Background and Purpose
The Franklin-Randall PTO sets aside funding annually to award grants to staff, students, and community members to implement projects that align with school and community needs, but do not have allocated funding from the school. The available budget for 2023-2024 is $3,000 and each individual grant can be for up to $1,000.
The purpose of the grant program is to be responsive to community and school needs by awarding grants to projects that do not have another source of funding. The objective of this funding is to:
- Encourage student-driven activism;
- Build and curate a school culture with programs that are inclusive, effective, and empowering for all students;
- Promote involvement in school and community events;
- Develop programs that address inequity, cultivating a sense of belonging for all members of the community;
- Provide opportunities for student and teacher training, experiences, or programs beyond what the core curriculum provides; or
- Build avenues of communication, expression, and diversity of thought.
Eligible Project Types
All grant requests should be for programs, projects or materials that enhance Franklin and Randall schools. Example eligible projects include implementing programs or new curricula, field trips, teacher/staff training, funding to create or augment existing student clubs and activities, cultural and arts programs, environmental education/outdoor learning, gardening or landscaping projects, or classroom materials or supplies.
Review past successful applications.
If you have an idea for a project that goes beyond the $1,000 grant limit, contact the PTO directly to discuss.
To be eligible for funding, projects must:
- Have documented principal support;
- Address a specific need within the Franklin-Randall community;
- Have no other immediate avenues of funding (district, school, caregivers, etc);
- Can be spent within six months of grant award; and
- If student-led, has Franklin-Randall employee to co-lead
Application Scoring
Review scoring criteria. Priority will given to projects that:
- Have both immediate and enduring impact;
- Help to address the educational opportunity debt in the Franklin-Randall community;
- Are student-led; and
- Have a high likelihood to be successfully implemented
Applicant Eligibility and Application Requirements
- Any student, caregiver, teacher, staff or community member who is a member of the Franklin-Randall PTO may submit an application. Student applications must be co-sponsored by a Franklin-Randall employee who is able to act as a co-lead for the project’s implementation
- For any application that proposes a project or intervention in a curriculum or in the classroom, a letter of support from the classroom teacher is required.
- Each project must have documented principal support, including confirmation that no other funds are available and that the principal is supportive of the project. Please check with the principals about the ability to use other sources of funding prior to submitting a grant.
- If your application is part of a larger project that already has another source of funding, detail any other source and its funding status in the application.
- Items purchased with PTO funds that remain after the grant has been completed will remain at Franklin-Randall schools or returned to the PTO unless the PTO board approves other arrangements.
Grant Selection and Implementation Timeline
Grant application timelines for 2023-2024.
| Action | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Grant applications period | October 1 – October 31 |
| Grant committee review | November 1 – November 10 |
| Grants Committee presents recommendations to PTO Board | Week of November 14 |
| Grant recipients notified | Week of November 20 |
| Grant implementation | December 2023 – September 30, 2024 |
| Grant receipts and impact evaluation due | September 30, 2024 |
Grant Implementation and Reporting
Once a grant is approved, grant recipients will be required to submit receipts for reimbursement to the treasurer of the PTO by September 30th, 2023, unless a grant extension request has been approved. Grant money will only be dispersed for expenses outlined on approved grant applications.
In addition to receipts, grant accounting must include a short summary of how the funds were spent, what the impact was, and who were the primary beneficiaries (no more than a half page). Grant recipients may also be asked to present to the PTO Board to answer any follow-up questions.
Questions
For questions about the grants program or the grant application, please email franklinrandallpto@gmail.com.