Insight Grants

Sharing Great Ideas in Action (NY)! Insight Sponsored Mini-Grants

Insight Grants Development has been proud to work with many NY schools to obtain funding and evaluate successes for AWESOME physical activity and healthy eating projects since 2006! We know that there are many schools out there who are doing terrific work – with and without outside funding. We know that funding sources are limited, and sustainability is always a critical challenge. In 2015, we’d like to play a part in helping spread the word about cost-effective strategies and activities that are working in NY schools.

Please join us in submitting your best projects and activities!

  • Submitted projects and activities will be featured on our blog this Fall.
  • The top 3 will receive awards of $200 each to continue making or sustaining improvements at their schools!

Interested in participating? Email a submission of no more than 2 single-spaced pages (font size 11+) that includes the information below to info@insightgrants.com by July 1, 2015!

1. Full name, address, phone number for the school, and grades served. (Up to two submissions may be sent for an individual school.)

2. Full name, title, phone number, and email address of the individual sending the submission (Teachers, principals, other school staff, parents, and coaches are all eligible to participate!)

3. Full name, phone number, and email address of the school principal and assurance the principal has been made aware of the submission.

4.   An explanation of the strategy, activity, or program you have participated in putting in place to increase physical activity and/or healthy eating at your school. Up to three strategies/activities/ programs may be included in each submission. Be sure to include for each:

a.    Name of the strategy/activity/program and date of initial implementation
b.    Whether it promotes physical activity, healthy eating, or both
c.    How it works
d.    When it is offered
e.    Who uses the strategy/activity/program (ex: PE teachers, classroom teachers, cafeteria aides, etc.) and for which participating audiences (ex: students, staff, families, etc.)
f.    Your role in putting the strategy/activity/program in place
g.    Who partnered with you to put the strategy/activity/program in place and how
h.    Why you chose to do this. Be clear about the challenges or problems at your school that needed to be addressed. If you looked at data to determine your need for the strategy/activity/program, please share that.
i.    Results you’ve seen since implementing the strategy/program/activity (IMPORTANT)
j.    If outside funding was needed, how much was received, when, and from which funder
k.    Your plans for sustainability, including any ongoing funding, equipment, training, and/or staffing needs in order to sustain these efforts and their impact

Grant Opportunity: PHIT America Go! Grants

The grant competition for PHIT America Go! Grants is now open. This program funding is designed to “Jumpstart more movement at your elementary school with the Go! Grant.”

Projects Supported: Grants support more minutes on the move before, during, and after school through funds and gear for new classroom and playground programs.
Who Can Apply: Public or charter schools enrolled or willing to enroll in Let’s Move! Active Schools with little to no organized physical activity offered to students at present. Projects must serve students age 5-12. A list of complete project guidelines is available here.

Awards: Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000.

Deadline: Applications are due June 1, 2015.

Please note that while some information sources refer to these grants as “mini PEP grants,” this grant program is NOT the Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant–or PEP grant–program. Go! Grants are an entirely separate opportunity being offered by PHIT America, NOT the US Department of Education.

To get the application and see complete program information including resources and tools, visit the grant page at the Kids in the Game website.

 

Grant Opportunity: U.S. ED First in the World Grant Competition

The U.S. Department of Education has announced the availability of $60 million in FY 2015 in the First in the World (FITW) grant program.

Program description from ED:

The First in the World (FITW) Program will provide grants to institutions of higher education to spur the development of innovations that improve educational outcomes and make college more affordable for students and families, and to develop an evidence base of effective practices. Institutions of higher education or consortia of such institutions are eligible applicants for FITW grants. We encourage applicants to partner with public and private institutions and agencies that can assist the applicant to achieve the goals of the project.

Who is Eligible to Apply: An institution of higher education, combinations of such institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies.

Awards: Awards are through two FITW components: Validation and Development. Funding for Validation Grants is expected to be $40 million with up to 5 new awards made, funding for development grants is expected to be $20 million with 6 to 8 awards made. Of the $60 million, $16 million has been set-aside for institutions designated as minority-serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Deadline: June 30, 2015

View the First in the World Press Release here and access all program information here.

Grant Opportunity: Native Youth Grant through ED

The Federal Register recently published the announcement for Applications for New Awards; Indian Education Discretionary Grants Programs-Demonstration Grants for Indian Children Program.

The purpose of the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program is to provide financial assistance to projects that develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and programs to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of preschool, elementary, and secondary Indian students.

Deadline Information: Notice of Intent to Apply is June 2, 2015. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications is June 29, 2015.

Awards: Estimated range of awards is $400,000-$600,000 and 5 to 7 awards are expected to be made.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants include State educational agencies; LEAs, including charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law; Indian tribes; Indian organizations; BIE-funded schools; Indian institutions (including Indian IHes); or a consortium of any of these entities.

