M-A PTA Mini-Grant Program
The M-A PTA offers small grants to aid special programs proposed by teachers, staff, and students. This Mini-Grant program, established in 1999, aims to serve as many Menlo-Atherton students as possible.
The PTA Mini-Grant program encourages grant applications from many segments of the Menlo-Atherton community. You are welcome to apply if you are a:
- teacher
- club leader
- administrator
- staff member
- student
PTA Fall Mini-Grants
As the 2009-2010 school year begins, M-A PTA wanted to update you on the Mini-Grants that were funded last year. The first round of Mini-Grants totaling $ $14,409.59 was unanimously approved by the M-A PTA membership at the October 2008 general meeting. The second round of Mini-Grants totaling $ $9,054 was unanimously approved by the M-A PTA membership at the February 2009 general meeting. Spring awards are listed below. We hope you have an appreciation of how M-A staff and students benefit from your support of the PTA through the Senior Fashion Show and direct donations.
| ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT | SCIENCE: PHYSICS ROCKET LAUNCH UPGRADE Construction materials for building a replacement used in physics momentum unit. |
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ESL/PHOENIX:STANDARDS-BASED DRAMA LITERACY to accelerate achievement for at-risk students |
SCHOOL SUPPORT |
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MATH: ALGEBRA WORKSHEET SITE LICENSE Provides 3 year site license that will allow all math teachers to access the website, www.kutasoftware.com to create practice worksheets, quizzes and tests for Algebra 1 classes |
ESL/PHOENIX: 10 YEARBOOKS AND BUS PASSES for graduating ESL/Phoenix seniors |
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MATH/SOCIAL STUDIES: OMNIPAGE 16.0 SOFTWARE for scanning and converting printed text from newspapers, journal textbooks and textbook support materials into Microsoft Word Docs which can be utilzed to enhance Smartboard presentations and handouts. |
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST: RTI TOOLKIT Books about Evidence-Based Interventions (EBIs) to add to Response to Intervention (RTI) toolkit that contributes to strategies that can improve student outcomes |
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EQUIPMENT |
SCHOOL NURSE: EARTHQUAKE SUPPLIES supplies and backpacks for classrooms. PTA paid $999 in the fall from a vote from the executive board. This reflects balance |
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ART: WORKTABLES AND STOOLS 8 new student worktables and 36 stools to increase individual workspace and accommodate more students per table. |
SCHOOL NURSE: EMERGENCY TRAINING for various staff members including First Aid, CPR and AED training |
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AVP OFFICE FAX MACHINE to replace current 10 year old machine to handle large volume paperwork faxed to agencies, parents and other schools in conjunction with the behavior, attendance, etc. of our students. |
STUDENT SUPPORT: BUS PASSES to help low income students/families by offering an additional $3 off already reduced costs |
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ENGLISH: CLASSROOM EQUIPMENT Electric pencil sharpener |
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES: COMMUNITY COLLABORATION INCENTIVES 10 $50 Safeway Grocery gift cards |
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ENGLISH: SCANNER To allow scanning of visuals to stimulate conversation, review grammer and practice writing for ESL and for scanning in new AP language curriculum that now includes visual literacy. |
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES: |
| MATH/AVID: CALCULATORS, COMPASSES 6 TI-34 calculators & 20 compasses for Geometry 9 classroom. |
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES: POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INCENTIVES for students referred and monitored by the Student Assistance Team including 40 $5 Jamba Juice gift cards, 15 $10 Target gift cards, 15 $10 Movie ticket vouchers |
| MATH/AVID: CLASSROOM SUPPLIES 12 ti-30xA Scientific calculators, 10 whiteboard erasers, 10 four-color set, 15 Tower of Hanoi, 2 sports math books |
MISCELLANEOUS |
| MATH: ADOBE ACROBAT 9.0, MATH CONTEST CDS to modify documents in the public domain such as AP exams, CAHSEE exams and math contests to copy and paste into word documents content for classroom use. |
SPECIAL EDUCATION SCIENCE: FIELD TRIP TO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES for admission |
| MATH: CALCULATORS Class set of scientific calculators |
ENGLISH: FIELD TRIP TO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES for CalTrain to Yerba buena in downtown SF and admission to visit the Zeum |
| MATH CLASSROOM SUPPLIES: 5 boxes of overhead transparencies to enable visual presentation of math concepts |
CLUBS |
| MATH: CLASSROOM SUPPLIES Mechanical Pencils and 8 TI-34ii calculators (Below Basic Students) and 4 boxes of overhead transparencies |
CLUBS: ROBOTICS EQUIPMENT/TOOLS Professional cordless Drill set, adjustable DC Power Supply, |
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SCIENCE: CALCULATORS 40 Calculators to provide a class set. |
OUTREACH: PROJECT BACKPACK to purchase items to fill in the gaps in the supplies collected throughout the year, ie. Toiletries, coats, sweaters, scarves, hats & socks |
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SCIENCE: CHEMISTRY 34 SPECTROSCOPES AND 1 NEON GAS TUBE Spectroscopes for light, energy and flame test and gas tube experiments to replace a toilet paper roll homemade version |
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SCIENCE: CHEMISTRY LAB SUPPLIES including Capillary Tubes, Metal Density Set, Density ID Set, Chemical NiCI2 and Hot Plates |
The PTA will fund a first round of mini-grants at its October meeting. Application deadline is September 24, 2009. We welcome anyone in the M-A community to apply. Please keep in mind that the PTA hopes to benefit as many students as possible with each mini-grant. The Mini-Grant program does not cover salaries and field trips. Sports related requests should be directed to M-A Athletic Boosters.
