GrantsAlert.com

Our focus: helping America's K-12 teachers and schools find the funding they need.

[grantsalert]

AWESOME ALERT: Paula Love to Carry The GrantsAlert.com Torch Into the Future

For months I have been looking for the right person to take over and continue the work of GrantsAlert.com.  A few weeks ago this wonderful woman called me and clearly understood all the work and love I have devoted to this site and she declared her interest in securing the site, breathing new life into it and moving it into the future.  That woman was Dr. Paula Love and the more I learned about Paula the more convinced I became that if she decided to actually purchase GrantsAlert.com, I would be placing it in the best hands possible.

Here’s the good...No, great news...I am passing the GrantsAlert.com torch on to Paula and I couldn’t be more excited or thankful. 

For some background on Paula, I found an excellent piece written by MCH Strategic.  They said:  “ Known in the industry as the Matchmaker of Funding or the Funding Doctor, these phrases truly capture the essence of RFPMatch.com’s Dr. Paula Love. She is a renowned funding expert with decades of experience delivering grant strategies for for-profit and nonprofit organizations, state and local educational agencies, schools, and institutions of higher learning. Without a doubt, Dr. Love knows funding from every perspective, from the classroom to the boardroom. Her nearly 40-year career has earned her great respect as a highly successful funding guru, but it is a little known fact that this work actually began at an early age. Young seven-year-old Paula rallied a community, raising so much money for cystic fibrosis that she made the front-page headlines in a prominent newspaper. Her desire for funding continued into her high school years, where she led her classmates to raise the bar in fundraising. And that passion for helping others continues today, bringing funding resources to companies, classrooms and organizations. Dr. Love is a highly skilled funding consultant with a wealth of insight to offer to every company and organization she assists, helping improve processes and efficiencies while uncovering new opportunities for financial growth.”

In the coming weeks and months, Paula and her talented team are going to be working on the site and transforming it into an even more powerful tool for America’s educators and workforce development folks who need the information and guidance Paula and her team can provide. I cannot wait to watch all this unfold and know that I am making a great decision in handing my baby over to Paula.  She shares my passion and desire to make a difference...to do good by helping others do good.  I really am a very blessed man.

Thank you to all my friends and colleagues who have used GrantsAlert.com and/or contributed in some shape or form to its success.  It’s been a great ride...and it’s only going to get better with Paula Love at the helm. 

Here’s Paula’s contact info:

RFPMatch.com

Dr. Paula Love, President

P.O. Box 706

Newton, NC 28658

800-766-8002 ext. 1 (office)

704-462-2342 (direct)

443-474-7004 (cell)

[email protected]

www.rfpmatch.com

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Will she or won’t she?

May have found an awesome person who just so happens to have an equally awesome team of passionate and dedicated people to take over the work of GrantsAlert.com…stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed because this could be the perfect match.

[grantsalert]

Will she or won’t she?

May have found an awesome person who just so happens to have an equally awesome team of passionate and dedicated people to take over the work of GrantsAlert.com...stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed because this could be the perfect match. 

[grantsalert]

It’s time...to move on. www.GrantsAlert.com For Sale

For the past decade I have been a hunter…hunting for grants and funding opportunities to help America’s K-12 teachers and schools. I have enjoyed doing this work and sharing this information with you so you can better prepare our children to become future ready. But, all good things do indeed come to an end. It’s time to find someone who feels as passionate as I do about education and helping our teachers to take hold of the reins and move this site forward.

I cannot give this site away since I have invested a good sum of money in building it. However, if you are interested in becoming the new owner of www.GrantsAlert.com, reach out to me by email and let’s talk.

Thank you,

Joe Mizereck

[email protected]

[grantsalert]

What if we succeeded in lifting America’s 14.7 million children out of poverty?

