Jennings Grants Program Overview

ALL of our grants are awarded to projects that align with one of our two themes, DEEP LEARNING or EXCELLENT TEACHING, as outlined below.

The Foundation typically receives more proposals than can be funded in a grant period. The information below provides a roadmap to submitting a strong grant application. Grant monies are for one year only.

 
Preschoolers visit the Springfield Museum of Art with their grant funding.
 
The Foundation’s support has been seed money, like an early investor, in a program that allows us to work with Springfield preschool teachers on how to teach creatively. It has enabled us to dream big and take risks.
— ANN FORTESCUE, Director, Springfield Museum of Art, Open Grant Recipient - “Artful Play”

Two funding themes

 

Every successful grant application clearly outlines a project that employs the characteristics of DEEP LEARNING and/or EXCELLENT TEACHING.

 
 
 
Young boy and girl working with telling time.

Characteristics for a
DEEP LEARNING project:

  1. The project DIRECTLY involves work with public school students

  2. Students acquire new content or skills learned through multiple steps with multiple levels of analysis or processing and apply in ways that change thinking or behaviors

  3. There are clear and developmentally appropriate learning targets for students

  4. The experience involves various cycles of wondering, thinking, acting, assessing, considering varied perspectives, and iterating

  5. The result/output is clear about how students will demonstrate whether learning targets have been met and consider the next steps

  6. The work thoughtfully contributes to students experiencing these conditions

    (excerpts from Deeper Learning, Leaders of Their Own Learning, and UChicago/PERTS Elevate Measures)

Teacher working one-on-one with a student.

Characteristics for an
EXCELLENT TEACHING project:

  1. The project DIRECTLY involves work with public school teachers

  2. The plan for professional engagement and learning includes guided implementation, coaching, or professional collaboration, as well as a structure for formative or summative reflection. Using thoughtful and deliberate improvement cycles

  3. The activities of the project promote the growth and development of their skills in:

  • Creating an environment and designing experiences to support the whole child and mastery of learning

  • Creating and communicating effective learning targets

  • Checking for understanding during daily lessons

  • Using data with students

  • Using models, critique, and descriptive feedback

  • Designing student-centered learning experiences, engaged assessment practices, ownership, thinking, decision-making, and agency

  • Ensuring meaningful celebrations and demonstrations of learning

    (excerpts from Carnegie Foundation, Leaders of Their Own Learning, and UChicago/PERTS Elevate Measures)


 
 

A note on your budget…

 
The Foundation seeks to be a partner in funding, not the sole funder of a project so that it’s continued success into the future is evident.
 
 

We believe in transparency
and shared responsibility.

A strong budget:

  • has alignment between all requested items and project goals, all items requested are necessary for the project's success

  • provides individual item costs to clarify how the total line item amounts are calculated, and the narrative section is used for clarification

  • lists other sources of funding, including school or district participation, so that the Foundation knows there is broad support and the potential for sustainability is evident

Download Budget Template

What we do not fund…

The Foundation will generally not fund capital improvements, indirect costs, fringe benefits, overhead, travel expenses, endowment campaigns, school bus transportation, field trips/admission fees, facility fees, storage units, incentives, curriculum writing, time for participating in staff development, school supplies, refreshments, awards or t-shirts.

Since the Foundation supports projects, compensation should be clearly related to the services provided through the project work for students and/or teachers as opposed to salaries and general operating costs.

 
 
Technology must be used only as a tool within a broader plan to implement the project.
 
 

Equipment? Technology?

The Foundation does not consider projects, where the chief purpose is to obtain technology, equipment, books, materials, etc. Approved projects meet deep learning or excellent teaching goals. These types of items can be critical components of those goals. Please read this blog post for grant application examples that illuminate what the Foundation will, and will not, fund.

 

Which grant program is right for you?

 
MHJF helped fund a youth orchestra program working in connection with the public school system.

Open Grants

Who can apply?

  • Public school districts in any county of Ohio

  • Non-religious private schools in Ohio working in conjunction with public schools

  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations that assist PK-12 public schools in Ohio

Guidelines

  • The typical Open Grant is $15,000.

  • Open Grant requests must be for one year only. While providing a picture for the larger scope of the work is helpful, the Foundation only approves funds for one year. An organization may re-submit a proposal for continued funding based on the final evaluation report responses.

Jennings Fund for Teachers

Who can apply?

  • Full-time Ohio public school teachers with at least three years of experience by the time of their fellowship.

  • Must plan to return to the classroom following fellowship & demonstrate the ability to incorporate what was learned into their teaching.

  • Previous recipients must wait for five years before reapplying.

Guidelines

  • Individuals may apply for up to $5,000, and teams may apply for up to $10,000 (team members may be from different schools or districts. All members must meet the eligibility)

  • Proposals that prioritize teachers seeking solutions to their own, genuine problems of practice will be best aligned with our grant goals. Proposals that have the potential to center students as changemakers for problems in their communities are highly encouraged.

Teacher giving lesson on telling time

Grants-to-Educators

Who can apply?

  • Any PK-12 teacher or administrator in Ohio’s non-religious, public schools.

Guidelines

  • The Grants-to-Educators program encourages individual educators to try innovative, smaller-scale activities within their classroom, school, or district.

  • The maximum grant is $3,000.

  • Grant monies must be used within a one year period.