1) Eligibility Questions (Can I apply...) 2) Grant Application Guidelines and Process 3) Grant Feedback and Grant Writing Help 4) CPDU Credits
1) ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS (Can I apply...)
Can you apply for and/or win more than one grant in the same year?
You can win any or all of our grants during the year, but only one of each type of grant. Also remember that teachers can only win the Fund for Teachers grant once every five years.
Can you submit more than one application per grant?
You can submit more than one application for both Small Grants and Study Group Coach Grants. However, you can only win one of each type of grant. If more than one of your applications are selected as winners, we will contact you and find out which grant you would most like to be awarded. It is not necessary to submit more than one Study Group Team Member Grant application because you have the opportunity to indicate a first, second, and third choice on the application itself.
Can I apply for a Study Group Coach Grant based on a Small Grant I won?
Yes. Keep in mind that Study Group Coach Grants require you to outline an Instructional Strategy, so a Small Grant project may be one component of the larger Instructional Strategy outlined in your application.
Can I apply for a Small Grant or Study Group Coach Grant based on a project or Instructional Strategy that I implemented several years ago, or does it have to be more recent?
Yes; there is no specific guideline for how recent the idea must be.
I'm a resource teacher/librarian/counselor/school nurse/assistant principal. Can I apply for a grant even though I don't have a regular classroom?
You must be "highly qualified" as defined by NCLB and/or ISBE certification. Due to funding restrictions, we don't have the resources to fund grants for classroom aides or teaching assistants.
Can teachers at charter schools apply for CFE grants?
Yes, as long as you are a certified CPS teacher and meet the guidelines mentioned in the FAQ answer above. In general, any school that is considered a ChicagoPublic School and has students in grades PreK-8th Grade (PreK-12th Grade for Fund for Teachers) is eligible. If your school is in a particularly unique situation, please call the CFE office to check eligibility.
Why must every project be an original idea? I do some things every year because they work.
Although it's true that the same teaching tools are used over and over again in different classrooms, CFE looks at how a teacher puts together those methods and materials in order to meet the unique needs of his or her students. (To be certain, a project must be more than simply a purchased "off-the-shelf" program.) For grant ideas and inspiration, view some examples of previous grants we've awarded by perusing our Lesson Plan Database.
All I really need are books (or art supplies, sports equipment, a digital camera, etc.); can't I just ask for money to buy books for my classroom library, without having to think of a "creative project"?
CFE values quality, innovation, and continuous improvement in Chicago's public school classrooms. Although we recognize the necessity for adequate classroom supplies and equipment, we try to fund and publicize projects that will expand teachers' instructional repertoire in the hopes of reaching as many children as possible.
What things won't a CFE grant pay for?
CFE grant money cannot be used to pay for a CPS employee, and grant money may not be used to purchase materials or fund experiences that are evidently inappropriate for the ages or abilities of a teacher's students. Generally speaking, anything else is possible, as long as it is part of a stimulating activity in which students are actively involved and which is an integral component of the curricular project or broader Instructional Strategy.
Although CFE says that the teacher gets the grant, my principal says that all grant money coming into our school must be "signed over to him/her", that it's "policy". Is that true?
Every CFE grant check is made payable to the teacher(s) who submitted the winning application. We have successfully used this protocol for many years, distributing thousands of grants to ChicagoPublic School teachers. If you encounter a problem with how CFE funding is distributed, please call the CFE office at (312) 670-2323 and we will be happy to speak with your principal.
Why is a Study Group Coach Grant worth twice as much as a Small Grant? I've seen Small Grant presentations at the CFE Workshop that were just as creative as some of the Study Group Coach strategies.
In addition to implementing a strategy in their classrooms, Study Group Coaches are responsible for attending an all-day training session, assembling a Study Group packet for each individual Team Member, preparing for 12 hours of Study Group meetings, facilitating those meetings, and ultimately submitting documentation from each of them.
What about an after-school project? Will CFE give a grant for something that involves only about a dozen kids meeting after or before school?
Yes, we fund several grants of this kind every year.
I want to work with my students' parents. Could I get a grant that focuses on parental involvement?
Absolutely! Some of the most effective projects that CFE has funded in the past are designed to get parents involved with classroom activities and projects.
I am an individual grant winner. If I change schools, can I take my grant materials to my new school?
Yes, as long as you stay within the CPS system. CFE intends for all project materials to stay within Chicago's public schools, where they will continue to enhance the educational experience of Chicago's children. If you are moving to a school outside of CPS, materials should be left behind at the last ChicagoPublic School you taught at. Either way, please contact CFE's office if you relocate so that we can update our records.
I won a grant as a part of a team and I'm changing schools. Do the materials come with me or stay at the school?
If you are part of a team, all materials and equipment will stay with the remaining team member(s) at the school listed on the application. If the team leader leaves the school, somebody from the team should notify CFE immediately, with the name of a new person who will be assuming the project's leadership role.
What about budget discrepancies? I'm afraid I may have over or underestimated the cost of some of the materials. What should I do in these cases? Will this affect my eligibility for CFE grants in the future?