Over the last few months I have read a couple hundred articles and reports on poverty in America and the reality is we, yes, WE have a crazy huge and truly unimaginable problem in our land of opportunity and plenty…poverty is alive and growing in our America and we have to smash it. What if we succeeded in lifting America;s children out of poverty? For those who see poverty clearly and understand its impact on lives, especially young lives, our society and nation…they get it…they know that in order to deal with this immense multi-level multi-pronged challenge that destroys lives, drains talent and potential and costs billions, we have to go to battle for all the souls, all the individuals, all the people, and especially, all the children whose lives and futures are at stake. This is a challenge that America clearly and sadly is not meeting when in 2013, 14.7 million or approximately 20 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty. This is a challenge we must meet. No greater challenge stands before us…not ISIS…not climate change…nothing is more important than changing the trajectory of life for our 14.7 million children. Their futures are part of our futures. They will either help strengthen the fabric of our nation or tear it apart…and in doing so touch our lives and the lives of our families and communities in either positive or negative ways. So the question is: how? How do we begin to meet this challenge? The good news is: thousands of individuals and organizations have already rolled up their sleeves and are working diligently every day to help those caught up in the vicious and draining life of poverty. But, they need help, from me, from you, from all of us…and this is the first step. WE have to realize that this is something we are all in this together…and to smash this problem, to save lives, to recapture the talent and potential, to help single moms become self-sufficient so they can better help their children, we have to work together. And, this will require leadership, champions who are willing, ready and able to lead the way. People who are willing to do the right things for the right reasons even if it may cost them. Will this be easy?  Absolutely not. Just ask anyone who has been involved in this war over the past 4 decades. But, what is “easy” is to understand that without a strong and vibrant society made up of educated, caring, engaged, productive and healthy citizens, America, the land of plenty, the home of the free and the brave, will perish…and that would be tragic.

So, what can I do here via GrantsAlert.com?  I can pay greater attention to finding resources that can help our schools and communities fight and win this war for the lives of our children and the future of our nation. This is my commitment. 

Let’s roll up our sleeves and lift 14.7 million children out of poverty… and let’s do this together.  What if...?

Joe Mizereck

[email protected]

[grantsalert]

It’s time...to move on. www.GrantsAlert.com For Sale

For the past decade I have been a hunter...hunting for grants and funding opportunities to help America’s K-12 teachers and schools. I have enjoyed doing this work and sharing this information with you so you can better prepare our children to become future ready. But, all good things do indeed come to an end. It’s time to find someone who feels as passionate as I do about education and helping our teachers to take hold of the reins and move this site forward.

I cannot give this site away since I have invested a good sum of money in building it. However, if you are interested in becoming the new owner of www.GrantsAlert.com, reach out to me by email and let’s talk.

Thank you,

Joe Mizereck

[email protected]

[grantsalert]

Our Greatest Challenge: Lifting 14.7 Million Children Out of Poverty

Over the last few months I have read a couple hundred articles and reports on poverty in America and the reality is we, yes, WE have a crazy huge and truly unimaginable problem in our land of opportunity and plenty...poverty is alive and growing in our America and we have to smash it. For those who see poverty clearly and understand its impact on lives, especially young lives, our society and nation...they get it...they know that in order to deal with this immense multi-level multi-pronged challenge that destroys lives, drains talent and potential and costs billions, we have to go to battle for all the souls, all the individuals, all the people, and especially, all the children whose lives and futures are at stake. This is a challenge that America clearly and sadly is not meeting when in 2013, 14.7 million or approximately 20 percent of children in the U.S. lived in poverty. This is a challenge we must meet. No greater challenge stands before us...not ISIS...not climate change...nothing is more important than changing the trajectory of life for our 14.7 million children. Their futures are part of our futures. They will either help strengthen the fabric of our nation or tear it apart...and in doing so touch our lives and the lives of our families and communities in either positive or negative ways. So the question is: how? How do we begin to meet this challenge? The good news is: thousands of individuals and organizations have already rolled up their sleeves and are working diligently every day to help those caught up in the vicious and draining life of poverty. But, they need help, from me, from you, from all of us...and this is the first step. WE have to realize that this is something we are all in this together...and to smash this problem, to save lives, to recapture the talent and potential, to help single moms become self-sufficient so they can better help their children, we have to work together. And, this will require leadership, champions who are willing, ready and able to lead the way. People who are willing to do the right things for the right reasons even if it may cost them. Will this be easy?  Absolutely not. Just ask anyone who has been involved in this war over the past 4 decades. But, what is "easy" is to understand that without a strong and vibrant society made up of educated, caring, engaged, productive and healthy citizens, America, the land of plenty, the home of the free and the brave, will perish...and that would be tragic.

So, what can I do here via GrantsAlert.com?  I can pay greater attention to finding resources that can help our schools and communities fight and win this war for the lives of our children and the future of our nation. This is my commitment. 

Let’s roll up our sleeves and lift 14.7 million children out of poverty... and let’s do this together.

Joe Mizereck

[email protected]

[grantsalert]

Finish Strong

My son is a runner.  Whenever he trained or competed I would always encourage him to finish strong...no walking the last few meters...no slowing down.  Give it 110% through the finish.  He was never beat at the line.

Today, I am encouraging all the teachers and administrators who follow GrantsAlert.com to finish the school year strong...leave it all out there and enter the summer months ready to reflect, recover and renew.

Once you catch your breath and want to start thinking about the 2015-2016 school year please keep these links handy as they offer a variety of ways for you to connect with resources for your classrooms and schools.

1. Box Tops for Education

2. Campbell’s Soup Labels

3. Scholastic Book Clubs

4. Donors Choose

5. Classwish

6. Adopt-A-Classroom

7. Supply Our Schools

8. Digital Wish

9. Book Mentors

10. First Book

Above all, please do not forget to really check out all the great products and services offered by our partner FundRaising.com. These folks really are the best and they know the needs and how to best meet those needs better than any one out there. Talk with them and invite them to become your partner and let them help you meet the fund raising challenges you face.

Of course, I will be working throughout the summer researching and posting any and all grant and funding opportunities that come available for your classrooms and schools. So, check the site every couple days for any new alerts.  I will have my weekly bulletins up and running once again in the Fall.

Congratulations on another year of helping our children become outstanding citizens and people.  I know they couldn't do it without you.  Thank you.

Joe Mizereck

Teacher and Founder of GrantsAlert.com

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K-12 Fundraising and Grants HQ

Looking for teacher grants? Classroom grants? School grants? Look no further. Since 1996, GrantsAlert.com has been the go-to FREE website for easy-to-use, relevant and reliable grant data. Grant seekers return again and again to uncover the funding opportunities that are available to them. Our number one goal here at GrantsAlert is to help teachers, principals, counselors, coaches, parents and school district staff find and secure the local, state, federal, corporate and private resources that are available to help them educate our children. When you combine our grants data and grant writers with the products and services offered by Fundraising.com America’s teachers and schools have a one-stop-shop to help you meet the broad array of funding challenges you face every day.

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Let's Find More Ways to Engage Our Communities

I am often times asked, “What do you think is the key to a successful development campaign or fundraising campaign?” And as you know there are many keys to achieving success when seeking funds.  But, when asked this question I always think of the University of Miami and what they did many years ago to do what many thought they didn’t stand a chance of accomplishing---raising millions of dollars from the Miami community.  The reason why most people figured UofM wouldn’t succeed was because most of the people who live in Miami were not raised there and found their way there from all parts of the world.  People thought there were no connections, no shared histories and that this disconnect would only bring disappointment in any effort to raise millions.  And if UofM accepted this thinking, they would have failed miserably, but they didn’t.

When UofM leaders looked at their communities and the individuals who had left their families, their churches, their neighborhoods, their museums, their civic groups and everything else that was near and dear to them, they saw opportunities, voids to fill, hunger for connections and people who were ready, able and willing to get re-engaged with meaningful activities and causes…and who better to meet those needs than the UofM. That is exactly what they did.  They began to offer the wide array of campus experiences available at the UofM to these folks to engage them in things that were meaningful to them and made them feel a sense of home away from home.  In doing so, the UofM nurtured a cosmopolitan community into some of the most active and generous university champions in America…generating millions of dollars in support for the UofM driven by immense community loyalty.