We strongly encourage everyone to support the PTA through membership donations, e-Scrip and the Fashion Show. For more information about mini-grants, please contact the Mini-Grants Committee.
What a Mini-Grant Can Fund
To help the M-A community, mini-grants fund:
- supplies
- publications, such as books, magazines, newspapers
- instructional CDs, videos, and software
- electrical or electronic equipment
- furniture
- construction materials for small projects
- leadership support
As stated in the PTA Financial Procedures Made Easier handbook, "The PTA should be guided by the principle that a gift to the school should benefit the largest possible number of students." With this in mind, mini-grants generally fund:
- Requests that benefit more than just a few specific students, with the goal of benefiting the entire M-A community through the Mini-Grant program.
- Requests that impact a wide variety of subject areas and grade levels.
- Requests with a limit of approximately $10 per pupil for any consumable or one-time event funding.
- Requests for partial funding of more expensive projects, if needed.
Please note that, in accordance with PTA guidelines, anything that the Mini-Grant program funds becomes a "donation" to the school or the school district.
What Mini-Grants Can Not Fund
Based on PTA guidelines, here are the general limits of mini-grant funding:
- No field trips, unless they are pre-approved by the district.
(Insurance limitations generally make this impossible.) - No food.
- No athletics-related requests. Please check with Athletic Boosters.
- No projects that benefit just a very few students.
- No furnishings for staff lounge or administrative offices.
- Get a printer-friendly version of the Project Funding Proposal here.
- A funding application is put in the mailbox of every M-A teacher and staff member prior to each funding deadline.
- Pick up a funding application form in the PTA mailbox in the school office.
Submitting an Application
- To submit a printed application, place it in the the Mini-Grant box under the PTA mailbox.
- To submit the application electronically, email the completed application to the PTA Mini-Grant Committee.
- To submit an application by mail, send it to the following address so that it is received by the application deadline:
PTA Mini-Grant Program
Menlo-Atherton High School
555 Middlefield Road
Atherton, CA 94027
Application Deadlines
Funding of mini-grants is voted upon by PTA members at the October and February general meetings held on the first Wednesday of the month. Funding proposals are generally due two Fridays prior to the PTA meeting. The 2009-2010 deadlines are:
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Quarter
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Application Deadline
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Funding Decision
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| Fall 2009 | September 24, 2009 | October 6, 2009 |
| Winter/Spring 2010 | January 21, 2010 | February 2, 2010 |
Hints for a successful application
- Free free to contact us with any questions. The Mini-Grant program is more a cooperative than a competitive process.
- Make sure to fill out the application completely.
- Complete and submit the application before the deadline date and time.
- Be as specific as possible about how you would spend the grant money. The committee will use the information you provide in order to evaluate your proposal. So tell us everything you think we should know.
- Be clear and thoughtful about how the M-A community will benefit from what you propose.
- Check out Secondary School Educators: Grant Writing Tips. Techniques for finding appropriate grant funding.
- SchoolGrants.Org: Grant-writing tips; more elaborate than required for the Mini-Grants program but still very wise and useful.
2009-2010 Mini-Grant Co-Chairs:
Stacy Fredericksen
Trish Gump
Kristin Smith
Additional Resources
Here are some resources that M-A teachers, staff, and others can use to find alternative funding, funding for larger projects, and funding for projects outside the mission of the M-A Mini-Grant program. If you know of additional funding sources that others would find helpful, please email Stacy Fredericksen, Kristin Smith, and Trish Gump.
Grant Sources at Menlo-Atherton High School
- Foundation for the Future: Raises funds with the goal of providing a better educational experience for every M-A student by funding smaller class sizes, an expanded course offering, professional development for our teachers, college and career prep, and essential programs and services. Contact Cindy Folker at 322-5311, ext. 5206.
- Shared Decision-Making Site Council (SDMSC): The former Site Council and Site-Based Management have merged to form a new committee called the SDMSC.
- School Improvement Program (SIP). Contact Principal Matthew Zito at (650) 322-5311, ext. 5110.
- Menlo-Atherton Athletic Booster Club: Supports athletic teams. Contact the Athletic Boosters.
Local Grant Sources
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Their program on Children, Families, and Communities concentrates on the four local counties, including San Mateo County. This program has given grants that support youth leadership and community activism, teen leadership and service, mentoring, job training, children's health, and food and clothing for needy children.
Silicon Valley Community Foundation Education
grants are a major focus of the foundation's grant making. Specifically includes a Teachers Fund to support educational programs. Areas of specific support include field trips for low-income students, collaboration for school-wide change efforts, literacy, and school-linked social services.
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation
During the past 18 years, this public charity has given more than $60 million to outstanding projects and grassroots organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and worldwide. Currently they offer $500 Science Resource Grants to K-12 public school teachers in 7 Bay Area counties, including San Mateo County. Teachers fax a one page requests for classroom materials and field trips related to conservation science projects.
State and National Grant Sources
- SchoolGrants. For K-12. Grant opportunities, grand-writing tips, and sample proposals. A useful gateway to federal, California state, regional, and national grants.
- California Department of Education. Very clear listings of state and federal funding programs for education by topic.
- National Teaching & Learning Forum. Descriptions of numerous grants related to teaching and learning.
- Secondary School Educators: Grant Writing Sources. From About.com. Listings about foundations and federal programs related to education funding sources.
- Secondary School Educators: Grant Writing Tips. Techniques for finding appropriate grant funding.
- The Foundation Center's Learning Lab. Online tutorials on grantseeking, including finding appropriate funding sources, proposal writing. Sometimes offers free courses in San Francisco. Extensive links to foundations.
2009-2010 Mini-Grant Co-Chairs: