Grant Categories

Grant applications can only be submitted by certified CHCCS teachers and administrators.

Classroom Innovation Grants

Classroom Innovation Grant

  • Classroom, grade-level, school-wide, or district-wide projects

  • CHCCS Teacher, PLC Team

  • $200-$4000

Student Enrichment Grants

Student Enrichment Grant

  • Support for students with financial or academic need

  • CHCCS Teacher, Social Worker, Counselor

  • Varies on need
Professional Development

Professional Development Impact Grant

  • Grade-level, school-wide, or district-wide projects

  • CHCCS Principal or District Administrator

  • $2,500/school/year

3 Grant Cycles

All grant applications must be submitted by midnight on the date specified.

Fall

September 30th: Grant applications due
Mid-October:  Funding decisions announced

Winter

December 15th: Grant applications due
Mid-January:  Funding decisions announced

Spring

April 30th: Grant applications due
Mid-May:  Funding decisions announced

Submit a Strong Application

  • Explain why the funding is needed. Show us your “need,” not your “want.”
    • For Classroom Innovation Grants, show how your application would enhance state standards and CHCCS curriculum.
    • For Student Enrichment Grants, demonstrate the student’s academic and/or financial need (school social workers can help with financial need demonstration).
    • For Professional Development Impact Grants, show how the application would directly improve teacher effectiveness and enrich student educational experiences.
  • Include references to research or other documentation (e.g., School Improvement Plan) when appropriate to explain the need.
  • Clearly state how the requested funds would be spent. It should be easy for the reviewer to connect the text in your application to your budget.
  • Include if you have funding or in-kind donations from other sources (e.g., your school or PTA/PTSA) as it shows a broader commitment to the project and strengthens your application.
  • Show how your project would involve collaboration with colleagues in your PLC, school, or district.
  • Identify outcomes that are impactful, measurable, and attainable within the proposed timeframe.
  • Be clear and concise in your responses.
  • Avoid technical jargon and explain all abbreviations as some of the reviewers are not educators.
  • Ask a colleague to proof-read your application for typos, mathematical errors, text that is unclear, etc.
  • Ask PSF staff to review your application within a reasonable timeframe (i.e., at least one week) before the due-date.

CRITERIA EXCELLENT GOOD/FAIR POOR
1.  Goals and Innovation
  • Directly aligned with district goals
  • Sound, research-based approach
  • Innovative
  • No or minimal funding available from school/district/PTA
  • Generally aligned with district goals
  • Sound approach
  • Some innovation
  • Some funding is available from school/district/PTA
  • Not aligned with district goals
  • Approach unclear
  • Little innovation
  • Full funding is available from school/district/PTA
2.  Educational Objectives
  • Clear objectives
  • Outcomes are measurable
  • Clear student benefit
  • Objectives somewhat clear
  • Outcomes are measurable
  • Limited student benefit
  • Objectives unclear or missing
  • Outcomes not measurable
  • Minimal student benefit
3.  Plan, Timeline, and Accountability
  • Clear plan and timeline
  • Roles defined
  • Goals tied to need
  • Partial plan or unclear timeline
  • Roles loosely defined
  • Plan or timeline missing
  • Roles not defined
  • Goals not tied to need
4.  Sustainability, Collaboration, and Impact
  • Sustainability is addressed
  • Collaboration and sharing
  • Broad impact
  • Sustainability is somewhat addressed
  • Minimal collaboration
  • Limited impact
  • Sustainability is not addressed
  • No collaboration
  • Impact unclear
5.  Evaluation
  • Clear evaluation plan with measurable targets
  •  Evaluation plan included but vague
  • Evaluation plan is missing
6.  Budget & Resources
  • Clear, reasonable budget
  • Costs justified
  • Other resources identified
  • Budget provided, but limited details
  • Budget unclear or missing

