Big-Time Fundraising for Today's Schools

Stanley Levenson - Stan Levenson & Associates
Big-Time Fundraising for Today's Schools
November 2006 | 208 pages | Corwin
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ISBN: 9781483362212
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ISBN: 9781412939164
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Description

"Makes a groundbreaking, noteworthy, and lasting contribution to the field of public school improvement and reform."
—From the Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy
President, Public Education Network

"A must-read book that can change how public education works, thrives, and ultimately succeeds."
—Gerard A. Dery, Director, Zone 1, NAESP
Principal, Nessacus Regional Middle School, Dalton, MA

Harness skills and strategies to achieve "big-time" fundraising success!

In this enlightening book, nationally recognized author and fundraising consultant Stanley Levenson shows school leaders how to move away from labor-intensive, nickel-and-dime bake sales and car washes, and into the world of big-time fundraising. Following the model used by colleges and universities, Levenson presents a wealth of practical strategies for supporting school finances by pursuing grants and gifts from corporations, foundations, the government, and individual donors.

A proactive blueprint, this resource focuses on public responsibility in helping America's public schools become world-class learning institutions. Fundraisers will learn about the entire fundraising spectrum, from corporate, foundation, and government grants, to grants and gifts from individual donors. This valuable package of ready-to-use tools and strategies includes:

  • Basic steps for starting a public school foundation
  • Practical techniques for writing winning grant proposals
  • Examples of winning grant proposals
  • Tips for overcoming obstacles
  • Suggestions for establishing a development office
  • Techniques for obtaining grants and gifts from individual donors
  • Helpful approaches to annual campaigns, capital campaigns, and planned giving
  • A list of 101 foundations and corporations interested in giving to the public schools
  • Extensive bibliography, references, and web sites

In this comprehensive guide, educators will find specific creative solutions for obtaining funding that will support the finest schools for all our children. 

Contents

Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy

Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy

Preface

Preface

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Author

About the Author

1. From Needs to Opportunities

  • There’s Good News on the Horizon
  • Corporations, Foundations, and Individual Donors Are Interested
  • The Federal Government Is Involved
  • Contributions to Worthy Causes Across America Have Increased
  • The Transfer of Wealth in America Will Help

2. What Is Big-Time Fundraising?

  • Establishing a Development Office
  • Hiring Fulltime Staff and Consultants
  • Specifications for Hiring Fulltime Staff and Consultants
  • Be Wary of Consultants Who Propose to Work for No Upfront Fees
  • A Dozen Big-Time Fundraising Strategies That Win Every Time
  • Roles and Responsibilities in a Big-Time Fundraising Effort
  • Some School Districts Are Starting to Gear Up
  • Some Important Issues to Be Aware Of
  • Issues Are Legitimate

3. Public School Foundations

  • Public School Foundations
  • How Are School Foundations Organized?
  • How to Start Local Education Foundation
  • How to Start a Local Education Fund
  • What’s Happening Around the Country?
  • Twelve School Foundations Making a Difference

4. How to Get Big Gifts From Individual Donors

  • Why Haven’t We Gone After Big Gifts?
  • Defining Big Gifts
  • How to Snare Big Gifts From Individual Prospects
  • A 21 Step Approach to Securing a Major Gift
  • Sample Pledge Card

5. Annual Campaigns, Capital Campaigns, and Planned Giving

  • Annual Campaigns
  • Capital Campaigns
  • Planned Giving
  • Possible Non-Cash Gift Ideas for the Public Schools
  • Outright Gift of Cash

6. Applying for Corporate and Foundation Grants

  • Corporate Giving
  • Foundation Giving
  • Independent Foundations
  • Community Foundations
  • Obtaining Corporate and Foundation Funding is Easier Than You Think
  • Request for Proposals (RFP)
  • Direct Contact
  • Corporate-School Partnerships
  • The Foundation Center
  • Reasons for Applying for Corporate and Foundation Funding

