Opportunities for Public Media in Race To The Top - District

Final priorities for the Race To The Top - District competition  are now available, and they provide a strong opportunity for stations to get involved in the process. We covered the proposed "RTT-D" priorities in June, but now, with things more concrete and the deadline coming up, we're revisiting the final priorities to clarify some points and encourage stations to find out what it could mean for them. Applications are due October 30, 2012, so now is the time to get in touch with your district to find out if they are planning to apply. On Friday, August 31, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education announced that 893 potential applicants submitted their Intent to Apply for this program.

 

Overall, the priorities include many leverage points for stations to use while approaching school districts for partnerships, even taking a tentative step toward encouraging the use of digital resources and tools.

 

Read more about how public media can play a role in this program's requirements for personalized learning, teacher data and partnerships.

Veterans Vocational Training Initiative

Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN) is currently developing a state-of-the-art Learning Lab to provide education and training necessary for workforce and post-secondary success among learners of all ages, including special support for returning Veterans.

In order to complete such a unique endeavor, CPBN utilizes the full support of its Board of Trustees and staff working closely on the project to develop meaningful partnerships and explore funding sources. Their innovative systematic approach has proved successful: ten foundations and state agencies have committed to the project. To date, CPBN has received over $1m from state, foundation and corporate funding sources, and other funds are pending.

Read more about CPBN's initiative and successful grantwriting strategies.

Ready To Learn Transmedia Demonstration and Mentor Station Grants: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) intends to fund a second cohort of public television stations to serve as Demonstration sites for the new Ready To Learn initiative called Expanding Learning Through Transmedia Content. CPB expects to select up to five Demonstration stations. In the previous round, grantees were expected to develop a two-year budget of about $90,000. Deadline: September 7, 2012.

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarians Program: With this program, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invests in the nation's information infrastructure by funding projects designed to address the education and training needs of the professionals who help build, maintain and provide public access to the world's wide-ranging information systems and sources. Project grants will range from $50,000 to $500,000, Collaborative Planning grants will be for up to $50,000, and National Forum Planning Grants will be for up to $100,000. Deadline: September 17, 2012.

RSVP Competition: The RSVP program at the Corporation for National and Community Service is one of the largest senior volunteer programs in the nation. This competition is intended to further increase the impact of national service. Funds will be used for projects that support volunteers 55 years and older and meet specific local and community needs. Approximately $16m, total, will be awarded. Funding will vary by community. Deadline: October 11, 2012.

Race To The Top - District Level Competition: This fourth round of Race To The Top competitions is aimed at classrooms and the relationship between educators and students. Local educational agencies (LEAs) are encouraged to implement personalized, student-focused approaches to learning and teaching that will produce excellence and ensure equity for all students. Approximately 15 to 24 awards, averaging between $5m and $40m will be granted. Deadline: October 30, 2012.

Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers: Responding to current concerns about the growing demand for information technology workers in the U.S., this National Science Foundation (NSF) program seeks solutions to help ensure the breadth and depth of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and Information and Communications Technology workforce. The target audience is K-12. A total of 15 to 20 grants totaling $20m will be available. Deadline: November 13, 2012.

Environmental Education Grants: This grant program from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides support for projects that design, demonstrate and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques. EPA expects to grant 10 awards totaling $2.16m. Deadline: November 21, 2012.

Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections: This National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) program helps cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting preventive conservation measures that mitigate deterioration and prolong the useful life of collections. Planning grants of up to $40,000 and implementation grants of up to $350,000 will be awarded. In the past, an average of 18 planning and implementation grants have been awarded. Deadline: December 4, 2012.

Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics: This National Science Foundation (NSF) program seeks to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for all undergraduate students. An estimated $35.8m will be distributed across 94 to 108 awards. Deadlines vary by project type.

Bay-Watershed Education and Training Program: This environmental education program from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. Currently, only the California, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii and New England regions are accepting proposals for FY 2013 funding. Anticipated funding and deadlines vary regionally.

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring: Each year the National Science Foundation (NSF) grants these awards to outstanding organizational programs or individual mentoring efforts designed to enhance the participation and retention of individuals who might not otherwise have considered or had access to opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Up to 16 new awards are expected in each fiscal year. Each award is $10,000. Deadline: June 5, 2013.

 
Meemic Foundation for the Future of Education: The foundation makes small grants to educators in Wisconsin and Michigan for learning innovations and may be a good partnership opportunity for stations. The fall cycle deadline (for Wisconsin) is September 9, 2012.

Knight News Challenge: The third round of the News Challenge is now open. Knight is seeking "breakthrough ideas for news and information using mobile devices." Anyone, anywhere can apply. The 8-question application is open until noon Eastern on September 10, 2012. More information is available here, and an FAQ is here.

Cal Humanities: This funder supports humanities-based projects that tell the stories of California's communities and production of documentaries focusing on California. Next deadline: October 1, 2012.

GRAMMY Foundation: This national funder is now accepting applications for projects to archive and preserve the music and sound heritage of the Americas. Grants range up to $20,000. Deadline: October 1, 2012.

U.S. Airways Corporate Giving: Proposals for capital campaign grants are accepted from organizations located in and serving Charlotte, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Washington, DC (including national organizations). Grants range from $20,000 to $100,000. Next deadline: October 1, 2012.

MAP Fund: This national funder supports creation and production of new experimental performance works, including those that incorporate broadcast, digital and social media. Up to 40 grants will be awarded in the current cycle, ranging from $10,000 to $45,000. Letter of inquiry deadline: October 17, 2012.

Women's Impact Fund: This funder supports "high-impact" projects serving Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Five grants will be awarded, ranging from $40,000 to $100,000. Letter of inquiry deadline: October 22, 2012.

Argosy Foundation: While most unsolicited proposals are not accepted, the foundation does accept proposals from organizations nationwide for commissioning, performance and broadcast of contemporary classical music through its Contemporary Music Fund. Grants range up to $25,000. Next deadline: March 1, 2013.

Arcus Foundation: The foundation has made many media grants for production and outreach around issues related to gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender people. Past media grants have ranged up to $150,000.

Bank of America Charitable Foundation: This foundation has a strong history of general support for public media, and it is also interested in educational and workforce development initiatives.

Ben & Jerry's Foundation: This foundation may be a fit, especially for community stations, media training programs and projects addressing social justice issues.

Whether you are seeking federal or foundation funding, the Grant Center website, tailored specifically to public media grant seekers, will help you find just what you need. With over 300 funding opportunities, and growing each day, our user-friendly search options help you find the funding opportunity of your choice.

Visit our website. Then, be sure to check back often to see the most recent funding opportunities and news articles. We also encourage you to subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter: @aptsgrantcenter.

The Grant Center is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Questions? Please email the Grant Center: grantcenter@apts.org, or visit our website: www.apts.org/grantcenter.