- The School District of Osceola County, Florida
- Grant Development & Management
- Frequently Asked Questions
Special Programs Department
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Grant proposals should support an identified need aligned with your School Improvement Plan. Grants should not be just a request for money. Project goals must be measureable and tie in to the district strategic plan goals.
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Where do I begin?
- Need: Conduct a Needs Assessment. Identify the condition or status of the current situation. Clearly define the problem(s) experienced by the target population. Identify reasons/root causes of the problem(s).
- Look for funding sources: Consider resources and grant sources to fund your identified need.
- Talk with your school administrator: Does your project idea align with your School Improvement Plan? Does your administrator support your project?
- Submit the principal approval form to the Grants Management Office.
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I found a grant application that fits my project. How do I proceed?
- Complete a needs assessment.
- Obtain a signed principal approval form and submit to the Grants Management Office.
- Identify due dates and requirements for the grant.
- Purpose of the grant (goals, outcomes, etc.)
- Grant deadline
- School/ Department responsibilities (What are the expectations for staff/students involved with the grant? What are the obligations related to grant implementation?)
- Strategic Plan Alignment (Is the grant aligned with the SDOC strategic plan?)
- Grant period (One year? Multi-year?)
- Amount requested
- Establish a timeline for researching and writing your grant project. Submit the grant narrative and grant budget to the Grants Management Office for review prior to submission to funding agency. The Grant Management Office receives many requests for review and completes a number of federal and state grants, so please do not submit your request for review the week the application is due. The Grants Management Office will review, as time and deadlines permit, potential grant applications prior to your submission. We cannot guarantee your project will be funded, but our office will review the application to determine if application criteria has been met.
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What do I do after submitting my application?
- Congratulations! You submitted a grant. Keep a file of the grant application. If your project is not funded by this application, it may still be a great idea that could be considered for another funding source. Don’t give up!
- Keep a timeline for when grant decisions are made. Is it an email notification? Do you check the agency’s website for a list of awarded grants?
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What do I do after receiving award notification from the funding agency?
- Congratulations on your grant award!
- Please submit your grant notification to the Grants Management Office. We will work with your school to set up the grant account, as needed.
- Make note of reporting due dates as required in your grant (quarterly, mid-year, annual).
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What do I do if I need to make changes to the grant?
- Identify what type of change is required. Is it a change in the scope of work? Does the change require a program change? Does the change require a budget amendment?
- Refer to your grant award and grant application files to determine how the funding agency considers and authorizes changes.
- Notify the Grants Management Office as soon as possible to discuss.