Why am I telling you all this?  Because, one of today’s alerts gives any college, university, or high school interested in starting a Campus Kitchen and also interested in working with older adults (50+) an opportunity to apply for a grant to help you become a Campus Kitchen.  Three schools will receive awards of $5000 each to develop Campus Kitchens to:

Strengthen Bodies by using existing resources to meet hunger and nutritional needs in our community;

Empower Minds by providing leadership and service learning opportunities to students, and educational benefits to adults, seniors, children, and families in need; and

Build Communities by fostering a new generation of community-minded adults through resourceful and mutually beneficial partnerships among students, social service agencies, businesses and schools.

This kind of grant opportunity excites me because it gives schools a tangible, purposeful way to connect with its community so that community can start to see what’s going on in that school and maybe, once they start to see the good things that are happening they too will become loyal, dedicated, generous champions of your school.

If we want our communities support our schools, we have to earn it and we don’t earn it by simply closing the doors and teaching our kids…we have to reach out and engage our communities and a Campus Kitchen is an excellent vehicle for doing exactly that.

Take a look at the Campus Kitchens project and see if it might be a good fit for what you are doing.

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For the FundRaiser Crowd

Some teachers are really good at the “grants game.”  Many others are far more comfortable with running “fundraisers.” Today, I am speaking to you...the “fundraiser” crowd.  And you know as well as I do that carrying out fund raising campaigns can be tricky, but when done well can be very rewarding for everyone involved.

Yes, it can be difficult to get students excited in participating, let alone convincing parents and volunteers to actively get involved. With the right fundraising products and a dynamic approach, a successful fundraiser doesn’t have to be a burden on anyone. The key to a successful fundraiser is preparation: by following these seven steps, your fundraiser will practically run itself!

1.     Rally Your Troops

Your fundraising staff consists of participants, parents, volunteers, and anyone else who will be helping with your campaign. Participants need to know well in advance that the fundraiser is coming, and when fundraising with children, parents will need to be kept in the loop as well, so be sure to send letters home with full details, and your contact information.

Volunteers are your support staff, so use them well! Divide up the responsibilities (responsibilities will depend on the type of campaign you’re running, so speak with your consultant for this step), and delegate to the people you feel are best suited to each role. If everyone knows his or her role beforehand, fundraising will go smoothly!

2.     Know Your Purpose and Monetary Goal

Think about what the purpose of your fundraiser: are you looking to buy supplies for your classroom? Uniforms for your sports team? Funds to host a concert? Whatever your funds will be going toward, determine your goal.

Once you know what your funds will be used for, establish your monetary goal. Knowing how much money is needed to buy your new uniforms, supplies, etc., will make budgeting a breeze.

3.     Plan Your Budget

Many programs require products to be purchased in advance, (not all – but some do!) Before you call your Fundraising Consultant, sit down with your group or committee and decide on a budget. That way, your consultant knows how to work for you within that budget.

Based on your planned budget and monetary goal, you can get a good idea of which fundraiser will work best for your group.

Not sure which is the best fit? That's where your Fundraising Consultant comes in!

4.   Advertise Your Campaign 

People need to know about your fundraising campaign to support it, so be sure to start advertising well in advance. If you’re planning an event where people will have to buy tickets, start advertising about a month in advance. For fundraising sales, 2 weeks in advance should be enough.

Advertise with posters and flyers. Ask local businesses if your team can place posters on their windows and post flyers on community bulletin boards. Send emails and mailings to all your contacts, and tell everyone you know about your fundraiser. A great fundraising tip is to contact your local TV and radio stations, and your local newspaper. They will often include your fundraising information in their community news.

5.     Motivate Your Team 

Be sure to keep your team motivated and excited with great incentives like prizes, fun activities and other rewards. When you set goals and offer incentives, your team members will be more excited about participating, and work harder to ensure the goals are met.