TOPIC FUNDABLE NEEDS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT INFO NOT FUNDABLE
Food Food is essential to the success of the project and there is no substitute. Food is somewhat essential to the success of the project; there is a possible substitute. Food is not essential to the success of the project.
Lesson involving food strongly supports school/system learning goals. Lesson involving food somewhat supports school/system learning goals. Lesson involving food does not support school/system learning goals.
The type or location of food included in the budget is very specific. The type or location of food included in the budget is somewhat specific. The type or location of food included in the budget is not specific.
A specific budget has been given for the food portion per child. A general budget has been given for the food portion per child. A specific budget has not been given for the food portion per child.
The project shows a creative use of food as a means to communicate a learning concept. The project shows a somewhat creative use of food as a means to communicate a learning concept. The project does not show a creative use of food as a means to communicate a learning concept.
Food is used as a reward.
Travel Travel is essential to the success of the project and there is no substitute. Travel is somewhat essential to the success of the project. Travel is not essential to the success of the project.
The most economical and reasonable means of travel have been selected. Attempts to find the most economical and reasonable means of travel have been made. The most economical and reasonable means of travel have not been selected.
The budget for travel is clear and includes actual expenses, not “guestimations”. The budget for travel is somewhat clear. The budget for travel is not clear.
The closest destination that meets project goals has been chosen. Attempts to find the closest destination that meets project goals has been made. The closest destination that meets project goals has not been chosen.
The travel supports school/system goals and objectives. The travel somewhat supports school/system goals and objectives. The travel does not support school/system goals and objectives.
Garden A garden is essential to the learning objectives. A garden is somewhat essential to the learning objectives. A garden is not essential to the learning objectives.
Requested budget items are necessary to the success of the lesson and are not incidental. Requested budget items are somewhat necessary to the success of the lesson and are not incidental. Requested budget items are not necessary to the success of the lesson and are incidental.
A large number of students benefit from the use of funds for gardens. A fair number of students benefit from the use of funds for gardens. A minimal number of students benefit from the use of funds for gardens.
There is a clear plan for continued administration and care of the garden. There is a somewhat clear plan for continued administration and care of the garden. There is not a clear plan for continued administration and care of the garden.
There are significant matching and/or donated materials and time from parents, students, community members, etc. There are some matching and/or donated materials and time from parents, students, community members, etc. There are no matching and/or donated materials and time from parents, students, community members, etc.
Funding for the project would be considered at other schools. Funding for the project might be considered at other schools. Funding for the project would not be considered at other schools.
Playground/

Furniture/

Equipment

 The request is essential to learning objectives or system goals. The request is somewhat essential to learning objectives or system goals. The request is not essential to learning objectives or system goals.
Requested budget items are specific to a unique goal for this project and are not simply for standard capital improvements. Requested budget items are somewhat specific to a unique goal for this project and are not simply for standard capital improvements. Requested budget items are not specific to a unique goal for this project or are simply for standard capital improvements.
A large number of students benefit from the use of these requested items. A fair number of students benefit from the use of these requested items. A minimal of students benefit from the use of these requested items.
There is a clear plan for continued administration, sharing, care, and replacement of the requested items. Replacement, sharing and caring for the requested items are loosely addressed. Replacement, sharing and caring for the items are not adequately addressed.
PSF would welcome the opportunity to fund the project at other schools. Funding for the project might be considered at other schools. Funding for the project would not be considered at other schools.
Technology The technology requested is specific to a lesson and its use is clearly outlined. The technology requested is somewhat specific to a lesson and its use is outlined. The technology requested is not specific to a lesson and its use is not clearly outlined.
The lesson could not be accomplished without the specific technology. The lesson might not be accomplished or would be compromised without the specific technology. The lesson could be accomplished without the specific technology.
The technology aids children with learning disabilities and/or physical impairments. The technology somewhat aids children with learning disabilities and/or physical impairments. The technology does not aid children with learning disabilities and/or physical impairments.
The longevity and endurance of the technology is excellent and there is an expectation that multiple years of benefit will be enjoyed. The longevity and endurance of the technology is good and there is an expectation that a few years of benefit will be enjoyed. The longevity and endurance of the technology is poor.
Funding for the project would be considered at other schools. Funding for the project might be considered at other schools. Funding for the project would not be considered at other schools.
There is a clear plan for replacement, sharing and caring of the technology. Replacement, sharing and caring for the technology are somewhat addressed. Replacement, sharing and caring for the technology are somewhat addressed.
The most economical and reasonable sources of the technology have been selected. Attempts to find the most economical and reasonable sources of the technology have been selected. The most economical and reasonable sources of the technology have not been selected.

