Whenever someone mentions the word grant I have always gotten excited and freaked out at the same time. Can one truly have 2 very opposite emotions at the same time? Of course they can. The idea of free stuff for your classroom makes you jump for joy, while the idea of writing a several page grant makes you stop in your tracks and run away. I have had minimal success with writing grants but I'm hoping with the help of the resources given to us, from our lovely professor, I will have the most kicking technologically advanced classroom in the district.
One website that I have just learned to use was donorschoose.org. With this website you tell a bit about your classroom, explain why you want what you want, and then go "shopping" for materials. Once everything is done you submit it for review. If you did not fill out a portion correctly they will send it back to you with notes as to what you fix. Once everything checks out your project will be posted for people to go donate to. This way several people can donate a little bit and fund your project.
Another site that I looked at is adoptaclassroom.org This site is very similar to donorschoose.org. The only difference is that it doesn't have fees that have to be paid out of the donors donated amount. Donors add money to your account and you go shopping with it. It seems easy and straight forward.
My school district has an OPET grant which is for $500. I was able to use this grant to obtain gaming headsets for my classroom. I use these headsets, they include high quality microphones, to create digital story books. It was a very simple grant to write and the kids really benefited from it.
The vast amounts of money out there is amazing. It is all about finding those resources and going out there and getting "dirty." Good luck to all you grant finders!!
