Apply for a Grant

Reaching Heights invites Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district teachers, administrators, staff and parents to apply for a Reaching Heights grant to implement a project that will enrich learning, foster student success, or strengthen the connections among our students, schools and community.

We encourage you to pursue your dreams and test year ideas with financial support from a Reaching Heights grant.

You are the experts!

Our success depends on you.

Reaching Heights has four grant programs. Each has a specific purpose, guidelines and deadlines. Select the program that matches your project and develop the materials required to apply for a grant.

There are no application forms. Your proposal should include a cover letter, a brief 2-3 page project description that answers the questions outlined in the grant guidelines for each grant program, and a project budget.

Mail your proposal to:

Reaching Heights
1991 Lee Road, Suite 106
Cleveland Heights , OH 44118

For guidance and questions about your proposal call Susie Kaeser or Joy Henderson at 216-932-5110 or e-mail your questions to rh@reachingheights.org. Click Here for additional tips on applying for a grant.

Looking for a good idea? Review some previously funded projects to see what other people have done using Reaching Heights grants. Brief descriptions of projects implemented in the past can be found by Clicking Here . Grants can be viewed by subject area or by year.

Funding for Reaching Heights grants for each school year is provided by the community through the annual Reaching Heights Adult Community Spelling Bee, Thank-A-Teacher donations and gifts from the DiGeronimo Family Foundation and the Cleveland Heights and University Heights Teachers, Retired.

Reaching Heights Grant Programs

School Team Grants
Community Connection Grants
Podis-Weiskopf Music Fund Grants
On-Line Project Fund

School Team Grants

Deadlines

School Team Grant proposals are due at the Reaching Heights office by June 30, 2008 or October 16, 2008 for projects to be implemented during the 2008-09 school year. All activities must be completed by August 31, 2009.

Guidelines

• The School Team Grant program provides up to $1,500 for collaborative projects to improve student achievement. Grants are for new initiatives and are not to be used to continue an existing project. Project funds may be used for expenses that are not easily funded through the school budget. They may be used for instructional materials, planning time, special resource people, extra staff time and other essentials to successfully implementing the project. We prefer not to fund incentives or transportation. Proposals may duplicate a project implemented in a different school.

• A project team involving the principal and at least four other staff members or parents within a CH-UH school may apply. Joint projects involving more than one school are acceptable. A project may be initiated by any eligible team member, but the proposal must be submitted by the principal and a project manager who will be responsible for guiding the project through implementation.
  
• At the end of the school year, grant teams will provide an oral report about their experiences implementing the grant. The project manager will also submit a written account of expenditures and answer three questions:

1. What problem did your project address?
2. What was the most positive thing that happened during the project?
3. Describe the positive effect of the project on one particular student.

Application Process

1. Cover Letter
   The cover letter should include the project title, amount of the request, school name, project manager, list of team members, and phone numbers where the project manager can be reached.
   
2. Project Description
   The project team should develop a brief (less than 3 pages) written proposal that:
   
   - explains how the project will contribute to student achievement.
   
   - describes the project activities and strategies that will address the problem, including who will be served, staffing, sequence of activities and a timeline. Be sure that activities relate to the problem and to the desired outcomes.
   
   - defines expected results and how the impact will be measured.
   
3. Budget
   Attach a budget that identifies all expenses. Specify expenses that the grant will cover. Identify other sources of funding if applicable.
   

Community Connection Grants

Deadlines

June 30, 2007 is the first deadline for Community Connection Grant requests for the 2007-08 school year. The other deadlines are October 16, 2007 and February 15, 2008 for projects to be implemented during the 2007-08 school year. All activities must be completed by August 31, 2008.

Grants of up to $250 are available for school-based outreach activities that link a school or its students with the community or parents.These projects should have at least one of these results:

• Increase student civic participation and knowledge of the community.
• Increase parents or volunteer support for students and involved in school life.
• Increase public use of the public schools.
• Strengthen public commitment to the schools.

Any member of the school community may carry out the project, however a principal must submit the grant request. Projects may involve more than one school and additional funds may be requested if more than one school is involved.

At the end of the year project managers will report on their projects to a meeting of the Reaching Heights Board of Trustees and submit a written summary of expense.

Application Process
There is no application form. To apply submit these materials:

1. Cover Letter
   The Cover Letter should include:
   
   - the project title,
   - amount of request
   - school name
   - list of project team members
   - date of application
   - phone number where the project leader can be reached
   
   The letter should be signed by the principal.
   
   
2. Project Description
   A project narrative not to exceed two pages should:
   
   - Define what problem or need this project addresses
   
   - Describe the target audience, project goals and activities, who will be involved and the timeline for implementing the grant.
   
   - Identify expected results. How will the team know that the project was successful?
   
   
3. Budget
   Attach a budget that identifies all expenses and specify those that Community Connection Grant funds will cover.
   
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Podi-Weiskopf Music Fund Grants

Background and Fund Mission
Reaching Heights created the Podis-Weiskopf Fund in 1995 to support excellence in music education in the Heights schools. The fund is named in honor of pianist Eunice Podis and her husband, Robert Weiskopf, founding director of the Suburban Symphony. This distinguished musical couple represents generations of musicians whose lives have been shaped by their education in the Heights Schools.

Deadline
Podis-Weiskopf Fund Music Grant proposals are due at the Reaching Heights office by October 16, 2008 for projects to be implemented during the 2008-09 school year. All activities must be completed by August 31, 2009.
   
Guidelines

• Podis-Weiskopf Fund grants provide up to $400 for projects that enrich learning through music. Funds may be used to motivate and support students to participate in instrumental and vocal music and strive for excellence; to purchase supplemental materials to enhance the music curriculum; or to integrate music with other parts of the curriculum.

• Funds are available to vocal and instrumental music teachers, and all other CH-UH teachers.

• Grant recipients will provide a written report on how funds were spent and a brief summary of how the project enhanced learning.
   

Application Process
There is no application form. Teams should prepare and submit this information in order to be considered for a grant:

1. Cover Letter
   A cover letter signed by the principal and project manager that names the staff who will be involved, the project name and the amount of the grant request should accompany the proposal.
   
2. Project Description
   Applicants should develop a brief project narrative that describes project goals, targeted students, learning objectives, project activities, a timeline, needed resources and the assessment plan.
   
3. Budget
   The budget page should identify all project costs, which expenses will be covered with grant funds, and any expenses contributed by the school or other sources.
   

On-line Project Fund

Background and Fund Mission
Reaching Heights created the On-Line Project Fund in 2000 with encouragement from Judi Wolf, a retired teacher and Program Specialist For Technology for the CH-UH school district. The fund is designed to support teachers who are participating in on-line projects which are computer internet based and have a specific educational goal.

Teachers and parents have donated to the fund as a way to honor Judi's service to the district and encourage use of technology in the classroom. Anyone who would like to donate to the On-Line Fund can send donations to:

Reaching Heights
1991 Lee Road, Suite 106
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

Deadline
Funds are available on a first come, first serve basis. There is no application deadline.

• The On-line Project Fund provides up to $50 to an individual for an expense that is necessary to complete a classroom project that uses the internet.

• At the completion of the project, e-mail a brief report describing what you were able to accomplish and your assessment of the value of the resources you used.

Application Process

To apply, email a brief project description to Reaching Heights at rh@reachingheights.org

Click here for information and ideas on online collaborative projects.

Call Susie Kaeser at 216-932-5110 for more information.

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