FAQs

PSF prioritizes funding for projects or programs that:

  • Enhance state standards and CHCCS curriculum
  • Impact students with academic and/or financial need
  • Provide equitable opportunities across a grade, PLC, school, or district

You can request funding for most educational items essential to completing your project successfully. It is recommended that you refer to the rubric used by the PSF Grant Review Committee when developing your proposal (see above).

As PSF has limited funding, there are some items that PSF cannot fund, including but not limited to:

  • Prizes and trinket give-aways
  • T-shirts
  • Food
  • Classroom furniture
  • Playground equipment
  • School gardens

There are projects for which these items may be funded. Please refer to the rubric for PSF’s special considerations. If you have questions, please contact us at psf@chccs.k12.nc.us to discuss your application before submitting it.

PSF grant applications are due by midnight on September 30 (fall cycle), December 15 (winter cycle), and April 30 (spring cycle) of each year. Applications submitted after one grant cycle deadline will be reviewed in the next grant cycle.

You will hear whether or not your application will be funded generally within four weeks of each grant cycle deadline:

  • Fall cycle: applications due September 30; Funding decisions shared in mid-October
  • Winter cycle: applications due December 15; Funding decisions shared in mid-January
  • Spring cycle: applications due April 30; Funding decisions shared in mid-May

PSF does not fund grant applications for projects/programs already completed. Proposed projects should not begin until after the funding decisions are shared.

Grant applications submitted to PSF are typically implemented within one school year. If you have an idea for a multi-year request, please contact us at psf@chccs.k12.nc.us to discuss your application before submitting it.

Yes, you can submit multiple grant applications in a cycle or a year.  If you submit several applications, we may ask you to rank them in order of importance as our funding is limited.

Please note that applications for Professional Development Impact Grants can only be submitted by school principals and the amount of funding is limited to a maximum of $2,500 per school per school year.

For Classroom Innovation Grants, we recommend that you do not submit requests for the same project more than two times consecutively.  For Student Enrichment Grants and Professional Development Impact grants, repeat requests are accepted if the student(s) or program needs additional funding.

Only CHCCS personnel may submit grant applications to PSF. However, parents are welcome to assist teachers and staff with grant application research and writing. Parents may also attend our Grant Writing Workshops.

Yes, we are happy to review your grant application. Please email your application (as a Google doc) at least one week before the grant cycle deadline to psf@chccs.k12.nc.us. This will ensure enough time for us to provide recommendations on strengthening your application as well as time for you to update your application.

PSF has a Grant Review Committee composed of PSF Board of Directors members, CHCCS Administrative personnel, and community representatives. This committee reviews, scores, and discusses the applications and makes recommendations to the full PSF Board of Directors which ultimately determines grant funding.

The allocation of funds depends on the type and amount of your grant. For example, if your grant is for items, PSF generally purchases the items and has them shipped to your school. If your grant involves substitute teachers or extra-duty pay, PSF requests budget codes from the CHCCS Finance Office so you can access the funding through your school bookkeeper.

All grant recipients are required to fill out an evaluation after implementation (and no later than May 31) to provide feedback on the project and student impacts. The evaluation methods outlined in your application to measure success should be used in completing your grant evaluation.

Your evaluation is very important to the PSF grant process. This information is necessary when PSF applies for and reports on external grants from foundations and government agencies. Failure to submit a grant evaluation may affect a grant recipient’s future funding requests.

We should be able to help you submit a grant application to another agency/foundation. Please contact us at psf@chccs.k12.nc.us to set up a time to discuss it.

Please contact us at psf@chccs.k12.nc.us to discuss your application and we can help you navigate the process.  Attending one of our three Grant Writing Workshops offered each year is also very helpful and you can get your questions answered there.

See our Grants in Action