If you didn't spend the entire grant amount, please send the difference back to CFE if it is more than $5.00; this money will actually go towards a future CFE grant! If you spent more than the total amount on your initial budget (more than the amount of the grant), you will need to pay for the additional materials with other funds (usually your own money or another grant). When you complete your Final Report form, you will have the chance to explain any discrepancies. Unless the discrepancy is a major one, this will not affect your eligibility for any future grant opportunities with CFE.
What should I do if I lose a receipt?
If you lose a receipt, call CFE's office in order to arrange an alternative method of verification of your purchase. CFE asks for receipts for two reasons:
- We need to be sure that CFE grant money is spent for items on your pre-approved budget.
- Tax purposes: we are required to prove to the IRS that the money was not income.
I want to write a Small Grant for a project that costs more than the grant award amount. If I can find another funding source for the remaining costs, could I apply for a Small Grant, even though the budget would exceed the grant amount?
We do not recommend writing a grant for a project that exceeds our grant maximums. However, your application will be considered, as long as you make clear in your application how you plan to make up for the difference in cost.
Are the grant applications online?
Yes! Applications are now available online on our website at www.cfeteachergrants.org. Although we STRONGLY encourage applicants to submit their entire application online, there is generally a fillable .pdf option available for those who are still uncomfortable with our online system.
What percentage of applicants get awarded grants?
On average, about 60% of applicants are awarded grants for each grant program.
When will we hear if we won, and when will the money be awarded?
Small Grants: Applicants will be notified if you won in December, and the check will be sent in early January.
Study Group Coach Grants: Applicants will be notified in early February, and the initial $300 payment will be distributed at the first training session in late spring. The remaining $700 stipend will be awarded upon receipt of your Final Report after the completion of all Study Group meetings.
Study Group Team Grants: Applicants will be notified in early May, and checks will be mailed in the fall.
Fund for Teachers Grants: Applicants will be notified in early April.
Teachers Network Leadership Institute: About one month after applications are due, applicants will be notified about moving to the second round of the application process. Those proceeding to this second round will move to the interview phase of the application process.
Is the grant taxable to me?
No. It is not considered income if you provide CFE with your receipts. If you fail to provide CFE with receipts and the total dollar amount you receive during the calendar year exceeds $600, you will be issued a 1099 tax form.
Will I get a grant if my school already gets a lot of CFE grants?
Absolutely, although please keep in mind that grants are awarded partially based on need.
Will my chances improve if I get my application in early?
No, all grant proposals are reviewed immediately following the application deadline. When a grant is being read, we have no idea when it was initially submitted. However, please keep in mind that an application will not be considered if it arrives postmarked - or is submitted online - after the posted deadline.
I applied last year and didn't win, but I know my idea was a good one! Can I find out why I didn't win?
Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications, we are not able to give feedback to each individual applicant, but some of the most common reasons are:
Budget discrepancies. Make sure your budget adds up correctly, and that the items you include make sense for your project.
The projectitself isn't clear. For example, let's say you want books to help teach Character Education. Instead of just saying that, make sure you describe a creative project that will incorporate these books into a Character Education lesson. Think of writing your grant in the same way as you would when creating a curricular unit.
We also recommend that teachers take advantage of opportunities CFE offers for grant writing help (see next question).
Is there any way to get feedback on a grant that did not win?
Since we have a very small staff, it is simply not feasible to give feedback on each grant application. However, you could bring a copy of your application to the one-on-one grant-writing help sessions at the Teachers as Leaders and Learners Workshop or to any grant writing workshop we offer throughout the year. Your school can also request a Teacher-to-Teacher grant-writing workshop for staff members.
How can I get help in writing grants? I have applied several years but have never won.
There are many ways to improve your grant-writing skills. The best way is to attend a one-on-one grant-writing help session at the Teachers as Leaders and Learners Workshop, where you'll receive individual attention and personalized answers to your grant-writing questions. We also offer grant-writing workshops throughout the year; click here to see how teachers at your school can sign up for a CFE grant-writing workshop. Or, you may consider applying for a Study Group Team Member Grant, our easiest grant application, to try something new with your students and break through the "grant barrier" you may have encountered.
How do we get our CPDU credits for attending CFE's Workshop?
At the end of Workshop, teachers are asked to return to the attendee registration tables to pick up a certificate and the paperwork that is needed in order to obtain CPDU credits. It is up to each individual teacher to file the necessary paperwork to gain the CPDU credits; CFE simply provides proof participation in a professional development experience. If you are unsure of this process, please check with your school principal.
Are CPDU credits available for the Teacher-to-Teacher grant-writing workshops requested by schools?
We are able to offer CPDU credits for these presentations, yet we cannot guarantee that this will be possible for every session. CFE has certain logistical constraints when seeking approval from the state to give the CPDU credits, so depending on when the presentations are scheduled, we may run into situations where we are not able to offer CPDUs for those sessions. If your school is interested in having a Teacher-to-Teacher grant-writing session, please make the request as far in advance as possible in order to have the best chance of obtaining CPDUs for that particular session. Return to top