6.     Always Say “Thank you.”

When it comes to fundraising, how you say "thank you" is as important as how you say "please". Always follow up your fundraising campaign with a letter of thanks to your supporters and team members. They deserve it and will remember how their time and efforts were valued the next time you need their help.

7.     Use FundRaising.com Consultants to Help You Succeed

No one offers such a rich array of fundraising products, services, tools, and expertise than the folks at FundRaising.com.  When you engage these assets you strengthen your team and make it all the more likely that you will reach your fundraising goal so you and your students can do what you need to do. 

When it comes to Fundraisers...FundRaising.com is #1.  When it comes to Teacher Grants, Classroom Grant and School Grants...GrantsAlert.com is #1.  

You want both on your team.  

Good luck.

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Do we have a problem? AND Who has the right stuff?

Last week I told you that I was doing some research on how ready schools are to accept and manage contributions and donations from our communities.  This week I am here to tell you that I think I am hearing those words in my head, "Houston, we have a problem."  Thing is I don't know exactly how big this problem is and what kind of attention it deserves, but I continue to get info from friends that offers evidence that there are a number of schools and districts around the country who do not have policies in place for accepting and managing community contributions...and in many cases where there are policies, no one pays any attention to them.  This is an area we have to get right, because if we don't, we will never realize the full potential of our schools and communities.  

Our communities need to trust our schools and school districts in order to support us.  And we all need to be on the same page when it comes to handling the support they lend us. 

I'm going to continue to study this issue and dig deeper to see just how big of a problem we may have...so, please, keep sharing your experiences and thoughts with me on this issue and I will keep digging. Here's my email address: [email protected]   

I also received a question from a young woman, Sonia, who wants to learn how to write proposals and she wanted to know where she could find top notch training.  I asked someone I have complete trust in, Polk County (Florida) Grants Administrator Marcia Ford.  Marcia suggested that Sonia first look at the Grantsmanship Center, HQ in LA, They offer courses all around the country. Sessions are hosted at local nonprofits and should have a schedule of courses on the web site several months out. Not cheap, but thorough and widely recognized. 

Marcia also pointed out that the Foundation Center, based in New York, has some basic lessons online and offers workshops around the country. This organization doesn't deal with government grants, just foundations. They sell reference books and an online service to find grant opportunities, and have some to look at online. 

Marcia reminded her that there are other commercial outfits out there, but the Grantsmanship Center and Foundation Center are the ones that have helped define the field over the years. They have the right stuff.

The Grant Professional Certification Institute, affiliated with the Grant Professional Association (formerly Amer. assoc of Grant Professionals) is an independent professional association (I.e. Nonprofit, not a vendor) that has published standards for grant developers. These were compiled by subject matter expert panels around the country in preparing certification exams. There are also vendors who offer "certifications" but they make you buy their courses to qualify. These are not bad, just not recognized by the field as a whole. 

Marcia reminded me to remind Sonia to start small. Trying to start out with a federal application is a recipe for wasted effort and frustration. And Marcia is absolutely right.  More importantly, those who get classroom grants are likely to keep trying and pick up the funder preferences that add to their success as they go. Like anything that matters...it takes time, practice and a few rejections along the way.

Please don't forget  I am offering FREE general membership in the Grant Writers' Directory to grant writers who join the directory in the next 7 days. All you need to do is insert "SparkSomeGood" (without the quotation marks) in the promo code when asked in the sign-up process.  Join the Grant Writers' Directory TODAY! 

Remember, I want www.GrantsAlert.com to become your Grants-HQ. for grants for teachers, grants for schools and grant writers who can help you secure those grants. Our focus is on: what's in the best interest of our kids.

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Last week I raised the question: is your school ready to accept donations/contributions/gifts/grants?  Special thanks to everyone who took the time to answer this question for me.  The 15 responses I received does not offer a large enough number to form any hard conclusions, but in most of the responses individuals expressed their concerns with the lack of adherence to district policies for managing community financial support.  And if you don’t mind, I want to spend a little more time researching this whole “readiness” issue.  My thinking on this is really simple…if a district isn't ready to accept and manage funds from the community, then they aren't ready to be asking for funds. 

