Classroom Grant Writing Advice

Four Tips to Make Your Classroom Grant Application Stand Out

AdoptAClassroom.org is committed to ensuring that all teachers can raise flexible funding for classroom materials in a way that works for them. One of the ways that educators can receive funds through AdoptAClassroom.org is our classroom grants. We recently hosted a #ClassroomGrantChat on Twitter and received great grant writing tips from our community of experienced educators. 

Whether you’re applying for funds through AdoptAClassroom.org or another grant maker, these teacher tips will give you the confidence you need to get started! 

Make sure you’re following us on Twitter to participate in our next Twitter chat and classroom giveaway! 

How to write a great classroom grant proposal 

1. Survey Your Students and See What They Need

Including your students’ voices in your proposal helps your application stand out. After all, it’s their classroom too! 

Don’t forget to ask your students how they would benefit from the items they’re suggesting for your classroom. This helps them think critically and adds depth to your classroom grant proposal.

2. Pay Attention to the Details

Make sure to read grant guidelines carefully before applying. Grant proposals that do not meet our guidelines will be automatically disqualified.

Review your proposal to catch typos and grammatical errors before you submit it. It helps to have a friend, colleague, or family member review your grant application. They have fresh eyes and may catch something you missed. If the application is a form, write out your answers in a Word document first before copy and pasting them into the form. 

3. Be Authentic 

While some grant makers may require a more formal tone, at AdoptAClassroom.org, we want to hear your authentic voice and your passion for your students. 

Ask someone who isn’t a teacher to read your grant application since they will have a different perspective. Ask them if they think you told a compelling, emotional story about your classroom that’s easy to understand.

4. Just Apply 

Even if your past grant application wasn’t selected for funding, you can always apply again. If you want to boost your grant writing skills, read our classroom grant writing guide here.

You may have written a great grant application the first time you applied. We receive more grant applications than we can fund, so don’t be discouraged if your application wasn’t selected the first time. We have classroom grant opportunities you can apply for throughout the year. Check out our Funding Opportunities page for current and upcoming grants and giveaways.

Make sure you’re subscribed to our teacher newsletter to be notified when applications open for our spring classroom grants.