7. Strategies, Requests for Proposals (RFP’s), and Resources for Winning Corporate and Foundation Funding

  • Eleven Step Strategy
  • Responding to Requests for Proposals (RFP)
  • 101 Foundations and Corporations Interested in Giving to K-12 Schools

8. Writing Winning Minigrants

  • Needs Assessment, Goals and Objectives
  • Activities, Evaluation Specifications, Budget
  • Preparing a Winning Mini-Grant Application
  • Blank Mini-Grant Program Application

9. Writing Major Grant Proposals That Get Funded

  • Government Grants
  • Needs Assessment
  • Goals and Objectives
  • Activities
  • Example of a Timeline Using a Triple “T” Chart

10. Preparing the Evaluation Plan for Your Application

  • Internal (Formative) Evaluation
  • External (Third-Party) Summative Evaluation
  • Using a Third-Party Evaluation Design
  • Seven Tips to Remember When Designing Your Evaluation Plan

11. Preparing the Application Budget

  • The Application Budget
  • Presenting a Budget Format
  • Providing the Necessary Resources to Adequately Carry Out the Project
  • Providing the Necessary Detail
  • Calculating the Direct Costs
  • Calculating the Indirect Costs
  • Writing the Budget Narrative
  • Writing the Dissemination Plan
  • Writing the Program Summary and Abstract
  • Fourteen Helpful Hints

12. After You Receive the Grant, Then What?

  • Announcing Your Grant to the World
  • Being Good Stewards of All Grants and Gifts
  • What Happens When Grant Monies Run Out?

13. Some Examples of Winning Grant Proposals

  • Examples of Winning Mini-Grants (South Washington County Schools, Cottage Gove, MN)
  • Example of Winning Major Government Grant Proposal (Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District, Lubbock, TX)

14. Conclusions

14. Conclusions

Resource A: Some Examples of Grant Opportunities for K-12 Schools

Resource A: Some Examples of Grant Opportunities for K-12 Schools

Resource B: Sample Ads for Key Positions

Resource B: Sample Ads for Key Positions

Resource C: Sample Cover Letter to Accompany a Grant Application

Resource C: Sample Cover Letter to Accompany a Grant Application

Resource D: The Foundation Center's Glossary of Funding Terms

Resource D: The Foundation Center's Glossary of Funding Terms

Bibliography

Bibliography

Index

Index

Additional materials

Description

"Makes a groundbreaking, noteworthy, and lasting contribution to the field of public school improvement and reform."
—From the Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy
President, Public Education Network

"A must-read book that can change how public education works, thrives, and ultimately succeeds."
—Gerard A. Dery, Director, Zone 1, NAESP
Principal, Nessacus Regional Middle School, Dalton, MA

Harness skills and strategies to achieve "big-time" fundraising success!

In this enlightening book, nationally recognized author and fundraising consultant Stanley Levenson shows school leaders how to move away from labor-intensive, nickel-and-dime bake sales and car washes, and into the world of big-time fundraising. Following the model used by colleges and universities, Levenson presents a wealth of practical strategies for supporting school finances by pursuing grants and gifts from corporations, foundations, the government, and individual donors.

A proactive blueprint, this resource focuses on public responsibility in helping America's public schools become world-class learning institutions. Fundraisers will learn about the entire fundraising spectrum, from corporate, foundation, and government grants, to grants and gifts from individual donors. This valuable package of ready-to-use tools and strategies includes:

  • Basic steps for starting a public school foundation
  • Practical techniques for writing winning grant proposals
  • Examples of winning grant proposals
  • Tips for overcoming obstacles
  • Suggestions for establishing a development office
  • Techniques for obtaining grants and gifts from individual donors
  • Helpful approaches to annual campaigns, capital campaigns, and planned giving
  • A list of 101 foundations and corporations interested in giving to the public schools
  • Extensive bibliography, references, and web sites

In this comprehensive guide, educators will find specific creative solutions for obtaining funding that will support the finest schools for all our children. 

