Sprint Achievement Program

2008 Sprint Achievement Program Winners

Through the Sprint Foundation, the Sprint Achievement Program provides grants for K-12 public school educators in the Greater Kansas City area to execute programs in their classrooms that contribute to and improve student achievement, family engagement and educator development.

Sprint believes that educators know best what will work in their classrooms. If they have an idea for a learning resource or initiative that will ultimately improve student achievement - something they believe can be of real value to students, educators and even families - Sprint wants to help. Through this annual competitive grant program, Sprint funds activities that address areas of critical need identified by educators and provide enriched learning opportunities for students while encouraging increased family involvement.

The grant session, held every year in April, provides a limited number of grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 per grant.

To be considered for funding, the applicant must:

• Identify a specific area for improvement that supports the existing school curriculum or school improvement plan
• Provide clear, measurable goals and a well thought out project plan that includes an effective assessment process for measuring results
• Collaborate with other educators, students and their families to enhance classroom learning

Who can apply?

Any teacher, administrator, or academic support staff person in a K-12 public or charter school entity in the following Greater Kansas City Metro counties may apply:

• Missouri - Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte
• Kansas - Johnson and Wyandotte

Applications for pre-K and post high-school activities will not be accepted or reviewed.

When can I apply?

2008 Session Timeline
Feb. 27 6-7:30pm	OPTIONAL: Grant-writing workshop; register by sending an email to education@sprint.com before Wed, Feb 20 at 5:00p.m.
April 1-30	Online grant application session
May 1-31	Grant application review period
June 1-30	Educators are notified of their application's status
Aug. 1	Grant recipients' funds are sent to school districts' central offices
July 1	Results Reports are due from grant recipients

For draft purposes, download a printable copy of the 2008 Sprint Achievement Program Grant Application here.

Who Decides?

The Sprint Achievement Program review committee consists of a cross-section of education stakeholders familiar with current curriculum development and learning resource needs. Sprint employees are not eligible to serve on the review committee. The committee evaluates all applications and makes recommendations for grant funding. All decisions are final.

Each application is scored using the Sprint Achievement Program Rubric. Download a copy of the rubric here.

Note: Because technology hardware is dependant on the content and instruction for which it is used, applications for technology hardware, such as Smart Boards, LCD projectors, laptop computers etc., are reviewed even more rigorously than non-technology hardware requests. Recognizing the device alone cannot contribute to a student's achievement, it is critical that the educator submit a solid plan showing how the hardware will be used to benefit the greatest number of students possible, and support a variety of classroom content over time.

What information will the grant application require?

There are five components that need to be addressed in each application. They are:

1. Project Purpose: State the goals of this project. Describe what you are going to do and briefly summarize how you are going to do it.
   • What is the need in the classroom or school environment that this project addresses?
   • How will that need be addressed by the project?
   • What are the anticipated results?
   • Based on what research or experience do you think this approach will work?
2. Project Plan: Describe in detail the plan to complete the project, ensuring the following questions are addressed:
   • How will the project be implemented and the goal reached?
   • How will the project support the existing class curriculum and/or school improvement plan?
   • What tools/resources will be needed to execute the project?
   • What is the project timeline? Include any key events and tests dates throughout the year.
   • Who else from the school will be involved in the project i.e. peers, school staff, administrators, etc.? Give general titles only; no proper names.
   • How will the student's families and parents be included in the project, i.e. family homework assignment, family nights at school, PTA/PTO involvement, interviewing family members, home visits, etc.?
3. Assessment / Measurable Results: Specify how the results will be measured i.e. surveys, test scores, homework assignments etc. How will the results be tracked to know if progress has been made since the beginning of the project? Include how much change is needed for the project to be considered successful e.g. math test scores will increase by at least 10% after completion of the project when compared to math scores from the same group measured before implementing the project.
   
   
4. Project Budget: Provide all costs related to the project being as detailed as possible including a brief summary of how the costs were confirmed. Miscellaneous line items are not acceptable.
   
   
5. Results Report: The applicant must complete the online Sprint Achievement Program Results Report, documenting their project's outcome by July 1. Failure to provide a completed report within the given timeframe will result in that applicant not being able to apply for another grant through the Sprint Achievement Program.
   

How do I apply?

Before beginning the application process, please review the Sprint Achievement Program Frequently Asked Questions.

Applicants are HIGHLY encouraged to write and save the application in its entirety in a Word document before entering the final version into the active website.

What will I be required to enter for the Sprint Achievement Program Results Report?

At the completion of the project, every applicant will be required to provide a succinct report on the results of the project.

Access the Sprint Achievement Program Results Report here.

The results report for grant recipients from the 2007 Sprint Achievement Program must be submitted by July 1, 2008.

Questions? Email education@sprint.com.