District Protocol

The protocol was established to allow us to be more efficient and effective in identifying, pursuing, and securing grant opportunities. KPS staff are encouraged to pursue grant opportunities that will lead to improving the learning opportunities and success of our students and staff. The Kearney Public Schools Foundation has established several resources for staff to use in their pursuit of funding opportunities. These tools have been proven effective and helpful for staff new or who are veterans to the world of grants.

• If you have an idea, and are not sure if there are funding sources available to help you, please contact the Foundation's Grant Writer (Mark Whitacre) at x-8031 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Often, Mark can perform a grant search for you to find funding opportunities, share his experience with pursuing other grant opportunities, and to give you some advice on the next steps.
• Using the District's Grant Proposal Form, indicate what your project is, the learning outcomes, what KPS (such as staff, students, administrators) or community assets (other organizations/businesses) will be impacted, expected budget, and period of the project.
• After completing the form, submit it to your building administration (usually the Principal). The administrator will then review your request and sign the form that he/she has read it. The administrator will then forward it to the Executive Director of the KPS Foundation.
• Upon receipt of the form, the Foundation Director will assemble or poll the District Grant Committee (consisting of the Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, Director of Finance, KPS Foundation Executive Director, and the Grant Writer) to review the proposal and to determine how KPS and the KPS Foundation can be of assistance.
• Among the factors the District Grant Committee will consider:
  Will this proposed project affect a select population of students, a teacher(s), grade, school building, or district-wide.
  Are there resources KPS or the KPS Foundation already has that could be redirected or applied differently to achieve the project's purpose? For example, if you are looking to purchase books with grant funds, are there funds available through the KPS curriculum budget or from the KPS Foundation that could be used?
  Will the proposed project help the students/school/district achieve school improvement goals?
• The role of the Grant Writer could be:
  Providing technical assistance to the staff member (the staff member will be responsible for writing and submitting grant applications). The technical assistance could be in the form of a grant search, proofing, suggestions, and providing any necessary information.
  Providing technical assistance and helping to write the grant proposal.
  Write and submit the grant in behalf of the staff member. The staff member will be involved in proofing and approving the grant application.

• If the District Grant Committee has already approved pursuing a grant opportunity for another KPS staff/students/school, and other KPS staff submit a completing proposal, both proposals may be rejected or just one may be accepted.
• Your project may conflict with other projects/policies of KPS or the Foundation.
• If awarded a grant, and no one knows about it and KPS or the Foundation receives a check we won't know who gets the check, any reporting requirements, or if a site visits are required.
• As well, it could negatively affect the KPS budget as the state may require KPS to adjust its budget—forcing KPS to make cuts in other areas. This situation has happened before. KPS and the Foundation reserve the right to return any grant funds to the funding source if it does not know whom it goes to or if it could create financial hardship.