SPRINT TO EXCELLENCE
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Eligibility Requirements
The Sprint to Excellence Award is available to principals, teachers, support professionals, and staff in St. Croix public and small private schools who wish to implement or expand comprehensive programs that directly impact student learning and overall student performance.
Eligible schools include:
- All public schools on St. Croix
- Small private or parochial schools on St. Croix that meet the following criteria:
- overall student academic performance rates below national standards (i.e. IOWA, VITAL-S, etc.)
- no educational endowments
- tuition under $500 per pupil per month
Award Amount:
Maximum Grant Award per application is $10,000. Applicants may choose one or more categories to include in the proposal. Individual award categories include:
- Professional Development- Great Teachers and School Leaders - Maximum Award: $7,500
- Literacy Counts: Reading Reinforcement and Assessments – Maximum Award: $5,000
- Creating Model Learning Environments - Maximum Award: $2,500
- Mentoring and Personal Development - Maximum Award: $2,500
Please note that while the Foundation will review all applications submitted, applicants are encouraged to propose full-scale projects that extend beyond the limits and parameters of the available funding provided by the Foundation.
Project Requirements
Successful applications and proposals must demonstrate the following:
- Innovation. Applicants are encouraged to utilize the model educational projects provided on the Grant Resource Page. However, these models are provided as a guide, and schools are urged to be creative. Proposals may either replicate or expand upon the listed projects.
- A targeted student population of no less than 50 students must be served by each individual award category. Applications must include a detailed description of the student selection process
- Eligible applications must include detailed line item budgets and budget narratives
- A measurable and direct link between the project and improved student performance, with particular focus on developing literacy, math, and/or science skills and increasing student achievement
- Strong partnerships within the community, i.e. collaboration between the school and external partners, to include businesses, professionals, other schools, churches, and nonprofit organizations
- Innovative, rigorous, and real-world techniques to improve student learning
- Built-in evaluative measures to ensure that both quantitative and qualitative data is gathered and being utilized to determine the merit and success of the project. Schools are responsible for establishing timelines for meeting specific milestones or benchmarks in order to receive phased grant awards
Important Notes
- It is advised that applications contain strategies surrounding how funded programs will be communicated throughout the school, and how programs will be sustained beyond the funding provided through this grant.
- Sample programs and project parameters can be can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.stxfoundation.org, or contact the St. Croix Foundation directly.
Reporting Requirements
Grant award disbursements will be PHASED to ensure the highest degree of accountability and focus in meeting outlined goals and timelines. All applicants must follow the Foundation’s Award Guidelines and Reporting Requirements including providing:
- Interim and final reports that include narrative descriptions of programmatic accomplishments, challenges and budgetary information/ receipts.
- Closeout reports with quantitative data detailing how the grant project benefited the school and achieved established goals.
- Other reporting requirements may include:
- Site visits from grant committee (when/if appropriate and upon advance permission)
- Portfolios from award recipients, including student work/ project achievements, etc.
Submitting Your Application
Application Sections
All completed applications submitted to the Foundation must include the following:
Section 1: Cover letter of intent from Project Director
Section 2: Letter of support from supervising administrator
Section 3: Detailed Project Summary
Section 4: List of personnel involved in the project, their roles, and their associated qualifications
Section 5: Full descriptions of project’s community partners
Section 6: Detailed timelines
Section 7: Itemized budget
Section 8: Methods for evaluating the project against stated goals
General Guidelines
Please follow the guidelines below to ensure a comprehensive review of applications submitted:
- Provide the Foundation with two (2) copies of the full application
- Applications can be emailed to staff@stxfoundation.org with Sprint to Excellence Grant Proposal in the Subject line
- Application deadline is October 31, 2011
- Hand delivered or mailed applications must be postmarked to:
St. Croix Foundation
Re: Sprint to Excellence Grant Proposal
1023 Market Street
Christiansted, VI 00820
*Please contact the St. Croix Foundation if you wish to apply and have any questions about this special granting opportunity.
For a downloadable version of this document, click here.
