FUNDED Articles - Race to the Top

Harnessing the Promise of Crowd-Sourcing in Nonprofits

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The underlying power of the internet has always been the connection of ideas and people without regard to temporal, physical, social, or other common restraints. Through this communicative ease provided by the internet, crowd-sourcing is becoming a prominent feature in many aspects of our lives. Crowd-sourcing is essentially the enabling of a mass collaboration of individuals to contribute to a task normally reserved for one individual or a set number of individuals. The most prominent example to date is Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia open to contributions and edits from anyone who chooses to participate.

Where Are They Now? Evaluating Results from the Recovery Act

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, Recovery Act) is now over two-and-a-half years old. Within that time frame, over $200 billion in new grants, loans, and contracts was awarded in order to spur economic growth, maintain employment, and invest in various national priorities. While the open grant opportunities have come and gone, their effects are still being felt as some of the most high profile programs continue to influence the national agenda.

Getting a Head Start on Grantseeking in 2012: What You Need to Know to Prepare

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

September can be an important marker for a lot of yearly transitions - students from kindergarten to graduate school return to the classroom, Fall begins, Monday night Football returns. However, for public agencies and nonprofit organizations, it should also herald the start to a new season of grantseeking.

An Evolving Education Landscape: A Look at New Trends in Grant Funding

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The education funding landscape continues to evolve, especially at the Federal level where the final 2011 budget deal resulted in the elimination of many highly-anticipated grant programs. Popular programs such as Smaller Learning Communities, Enhancing Education Through Technology, Improving Literacy Through School Libraries, and Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools will not be offered this year. Other programs, such as the Teaching American History Grant, will only be available for continuation awards (meaning no new grant applications will be funded).

EDUCATION UPDATE: Race to the Top (Again!)

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Sun, 15 May 2011 05:00:00 GMT

As a part of the final deal on FY2011 appropriations, Congress afforded Race to the Top an additional $700 million. While this is a steep drop from its initial $4 billion investment under the Recovery Act, it still represents a significant win for the Obama administration as it seeks to sustain one of its signature grant programs and education reform initiatives.

Head of the Class: What a Renewed Elementary and Secondary Education Act Could Mean for Grantseekers Across the Country

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT

While Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 and FY2012 budget talks will likely continue to dominate the political psyche for the foreseeable future, other important legislative endeavors remain alive - albeit in a much more latent way. Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has been a standing priority for the Obama administration, as it remains an area of possible bipartisan achievement.

Politics at Play: What the FY2011 Budget & Appropriations Mean for Grantseekers

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Many grantseeking organizations can attest all too well to former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neil's famous quote that "all politics is local." For many public agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, and other organizations, the decisions made at the state and federal levels extend far beyond their immediate influence or control, yet ultimately impact them the most. The annual budget and appropriations processes at the Federal level exemplify O'Neil's point, as the work conducted with respect to each significantly affects the opportunities, challenges, and prospects for local grantseekers.

Building a STEM Nation: Transforming STEM Education from the Ground-Up with Grants

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Despite growing up in a truly Digital Generation fed by Wi-fi access, smart phones, and iPods, U.S. students are falling alarmingly behind in the same academic and professional fields that created such ubiquitous modern-day necessities. In mid-September, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the National Science Board (NSB) released reports calling for renewed attention to how the United States attracts and educates students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or more popularly referred to as STEM.

Most Likely to Succeed: Why Race to the Top Could Be the Most Effective Grant Program Yet

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Like most components of the $787 billion Recovery Act passed into law in 2009, the $4.35 billion Race to the Top grant program often receives notice as "unprecedented" for its sheer size. With nearly every state in the U.S. facing a budget deficit or outright fiscal crisis, the billions for education funding represent a critically important source to keep local school districts afloat.

Life after the Recovery Act: Where will grant funding go from here?

devteam@grantsoffice.com (Grants Office, LLC) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT

By Susannah Mayhall
June 2010 (GO Know)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 infused an unprecedented sum of public funding into the struggling American economy, making over $700 billion available for education, healthcare, public safety, and more. The Recovery Act bolstered support for new initiatives such as broadband infrastructure and energy efficiency. These massive amounts of funding produced a flurry of interest from various private sector industries, all hoping to become involved and receive their share of the stimulus.