Please, keep sharing your experiences and thoughts on this issue with me and I will keep digging to see what’s going on…and what’s not going on. Here is my email address: [email protected]

In the next couple of weeks I will be sharing some exciting news with you…news about some new tools that truly are amazing and you are going to have access to them.  I promise you, the first word out of your mouth will most likely be what I said, “Wow.”  So, give us a couple weeks to get everything ready and I will lay it all out for you to see what I am so excited about.

When it comes to grants for schools, grants for teachers, classroom grants, K-12 funding resources and experienced grant writers...we want www.GrantsAlert.com to be the first place you go to for the most up-to-date, accurate information you need to be successful. We want to be the Grants-HQ for America's teachers and schools.

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Is your school ready to accept contributions?

I have a sweet little neighbor who is in the 2nd grade.  Early this week I asked her if she had a good day at school and she said, "Mr. Joe, everyday is good at school."  So, I asked her why her days were good and she said, "My teacher Ms. Brock is wonderful. She is even going to Sam's tonight to buy goodies to give us when we are good in class." I said, "That's a pretty special teacher."  And she said, "Yes sir, Mr. Joe, I love her." 

I loved hearing this little girl talk about her teacher like that.  The next day I took a check by her school to help that special teacher cover the cost of those goodies...and my visit to the school and handing over my check got me thinking. What will happen to that check?  Will the funds end up where I want them?  Will the teacher be able to access the funds easily? Will I receive any kind of response?  Did I do it right?  Did I hand the check to the right person in the front office? Lots of questions... 

So, my question to you is this: does your school have a system in place to accept, deposit and distribute contributions from your community members? Do you have a protocol in place for recognizing and thanking those who lend their support to your classroom or school?  And, finally, are there checks in place to insure that the wishes of the donors are met?  I am very interested in knowing how schools are handling any funds they receive from their community members...especially, contributions from individuals, like parents, grandparents and other community members.  Let me know: [email protected] I will share what I learn next week.

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America's Schools Need More Champions Like Alexandra Shaffer

By Joe Mizereck, Founder www.GrantsAlert.com and @GrantsBuzz

A couple weeks ago I was contacted by a young woman who asked for my help in sharing info about a project she is involved in that will ultimately make life easier for teachers.  I posted her info on GrantsAlert in this Alert.  She asked me this week if I would be kind enough to mention her project in my bulletin...I told her I would like to first have an opportunity to see what she is working on to determine if I am comfortable encouraging  my readers to get involved.  So, we had a webinar and I was very impressed not only with the tool (a learning management system) she has developed, but with her. 

Alexandra Shaffer and her company, G2Collective Inc. are looking for K-12 schools and teachers to partner with them in a small business grant they are applying for from the Department of Education to test their platform, eTeach®.  This is a great opportunity for schools who don't have Learning Management Systems yet or schools that are looking at what's out there in terms of new technology to aid in curriculum creation and teacher collaboration.  

eTeach® is very different from other platforms out there because of its simple design, which makes it easy to use, and it's patent pending module methodology, which is an innovative approach to helping teachers collaborate in the curriculum development process.  They have also focused on keeping the course delivery highly interactive, providing a structure for teachers to give high quality feedback on work that students submit, and an online learning environment that focuses on teacher/student and student/student interaction. 

They are offering a tremendous amount of support to the teachers and schools who take the time to partner with them.  Their deadline is coming up quickly (March 14), so please reach out directly to this remarkably bright young woman Alexandra Shaffer at [email protected] or call her at 917-482-3498 if you have any interest and would like more information!  

You might be asking, what's in this for Joe?  The answer is, nothing.  I like what she has done, I like Allie's passion and her interest in helping teachers and I really like what she has developed. I think you will too. 

Please don't forget  I am offering FREE general membership in the Grant Writers' Directory to grant writers who join the directory in the next 7 days. All you need to do is insert"SparkSomeGood"in the promo code when asked in the sign-up process. Join the Grant Writers' Directory TODAY!