Contents

Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy

Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy

Preface

Preface

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Author

About the Author

1. From Needs to Opportunities

  • There’s Good News on the Horizon
  • Corporations, Foundations, and Individual Donors Are Interested
  • The Federal Government Is Involved
  • Contributions to Worthy Causes Across America Have Increased
  • The Transfer of Wealth in America Will Help

2. What Is Big-Time Fundraising?

  • Establishing a Development Office
  • Hiring Fulltime Staff and Consultants
  • Specifications for Hiring Fulltime Staff and Consultants
  • Be Wary of Consultants Who Propose to Work for No Upfront Fees
  • A Dozen Big-Time Fundraising Strategies That Win Every Time
  • Roles and Responsibilities in a Big-Time Fundraising Effort
  • Some School Districts Are Starting to Gear Up
  • Some Important Issues to Be Aware Of
  • Issues Are Legitimate

3. Public School Foundations

  • Public School Foundations
  • How Are School Foundations Organized?
  • How to Start Local Education Foundation
  • How to Start a Local Education Fund
  • What’s Happening Around the Country?
  • Twelve School Foundations Making a Difference

4. How to Get Big Gifts From Individual Donors

  • Why Haven’t We Gone After Big Gifts?
  • Defining Big Gifts
  • How to Snare Big Gifts From Individual Prospects
  • A 21 Step Approach to Securing a Major Gift
  • Sample Pledge Card

5. Annual Campaigns, Capital Campaigns, and Planned Giving

  • Annual Campaigns
  • Capital Campaigns
  • Planned Giving
  • Possible Non-Cash Gift Ideas for the Public Schools
  • Outright Gift of Cash

6. Applying for Corporate and Foundation Grants

  • Corporate Giving
  • Foundation Giving
  • Independent Foundations
  • Community Foundations
  • Obtaining Corporate and Foundation Funding is Easier Than You Think
  • Request for Proposals (RFP)
  • Direct Contact
  • Corporate-School Partnerships
  • The Foundation Center
  • Reasons for Applying for Corporate and Foundation Funding

7. Strategies, Requests for Proposals (RFP’s), and Resources for Winning Corporate and Foundation Funding

  • Eleven Step Strategy
  • Responding to Requests for Proposals (RFP)
  • 101 Foundations and Corporations Interested in Giving to K-12 Schools

8. Writing Winning Minigrants

  • Needs Assessment, Goals and Objectives
  • Activities, Evaluation Specifications, Budget
  • Preparing a Winning Mini-Grant Application
  • Blank Mini-Grant Program Application

9. Writing Major Grant Proposals That Get Funded

  • Government Grants
  • Needs Assessment
  • Goals and Objectives
  • Activities
  • Example of a Timeline Using a Triple “T” Chart

10. Preparing the Evaluation Plan for Your Application

  • Internal (Formative) Evaluation
  • External (Third-Party) Summative Evaluation
  • Using a Third-Party Evaluation Design
  • Seven Tips to Remember When Designing Your Evaluation Plan

11. Preparing the Application Budget

  • The Application Budget
  • Presenting a Budget Format
  • Providing the Necessary Resources to Adequately Carry Out the Project
  • Providing the Necessary Detail
  • Calculating the Direct Costs
  • Calculating the Indirect Costs
  • Writing the Budget Narrative
  • Writing the Dissemination Plan
  • Writing the Program Summary and Abstract
  • Fourteen Helpful Hints

12. After You Receive the Grant, Then What?

  • Announcing Your Grant to the World
  • Being Good Stewards of All Grants and Gifts
  • What Happens When Grant Monies Run Out?

