Mini-Grants

The Perkiomen Valley School District Foundation (PVSDF) will award Mini-Grants throughout the year. Mini-grants are considered to be grants for an individual requestee or a group/department with a dollar amount of $500 and below. Anything above $500 should be submitted with the regular Grant Applications, which are reviewed in the spring.

Mini-grant applications are due to the Office of the Assistant Superintendent 20 business days before the next Foundation Board meeting. Applications consist of a written application and a Flipgrid video, no longer than two minutes.

Complete applications and Flipgrid videos should be submitted to the building principal for approval. If approved, the application will be forwarded to the Office of the Assistant Superintendent. If not approved, the requester will be notified via email with the reason why it was denied.

The Office of the Assistant Superintendent will review the application. If approved, the application will be presented to the Foundation for final review and consideration.

If an application reaches the Foundation, the Foundation will inform the requester of a decision within three (3) business days of the Board Meeting.

Requirements

Grant proposals must be consistent with the goals and mission of PVSDF and enhance or enrich the educational experience offered to Perkiomen Valley School District students. The Foundation is looking for proposals that help foster innovation in the classroom or school or create a positive impact on the student experience or learning.

Applicants may seek an award to cover costs for hardware, equipment, materials, supplies, speakers, registration fees and/or competition fees, for example. At this time, we will not be accepting applications requesting software.

Deadline: Applications are due to the Office of the Assistant Superintendent 20 days prior to a Board Meeting

2024 -2025 Deadlines

Applications are due to your building principal by the following:

    • Tuesday, September 24, 2024, for the October 29 meeting
    • Friday, January 3, 2025, for the February 4 meeting
    • Tuesday, April 1, 2025, for the May 6 meeting

Application

The application will consist of a written application and FlipGrid video, no longer than two minutes. Below are the questions asked in the written application. The purpose of the FlipGrid video is to give the requestor an opportunity to explain why they are applying for the grant along with anything else they would like to share, and to give the Foundation a face to the application.

Applicant Contact Information
  • Name (First & Last)
  • School Name
  • Department
  • School Phone
  • School Email
Proposal Information
  • Proposal Title
  • Subject Area
  • Number of Students Impacted
  • Grade Level(s) Impacted
  • Grant Request Amount
  • Is the applicant seeking to replicate an existing project or initiative? Yes/No
  • Does the proposal seek to increase equity in programs or opportunities among buildings in PVSD? Yes/No
  • Please describe the educational project that you are proposing. Include the purpose of the project and information about which students and how many students will be affected by the project. Explain how the purpose of the project aligns with the Foundation’s mission.
  • Explain how the project will enhance and/or enrich the experiences of students. Please be specific in your response.
  • Provide details regarding the timeline for implementation (should grant funds be awarded), when an impact on students’ experiences will be evident, and when the anticipated outcomes for students will become available.
  • Explain how and when feedback will be provided to the Foundation on the implementation of the project, should a grant be awarded.
Additional Items
  • Please describe other avenues that have been pursued to secure financial support for this project.
  • Submit a proposed budget or itemization for the initiative. The budget or itemization should include all anticipated expenses for which you are seeking grant funds. Applicants should check with building principals and/or facility staff, as applicable, to determine if any facility or infrastructure changes are necessary to implement the initiative (e.g. electrical or water lines needed). Any associated facility or infrastructure costs should be included in the proposal.
  • FlipGrid link/file attachment
  • Applicant sign off/date
To access the application:
  1. Log into Frontline Professional Development (MLP)
  2. Click on Forms -> Professional Staff Forms from the left side menu items
  3. Choose Grant Application under PVSD Foundation Grant to complete and submit the application.
 
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Follow Up

The Foundation will let requesters, building principals, and the Office of the Assistant Superintendent, and the PVSD Business Office know of all decisions within 3 days of the Board Meeting. If approved, the letter will include approval status, amount awarded, and any limitations or requirements governing the use of any awarded funds.

The PVSD Business Office will prepare and provide the necessary and appropriate documentation for each awarded applicant, including ASN number, to access the grant money. Applicants must comply with the Business Office procedures and requirements or the grant award may be forfeited.

The Foundation will ask for a follow-up on the mini-grant 1 month and potentially 3 to 6 months after implementation. A follow-up will consist of a conversation with a Board Member or an email. The Foundation will also ask for photos and testimonials from the grant in action.

The Foundation will look for the following questions to be answered in the follow-up conversation:

  • One month follow-up
    • Were your objectives in applying for the grant met? Please explain.
    • How have your students benefited from the grant? Please note any additional unanticipated benefits that were achieved
    • Describe any obstacles you encountered and what effect, if any, they had on the success of your grant.
    • In what ways has your experience with the granted project affected your teaching? Has it influenced other staff members or students and/or changed the basic curriculum?
    • What recommendations do you have for the Foundation that would improve the grant process?
  • Three-month to six-month follow-up
    • Are you still using the grant? Is it as useful as when you received it?
    • How has the grant impacted your students?
    • Have you seen any additional benefits that were achieved through the grant?

The PVSD Business Office will periodically reconcile accounts to determine the amount of grant funds utilized in comparison to the actual awards. Absent extenuating circumstances, any grant funds that are not used by the grantees within one calendar year following the award will be returned to the accounts of the Foundation for other use.

The Foundation will endeavor to follow these protocols, but reserves the right to modify the criteria and the process in its sole discretion.