Grant Criteria - Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

Please read "About The Foundation" before writing your grant.

GRANT CATEGORIES

Open grants are available to any public school district, non-religious private school, or tax-exempt organization that assists elementary and secondary schools in Ohio.

The Foundation has established the following six categories within the Open Grants program which are in priority order. Applicants must indicate the grant category below for which they are seeking funds:

Improving learning in mathematics, science, or technology

Improving language literacy

Improving learning in the arts

Supporting the recruitment, retention, and development of teachers

Strengthening teachers' and administrators' leadership skills

Providing other services to students

The Foundation will consider innovative grants that relate to global awareness and 21st Century skills.

The Foundation does not make grants for capital improvements, indirect costs, overhead, personal travel to workshops or conferences, endowment campaigns, teacher stipends, general school supplies, substitute coverage, school bus transporation, incentives, refreshments, or graduate study. A request for the purchase of all technology equipment is not a priority, however, if considering the purchase of Whiteboards, please study the list of questions in "About The Foundation".

OPEN GRANT REQUEST

There is no prescribed application form for grant proposals. Proposals must include all required items and should address the evaluation criteria. Only the original grant proposal should be submitted for consideration. An average open grant is $15,000.

The following items must be submitted with all grant proposals:

A one-page cover letter on the organization's letterhead signed by the chief executive of the organization requesting the funds.
A one page executive summary. The first paragraph should include the project title, dollar amount requested, purpose of the grant, and the category that the proposal addresses. Please include program coordinator contact information.
No more than a six-page detailed proposal in as brief a form as possible giving the amount requested; the specific purpose; its need, plan of action, and projected outcomes; the number of participants, schools, etc. to be involved; and, if applicable, the sources of other funding for this specific project. (We do not need a copy of your organization's financial audit.)
A detailed one-page budget for the entire project. Be specific indicating how Jennings funds will be allocated. If other funds will be used to support the project, include their amount and source.
In the case of institutions that propose to provide services to schools, a letter indicating a need for the services and support for the project signed by the superintendent of schools of a targeted district.
Grant requests must not exceed ten pages.
A copy of the organization's IRS Department of Treasury ruling. Only organizations exempt from tax under Section 501(c) (3) may be considered for grants. (No IRS ruling is needed for public schools). The IRS ruling is not considered part of the 10 page maximum.

The Foundation does not make grants for multiple-year projects. Requests must be for one year only. Depending on the status of the project, an organization may resubmit a proposal for continued funding. Develop a new application and document achieved outcomes and successes/ challenges.

HOW PROPOSALS ARE EVALUATED

Grant proposals are evaluated according to the following ten criteria. Proposals are not required to meet all ten of the defined conditions. Rather, the criteria serve as a guideline for organizations to develop grant proposals and for the Foundation to select qualified applicants.

1. Improvement of Student Achievement

Project's goals and objectives contribute to student achievement
Project directly links to teacher and/or student behaviors and achievements
Proposal identifies target population and explains how project will address relevant achievement gaps
The number of students/teachers affected by the project is appropriate

2. Innovation and Creativity

Project has a clear element of originality relative to the organization or the field of education
Project reflects creative or innovative use of practices, tools, personnel, and other resources

3. Assessment of Outcomes

Project's goals and objectives are clearly defined and measurable where appropriate
Proposal includes a specific evaluation plan to assess goals and objectives
Evaluation plan includes formative and summative assessment

4. Research Basis

Project connects to existing research on effective educational practices
Project reflects teacher and/or staff participation in systematic inquiry/action research

5. Achievable Implementation

Timeline is realistic and includes a specific start and end date
Project will be evaluated within 12 months
Proposal identifies clear roles and responsibilities for each aspect of implementation

6. Collaboration

Project shows evidence of broad stakeholder involvement, including a specific commitment of support from the organization's leadership
Project involves parents where appropriate
Project includes partnerships and/or connections within the organization and outside the organization

7. Alignment

Proposal shows an alignment among the objectives, activities, evaluation, and dissemination plans
Proposal identifies alignment to state and district standards based on the particular grant category

8. Cost Effectiveness

Proposal reflects efficient use of existing organization resources in addition to the requested resources
Total grant request is commensurate with identified program requirements
Proposal indicates specifically how Jennings funds will be allocated

9. Sustainability

Project is applicable to other populations
Proposal includes an explicit discussion of post-grant sustainability and future funding sources

10. Dissemination

Proposal includes appropriate methods to identify what new ideas and effective practices were learned
Proposal includes a specific plan to disseminate the outcome results, the new ideas, and the effective practices from the project

Please review the requirements on the Education Project Report Form so that your request will correspond to your evaluation.

Grant requests should be addressed to:

Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
The Halle Building
1228 Euclid Avenue, Suite 710
Cleveland, Ohio 44115