Department of Education
» The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
» The National Science Foundation
» Salem-Keizer Education Foundation