For complete information on the program visit the announcement post on  federalregister.gov

Grant Opportunities: US Department of Justice Mentoring Funding

The U.S. Department of Education’s  Prevention News Digest for 5/1/2015 stated:

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has reposted the following fiscal year 2015 funding solicitations with a new deadline of June 23, 2015:

  • Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative. This solicitation supports organizations as they strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring activities with local subawardees and/or other mentoring organizations. Mentoring activities include direct one-on-one, group, peer, or a combination of these types of mentoring services for at-risk and undeserved youth populations. Applications are due by June 23, 2015.
  • Mentoring for Youth: Underserved Populations. This solicitation will support mentoring services for underserved populations, including youth with disabilities, youth in foster care, and lesbian gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth (LGBTQ). Applications are due by June 23, 2015.

Visit OJJDP’s funding page for more information about these solicitations.

Sign up to receive the ED prevention news digest by email here.

Grant Opportunity: Best Buy Looking for National Partners for Out-of-School-Time Program Technology Grants

Best Buy is seeking national nonprofit organizations as partners that create hands-on learning opportunities for underserved teens to engage them in learning, experimenting, and interacting with the latest technologies to build 21st century skills.

“The goal of the program is to provide youth with access to new technologies and help them become interested and fluent in digital learning while developing skills to help better prepare them for future education and career success.”

Who Can Apply: Out-of-school-time programs that have a fundamental commitment to youth, ages 13-18, are invited to apply for funding. Minimum eligibility criteria is available at the Best Buy grant page under eligibility criteria.

Programs Supported: Programs should help teens build 21st century skills by utilizing cutting-edge technology such as computers, digital cameras, video cameras and professional software in a wide range of areas. To see specifics on suggested areas see the list from Best Buy under National Partner Overview here.

Awards: Program grants typically range from $100,000 to $200,000.

Deadline: Proposals must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. EDT on Saturday November 1st, 2015.

Get Complete Information on this exciting Program at the Best Buy Foundation Page.

Grant Opportunity: The Colorado Health Foundation’s Out-of-School-Time Physical Activity Grant

Who is offering this grant? The Colorado Health Foundation

What is the purpose? Provide high quality, structured physical activity in out-of-school-time settings. Specifically, the foundation is interested in receiving proposals for: implementation or enhancement of quality, structured physical activity opportunities in out-of-school-time settings (school- or community-based programs).

What types of activities might be supported? Funds can be used to start new or to maintain/expand existing effective physical activity programs in established out of school time settings (out-of-school-time includes before school, after school, school breaks and summer programs). The Foundation will fund the following: Purchase of curriculum, Equipment for structured activity time, Staff development/training costs, Personnel costs for staff directly implementing the program, Sport specific activities if embedded in existing out-of-school time program, Evaluation costs.

Who can apply? Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and public agencies that currently implement an out-of-school-time program targeting youth in kindergarten through eighth grade. Proposals to support establishment of entirely new out-of-school-time programs will not be funded. Applicants must demonstrate that they serve a high proportion of youth from low-income families; percentage of children eligible for free and reduced school meals, average family income or other indicators of low income will be considered to determine low-income status.

When is the application due? June 15, 2015.

How much can I request? Award range not specified; but past grant awards have ranged from $30,000-$300,000.

Do I have to offer a match of any kind? No.

How long is the project period? They will consider proposals for up to two years of funding. Programs must be at least six weeks in length.

Is there anything else I should know? Associated Measurable Results: Applicants will be asked to indicate how their work will numerically: Increase number of children and adults who engage in moderate or vigorous physical activity.

  • Preference will be given to proposals serving children from families living on low incomes in the top 10 regions with high rates of childhood obesity (as defined by CDPHE’sHealth Statistics Regions). These regions have rates of childhood obesity ranging from 13.6 to 26.2 percent and include the following regions: Region 4 (El Paso County); Region 6 (Huerfano, Las Animas, Crowley, Otero, Bent, Kiowa, Prowers and Baca counties); Region 7 (Pueblo County); Region 9 (Dolores, Montezuma, San Juan, La Plata and Archuleta counties); Region 12 (Garfield, Eagle, Pitkin, Grand, and Summit counties); Region 13 (Lake, Chaffee, Fremont and Custer counties); Region 14 (Adams County); Region 15 (Arapahoe County); Region 20 (Denver County); Region 21 (Jefferson County).
  • Program must dedicate at least 20 percent or at least 30 minutes of program time to structured physical activity for a part-day program (60 minutes for a full-day program), most days of the week. Children must be engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) a minimum of 50 percent of the structured physical activity time.

How can I find out more? Visit the Colorado Health Foundation’s website to view application guidelines and online application at http://www.coloradohealth.org/yellow.aspx?id=6803.

Insight Grants