We wrote two grant proposals ourselves to get funding to bring teachers
and their classes to the museum.  The first was a small grant (3k) from
the Rotary Club to cover expenses for class trips - bus fees, admission
fees, substitute teacher salaries, program materials, etc.  Teachers
apply to the museum for the funds to cover their expenses so they can
bring their classes to the museum for a range of programs that the
teacher selects to address their class's problem content areas.

This was very successful.  So successful that we used the results to
write a proposal for even more funding (38k) that was awarded last week
(yippee) from a community foundation to expand the program.  The new
grant will cover the expenses for the teachers and their class as well
as additional educator staff at the museum to develop additional
programs, implement the new programs with the classes, and serve as ed
support during their visit.  The smaller first grant generated enough
increase in activity that our ed staff was quickly at capacity with
class visits.

If you would like more information about this program or the grant
proposal contact Christy Deatherage, Education Coordinator, at
[log in to unmask]

Elizabeth Moore
Virginia Museum of Natural History

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jennifer Rothman
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 7:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: grants for teachers

With the increasing difficulty for teachers to take class trips-both for
financial reasons and for scheduling reasons-we have been brainstorming
ways to help get them to our facility.  One idea that came up during a
meeting with our teacher's advisory panel was to assist teachers in
writing grants.  The teachers on our panel expressed the need for help
in finding grants as well as the actual writing process.  Some ideas
that were tossed around were workshops with our grantwriters and/or an
information sheet accessible on our website or distributed to schools.

I'm curious if any other museums have attmepted to assist teachers in
acquiring grants for field trips.  Was it successful?  What sort of help
did you provide?  Can you provide any tips for things that worked and
things that didn't work?  Any information would be great.

Thank you,
Jennifer

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