Grant Writing
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Most school districts have very tight budgets, and school counselors are fortunate to avoid job cuts, let alone receive funding from those budgets. This often leads to school counselors buying supplies and resources out of their own pockets, or requesting donations from parents and community members. However, there are other ways to gain support and funding for comprehensive school counseling programs, one of which is through grants. Two school counselors in California serving 8,600 students across ten school applied for and received the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Grant in order to improve upon and expand their comprehensive school counseling program throughout the district (Duarte & Hatch, 2015). These school counselors used funding from the grant to hire three more school counselors who implemented "Second Step", an evidence-based violence prevention curriculum, which resulted in district-wide reductions in student-to-school-counselor ratios and reduced violence as measured by numbers of discipline referrals in each of the three schools. School counselors from one Washington high school with graduation rates below 60% for the past few years also had positive experiences after receiving a School Improvement Grant (Salina et al., 2013). Using this grant money, the school was able to hire a "turnaround" principal who empowered the school counselors to solidify their roles and develop a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program. Through his support and guidance, the school counselors were able to deliver equitable interventions to students with significant impacts on student achievement as measured by increased graduation rates.
With so many positive outcomes resulting from grant funding, why do many school counselors fail to take advantage of grant opportunities to fund their programs? One common reason is that school counselors may feel intimidated by the process of applying for grant funding. Fortunately, Vernon and Rainey (2009) provide a detailed explanation specific to school counselors on how to tackle the often daunting task of "writing the grant". The first step includes the planning stage, when school counselors determine goals and a vision for their school counseling programs, often through needs assessments. Showing data on the problem within the school that the school counselor is attempting to combat can be helpful during this first stage, as it shows that the applicant has done the preliminary work and is dedicated to using these grant funds efficiently. Next, school counselors need to identify potential grant sources, including federal, state, and community organizations (see the resources listed below). Fellow school counselors who have previously applied for and/or been awarded grants can also assist you in your search of finding the right grant source. During the next stage, writing the grant, school counselors need to become familiar with the details of the grant applications as well as specific dates and deadlines for submission. Most grant applications include similar requirements: "(a) a statement of need; (b) the project goals and objectives; (c) a project description; (d) an actual amount of money requested; (e) a detailed budget for your project; (f) a timeline for implementation; and (g) an evaluation procedures and measures" (p. 9). With many applicants to choose from, school counselors can make sure their application stands out by ensuring that it meets all requirements, is easy to read, and delivers a focused message on how they will use the grant funding. Vernon and Rainey (2009) go further to state that not only is the grant writing process beneficial in the potential for increased funding for school counseling programs, but this process also provides an opportunity for school counselors to evaluate at least a portion of their current programs. This evaluation can help school counselors identify areas of need they may not have considered, and enhance their services to ensure they are delivering the most effective interventions that significantly impact student achievement.
With so many positive outcomes resulting from grant funding, why do many school counselors fail to take advantage of grant opportunities to fund their programs? One common reason is that school counselors may feel intimidated by the process of applying for grant funding. Fortunately, Vernon and Rainey (2009) provide a detailed explanation specific to school counselors on how to tackle the often daunting task of "writing the grant". The first step includes the planning stage, when school counselors determine goals and a vision for their school counseling programs, often through needs assessments. Showing data on the problem within the school that the school counselor is attempting to combat can be helpful during this first stage, as it shows that the applicant has done the preliminary work and is dedicated to using these grant funds efficiently. Next, school counselors need to identify potential grant sources, including federal, state, and community organizations (see the resources listed below). Fellow school counselors who have previously applied for and/or been awarded grants can also assist you in your search of finding the right grant source. During the next stage, writing the grant, school counselors need to become familiar with the details of the grant applications as well as specific dates and deadlines for submission. Most grant applications include similar requirements: "(a) a statement of need; (b) the project goals and objectives; (c) a project description; (d) an actual amount of money requested; (e) a detailed budget for your project; (f) a timeline for implementation; and (g) an evaluation procedures and measures" (p. 9). With many applicants to choose from, school counselors can make sure their application stands out by ensuring that it meets all requirements, is easy to read, and delivers a focused message on how they will use the grant funding. Vernon and Rainey (2009) go further to state that not only is the grant writing process beneficial in the potential for increased funding for school counseling programs, but this process also provides an opportunity for school counselors to evaluate at least a portion of their current programs. This evaluation can help school counselors identify areas of need they may not have considered, and enhance their services to ensure they are delivering the most effective interventions that significantly impact student achievement.
References:
Duarte, D., & Hatch, T. (2015). Successful implementation of a federally funded violence prevention elementary school counseling program: Results bring sustainability. Professional School Counseling, 18(1), 71-81.
Salina, C., Girtz, S., Eppinga, J., Martinez, D., Kilian, D. B., Lozano, E., & ... Shines, T. (2013). All hands on deck: A comprehensive, results-driven counseling model. Professional School Counseling, 17(1), 63-75.
Vernon, D & Rainey, J.S. (2009). The school counselor as grant writer. Journal of School Counseling, 7(19), 1-23.
Duarte, D., & Hatch, T. (2015). Successful implementation of a federally funded violence prevention elementary school counseling program: Results bring sustainability. Professional School Counseling, 18(1), 71-81.
Salina, C., Girtz, S., Eppinga, J., Martinez, D., Kilian, D. B., Lozano, E., & ... Shines, T. (2013). All hands on deck: A comprehensive, results-driven counseling model. Professional School Counseling, 17(1), 63-75.
Vernon, D & Rainey, J.S. (2009). The school counselor as grant writer. Journal of School Counseling, 7(19), 1-23.