Remember, when in doubt ask this one question:what's in the best interest of the kids?

Thank you.

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#1 Goal at GrantsAlert

Please remember our number one goal here at GrantsAlert.com is to make life a little easier for you to search for, find and secure classroom grants, school grants, teacher grants and other funding opportunities for your K-12 schools, organizations, districts, consortia and state education agencies.

I have had several folks ask for help in finding good, talented, experienced writers to help them prepare proposals for grants offered here on www.GrantsAlert.com.  I always encourage them to look at our writers who are members of our Grant Writers' Directory.  We have some excellent talent and experience to consider.  Problem is, we need more writers to join this directory.  Some states are not even represented and it's good to have writers representing the states in which they live and work.  That familiarity can prove to be very valuable when helping the schools and not-for-profits that are in need of help.

So, with this need to build our directory to better serve America's teachers and schools, I am offering FREE general membership in the directory to grant writers who join the directory in the next 7 days. All you need to do is insert "SparkSomeGood" in the promo code when asked in the sign-up process. 

Ok, what are you waiting for?  Let's do it...Let's Spark Some Good...

Join the Grant Writers' Directory TODAY!

  Please, don't ever hesitate to share your ideas on how we can make GrantsAlert.com better...more useful to you...Like Linda Clark did when she suggested we make the grant pages "printer friendly."  Thanks to Linda we did what she suggested and we think we have made the site better.  What do you think? Send your thoughts and suggestions to: [email protected]

Here's a little Bonus: 7 Teacher Discounts

Barnes & Noble 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/bn-at-school/educator.asp?cds2Pid=29859

Apple

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/campaigns/education_pricing

The Container Store

https://www.containerstore.com/teachers/index.htm

Office Depot

http://www.officedepotrewards.com/loyalty/promotionView.do?code=stsunday0214b&cm_re=Home-_-LeftNavTeacher-_-WK0609STSavingsB

Office Max 

https://www.officemaxperks.com/LearnMoreTeachers.aspx

Staples

http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/back-to-school/resources-for-teachers/reward-a-classroom.html

Michaels

http://www.michaels.com/Create-for-Your-Classroom/teacher,default,pg.html

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Know These 7 Faces

Had a call this week from a parent who has volunteered to come up with a list of prospective donors to her child’s school for a significant campaign. I appreciate this kind of parent and when they call me looking for help I try to give them something that will help them succeed.  In this case, I suggested, before she do anything else, she get her hands on a book titled The Seven Faces of Philanthropy by Prince and File, 1994.  Why did I suggest this book as a first step? Because this parent wants to identify ten to twenty people who will write checks with a lot of zeroes.  Before she can expect to see that happen she needs to know where she needs to look for these people and once found, understand what motivates them to lend their support to good causes.  Prince and File lay it all out very clearly.  Here’s where you will find your prospective major donors and here’s why they would consider helping you.

More importantly, Prince and File describe how you need to communicate with these individuals.  For example, if one of these prospects has clearly demonstrated through her giving history that she does good (donate) because it’s God’s will you don’t want to be talking about how great an investment a gift would be.  You would do that with an Investor Face, not a Devout Face. Knowing the various faces and the corresponding languages can make a huge difference in the success of a campaign.

So, what are the various faces of philanthropists?  Here they are:

Communitarians—Doing Good Makes Sense.

Devout—Doing Good is God’s Will.

Investor—Doing Good is Good Business.

Socialite—Doing Good is Fun.

Altruis—Doing Good Feels Right.

Repayer—Doing Good in Return.

Dynast—Doing Good is a Family Tradition.

I know your minds are swirling at this very moment about people who possess these various faces.  And that is the first step to success…knowing when and where to apply these faces and being able to speak the various languages that go along with the faces.  And I assure you, you will make little if any progress if you mix up the faces or the messages.  You may get a sympathy donation…but little more.

I hope that sound I am hearing are fingers pounding keys to order this book.