The 2017 Legislature established a number of grant programs with one-time funding and the deadlines to apply are fast approaching. Four of these grants could benefit MREA members.
They include:
- Support Students: Funding to hire student support services personnel. Due Aug. 25.
- Full Service Community Schools: To plan, implement and improve full-service community schools. Due Aug. 30
- Teacher Governed Schools Planning: For licensed teachers to explore and develop organizational models for teaching and learning as well as other activities. Due Oct. 31
- Grow Your Own: To provide school districts with more than 40 percent minority students grants for tuition scholarships or stipends to eligible employees for a nonconventional teacher residency pilot program. Due Sept. 2
Support our Students Grants
Due Aug. 25
Support our Students Grants provide matching funds for counselors and other specified support staff. These grants will be awarded equally between metro and non-metro counties, to the degree possible, and cooperatives can apply as fiscal hosts for multiple school districts and sites.
Detailed information, application forms, and instructions are available at MDE All Open Grants. You need to scroll down to the bottom of the list to find these active grant opportunities and click on the grant you are interested in.
Funding is available to hire “student support services personnel” which includes individuals licensed to serve as a school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school nurse or chemical dependency counselor in Minnesota. A “new position” means a student support services personnel whether full-time or part-time position NOT under a contract by a school at the start of 2015-2016 school year.
Applicants must provide local matching funds $1 for every $1 awarded during each year of the first 4 years of the grant. Then, during grant years 5-6 the match increases to $3 for every $1 awarded. The local match may not include federal reimbursements attributable to the new position.
The commissioner must give priority to schools in which student support services personnel positions do not currently exist. In addition, to the extent practicable, the commissioner must award grants equally between applicants in metro counties and non-metro counties. Cooperatives can apply as fiscal agents for school districts.
Full Service Community Schools
Due Aug. 30
State funding in the amount of $900,000 is available during state fiscal year 2017 to Minnesota school sites for the purpose of planning, implementing and improving full-service community schools.
An eligible school site meeting at least one of the following may submit an application:
- The school is on a development plan for continuous improvement
or - The school is in a district that has an achievement and integration plan approved by the commissioner of education
Teacher Governed Schools Planning Grant
Due Oct. 31
Schools could receive up to $50,000 planning grants to partner with their licensed teachers to explore and develop organizational models for teaching and learning as well as other activities.
Applications with an approved memorandum of understanding between the school board and exclusive representatives of teachers will be reviewed in the order received and funds will be awarded to eligible applicants on a first-come first-served basis.
Grow Your Own – Teacher Scholarships
Due Sept. 2
Funding is available to provide first class city school districts and other school districts with more than 40 percent minority students grants for tuition scholarships or stipends to eligible employees for a nonconventional teacher residency pilot program.
Grantee’s must ensure that employee’s supported through a grant must be education or teaching assistants or other non-licensed employees who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and who seek an education license to participate in a Board of Teaching-approved nonconventional teacher residency program under statute
Learn more at MDE All Open Grants. Scroll down to the bottom of the list to find these active grant opportunities. Click on the grant you are interested in.