Social Media and Innovative Fundraising

Competition for grants and donations can be fierce, especially as traditional streams of funding dwindle or disappear due to budget cuts. One innovative way to appeal capitalize on new fundraising techniques is through new media and social networking. Here are a few different ways that afterschool programs and nonprofits can tap into new donor networks and gain community support.

• Donors Choose, which allows small and/or non-traditional donors to support individual classroom projects. Educators post what they need to support their classroom or individual project, from art supplies to technology to innovative curriculum to support high-quality student learning. Donors can search for projects in their geographical area, subject (including math & science!), highest need, and several other criteria. Choose to donate as little as $10--or fund the entire project! This is a great way for potential donors who want to have an impact on students' lives, but who may not have the time to volunteer or the funds to make a major gift. The direct connection between the classroom and the donor shows that the funds are being put to a specific use. 
• Chase Community Giving, a project that uses existing social networks to support organizations through social media user engagement. Facebook users vote for charities--including youth development and education organizations--to receive grants from Chase, whose total donations exceed $2.5 million. Voters can share their votes on Facebook or tweet links to vote for charities that they favor. The second round of this year's voting is set to begin May 19th--check it out and see if participating next year is right for you!
• The Refresh Everything program from Pepsi, which encourages innovative and/or new projects to make their case and build a network of support. Each month, Pepsi gives away grants to programs and projects that support new ideas in arts & music, education, or communities. They also post a new "Pepsi Challenge" each month, from a fundraising rock concert to honoring soldiers in your hometown. Users can vote for multiple projects per day, and the Pepsi Refresh website offers a guide for promoting projects via social networking, traditional media, and other creative strategies.

How have you used unconventional fundraising techniques to make a different in your community?

Funding Your Afterschool Science Program Part II: Monitoring and Applying for Grants

This is a special two part blog post on finding grants for your afterschool science program. Check out last week's post for where to find grants for afterschool programs. 


One of the most challenging aspects of managing an afterschool program is securing adequate funding. Even if the program charges a participation or admission fee, it is rarely enough to cover the total costs of operation. Keeping track of grant opportunities ensures that programs will have adequate time to prepare successful grant applications.


Some organizations use professional grant management software that not only alerts users to upcoming grant deadlines, but also more easily keeps track of how grants are being spent. One of the best known is Grantstracker. Another excellent resource is The Foundation Center Online, which allows users to search for ideal funders and easily keep track of upcoming deadlines.


Free resources are also available. The US Government's Grants page is a massive, if somewhat bulky, grants resource for a huge variety of education programs. GrantsAlert is less extensive but easier to use. 


An easy way to keep track of grant application deadlines is to create a Google account devoted to grants only. Google Alerts allows you to get daily or weekly updates on keywords relevant to your interests (such as "robotics afterschool program grants" , "Education grants Omaha NE" , or "STEM grants K-5"). A Google Calendar allows you to categorize the grants that you are interested in, and will send you alerts for when grant applications are coming up. Even if you find out about a grant deadline that has passed, keep track of its due date so you can check back next year.


Our upcoming Conference will have many more opportunities for learning about funding trends. Sign up today!

Funding Your Afterschool Science Program Part I: Finding Grants for Afterschool Science

This is a special two part blog post on finding grants for your afterschool science program. Check back next week for a post on how to keep track of grant opportunities.

Though the economy is still recovering from the recent recession, funding is still available for education programs across the country. Government resources as well as corporate and private foundations continue to provide grants for a variety of educational purposes, including for administering and attending afterschool science programs.

The Coalition's website lists funders who have demonstrated a commitment to funding science, technology, engineering, and math education in informal and afterschool settings. The list includes government-funded entities like the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. Private foundations listed include the Motorola Foundation, the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, and Time Warner Cable (through their Connect a Million Minds Initiative).

Professional associations often offer grants or prizes to their members or participants. The NSTA (National Science Teacher's Association) and AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) offer prizes for accomplishments in the field of informal education (as well as other areas).

If you're looking for even more granting opportunities—such as small grants to fund just portions of your program—consider joining or using one of the many grant databases that exist online. Here are some that are easy to use and extensive:

The Foundation Center lists thousands of grants that can be used for special projects, general operating funds, professional development, and more.

Grantwrangler is a searchable grant database devoted to education, and even has a specific STEM database.

The National Education Association (NEA) has a very extensive grant database. While many of the grants are for classrooms, there are many that can be applied to professional educational development as well as out-of-class time programs.

And don't forget that “funding trends” is one of the strands in our upcoming conference. Attending the conference will let you know about the latest developments in out-of-school time funding.

Nominate our After-School Science Project

Some members of the Coalition for Science After School have submitted a project for consideration by the American Express Members Project. This program grants funds to projects that have been suggested by AmEx members for worthy causes. We hope that you will help us by logging on to the Members Project site and nominating our proposal. You do not have to have an American Express card to participate.

The project is called "Afterschool Science and Technology Seminars," and the link is: http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/86H7ME

Should we receive funding for this project, it would support hundreds of individuals or organizations in starting science clubs. This would be a positive achievement for all of us and benefit the entire field. Even if the project is not selected, having it as a finalist would provide great publicity for after-school STEM as a goal.

Again, the link is: http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/86H7ME.

Here is a link that will take you straight to the "Guest Signup" page if you are not a cardmember:
https://www.membersproject.com/registration/guest_signup.html

All you have to do is login and click nominate. Feel free to leave comments as well. The sooner you do this, the better, since it will move up to the top of the list faster. Please also pass this link along to friends and colleagues.

Thanks for your support!