13. Some Examples of Winning Grant Proposals

  • Examples of Winning Mini-Grants (South Washington County Schools, Cottage Gove, MN)
  • Example of Winning Major Government Grant Proposal (Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District, Lubbock, TX)

14. Conclusions

14. Conclusions

Resource A: Some Examples of Grant Opportunities for K-12 Schools

Resource A: Some Examples of Grant Opportunities for K-12 Schools

Resource B: Sample Ads for Key Positions

Resource B: Sample Ads for Key Positions

Resource C: Sample Cover Letter to Accompany a Grant Application

Resource C: Sample Cover Letter to Accompany a Grant Application

Resource D: The Foundation Center's Glossary of Funding Terms

Resource D: The Foundation Center's Glossary of Funding Terms

Bibliography

Bibliography

Index

Index

Additional materials

SAGE Publishing Logo

Big-Time Fundraising for Today's Schools


November 2006 | 208 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 27/02/2023 9781412939164 $42.95
Hardcover 27/02/2023 9781412939157 $83.95
Lifetime 12/12/2023 9781483362212 $39.00

"Makes a groundbreaking, noteworthy, and lasting contribution to the field of public school improvement and reform."
—From the Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy
President, Public Education Network

"A must-read book that can change how public education works, thrives, and ultimately succeeds."
—Gerard A. Dery, Director, Zone 1, NAESP
Principal, Nessacus Regional Middle School, Dalton, MA

Harness skills and strategies to achieve "big-time" fundraising success!

In this enlightening book, nationally recognized author and fundraising consultant Stanley Levenson shows school leaders how to move away from labor-intensive, nickel-and-dime bake sales and car washes, and into the world of big-time fundraising. Following the model used by colleges and universities, Levenson presents a wealth of practical strategies for supporting school finances by pursuing grants and gifts from corporations, foundations, the government, and individual donors.

A proactive blueprint, this resource focuses on public responsibility in helping America's public schools become world-class learning institutions. Fundraisers will learn about the entire fundraising spectrum, from corporate, foundation, and government grants, to grants and gifts from individual donors. This valuable package of ready-to-use tools and strategies includes:

  • Basic steps for starting a public school foundation
  • Practical techniques for writing winning grant proposals
  • Examples of winning grant proposals
  • Tips for overcoming obstacles
  • Suggestions for establishing a development office
  • Techniques for obtaining grants and gifts from individual donors
  • Helpful approaches to annual campaigns, capital campaigns, and planned giving
  • A list of 101 foundations and corporations interested in giving to the public schools
  • Extensive bibliography, references, and web sites

In this comprehensive guide, educators will find specific creative solutions for obtaining funding that will support the finest schools for all our children. 


Table Of Contents:

  • Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy
  • Preface
  • Acknowledgments
  • About the Author
  • 1. From Needs to Opportunities
  • There’s Good News on the Horizon
  • Corporations, Foundations, and Individual Donors Are Interested
  • The Federal Government Is Involved
  • Contributions to Worthy Causes Across America Have Increased
  • The Transfer of Wealth in America Will Help
  • 2. What Is Big-Time Fundraising?
  • Establishing a Development Office
  • Hiring Fulltime Staff and Consultants
  • Specifications for Hiring Fulltime Staff and Consultants
  • Be Wary of Consultants Who Propose to Work for No Upfront Fees
  • A Dozen Big-Time Fundraising Strategies That Win Every Time
  • Roles and Responsibilities in a Big-Time Fundraising Effort
  • Some School Districts Are Starting to Gear Up
  • Some Important Issues to Be Aware Of
  • Issues Are Legitimate
  • 3. Public School Foundations
  • Public School Foundations
  • How Are School Foundations Organized?
  • How to Start Local Education Foundation
  • How to Start a Local Education Fund
  • What’s Happening Around the Country?
  • Twelve School Foundations Making a Difference
  • 4. How to Get Big Gifts From Individual Donors
  • Why Haven’t We Gone After Big Gifts?
  • Defining Big Gifts
  • How to Snare Big Gifts From Individual Prospects
  • A 21 Step Approach to Securing a Major Gift
  • Sample Pledge Card
  • 5. Annual Campaigns, Capital Campaigns, and Planned Giving
  • Annual Campaigns
  • Capital Campaigns
  • Planned Giving
  • Possible Non-Cash Gift Ideas for the Public Schools
  • Outright Gift of Cash
  • 6. Applying for Corporate and Foundation Grants
  • Corporate Giving
  • Foundation Giving
  • Independent Foundations
  • Community Foundations
  • Obtaining Corporate and Foundation Funding is Easier Than You Think
  • Request for Proposals (RFP)
  • Direct Contact
  • Corporate-School Partnerships
  • The Foundation Center
  • Reasons for Applying for Corporate and Foundation Funding
  • 7. Strategies, Requests for Proposals (RFP’s), and Resources for Winning Corporate and Foundation Funding
  • Eleven Step Strategy
  • Responding to Requests for Proposals (RFP)
  • 101 Foundations and Corporations Interested in Giving to K-12 Schools
  • 8. Writing Winning Minigrants
  • Needs Assessment, Goals and Objectives
  • Activities, Evaluation Specifications, Budget
  • Preparing a Winning Mini-Grant Application
  • Blank Mini-Grant Program Application
  • 9. Writing Major Grant Proposals That Get Funded
  • Government Grants
  • Needs Assessment
  • Goals and Objectives
  • Activities
  • Example of a Timeline Using a Triple “T” Chart
  • 10. Preparing the Evaluation Plan for Your Application
  • Internal (Formative) Evaluation
  • External (Third-Party) Summative Evaluation
  • Using a Third-Party Evaluation Design
  • Seven Tips to Remember When Designing Your Evaluation Plan
  • 11. Preparing the Application Budget
  • The Application Budget
  • Presenting a Budget Format
  • Providing the Necessary Resources to Adequately Carry Out the Project
  • Providing the Necessary Detail
  • Calculating the Direct Costs
  • Calculating the Indirect Costs
  • Writing the Budget Narrative
  • Writing the Dissemination Plan
  • Writing the Program Summary and Abstract
  • Fourteen Helpful Hints
  • 12. After You Receive the Grant, Then What?
  • Announcing Your Grant to the World
  • Being Good Stewards of All Grants and Gifts
  • What Happens When Grant Monies Run Out?
  • 13. Some Examples of Winning Grant Proposals
  • Examples of Winning Mini-Grants (South Washington County Schools, Cottage Gove, MN)
  • Example of Winning Major Government Grant Proposal (Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District, Lubbock, TX)
  • 14. Conclusions
  • Resource A: Some Examples of Grant Opportunities for K-12 Schools
  • Resource B: Sample Ads for Key Positions
  • Resource C: Sample Cover Letter to Accompany a Grant Application
  • Resource D: The Foundation Center's Glossary of Funding Terms
  • Bibliography
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"Whether you are a funding novice or a veteran grant writer, Levenson provides information that should be at the fingertips of every educator looking for financial support in today's tight budget era."
Edu-Funds, May 2007
"A recommended pick for school leaders who wish to move away from small-scale bake sales into big-time fundraising."
California Bookwatch, April 2007
"This book helps communities leave no stone unturned in the search for funds that will help improve student learning. In shifting our sights to the new world of big-time fundraising, Stan has made a groundbreaking, noteworthy, and lasting contribution to the field of public school improvement and reform."
From the Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy, President, Public Education Network, Washington, D.C.
"The author has effectively and painstakingly provided a blueprint that will help individuals and schools achieve success in fundraising. This is a must-read book that could change how public education works, thrives, and ultimately succeeds."
Gerard A. Dery, Director, Zone 1, National Association of Elementary School Principals, Principal, Nessacus Regional Middle School, Dalton, MA
"In my pioneer work in the public education foundation movement, and as a former superintendent of schools, I endorse Stan Levenson's suggestions for the role of board members in starting alumni fundraising, the need to listen and establish rapport with prospective givers in a community, and his initiatives for tapping the sources of senior citizens and former teachers. Levenson's acknowledgement that more than 80% of all contributions come from donors fuels the idea that public school education foundations should exist in every community to enhance programs in our K-12 schools."
Judith R. Rovins, President, Rovins Educational Group

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