Tag Archives | grants

Image by U.S. Army RDECOM, Flickr

Image by U.S. Army RDECOM, Flickr

Science needs funding to advance beyond the hypothetical stages, and STEM education is the same. Applying for grants can give your school access to materials and equipment that would be unavailable due to district budgeting, and provide your classrooms with a more productive environment for learning. Science grants are important for inspiring and getting kids involved. Here are some of the best options your school should apply for.

GE Foundation: Grants for Science Education
The GE Foundation has granted awards to global educational institutions since the 1980s. Though rather choosy about worthy grantees, GE often provides money to schools and nonprofit organizations for the betterment of science. Grants typically come from the Developing Futures in Education program, focusing on school districts with GE-related business. The amount of money is substantial: $15-35 million, so entire districts can improve curriculum and professional development.

National Institute of Health
AP STEM students are a perfect match for this one. More mature students with inquiring minds can pitch a research proposal that focuses on the medical or health sciences to NIH, which has grant and funding opportunities available. The proposal can be for anything that would advance worldwide health. For example, Hudson Robotics partnered with John Hopkins University in 2014 to bring advanced robotics (the Zebrafish HTS system) into the laboratory. The NIH gifted a sizable grant to furnish the study and improved production with laboratory automation.

Captain Planet Foundation
This grant focuses on environmental sciences and education. The project your school proposes should deal with social interaction and the development of problem solving skills in conjunction with saving the Earth. Grants range from $500 to $2,500, so if the school is looking to build a self-sustainable garden, the Captain Planet Foundation might be able to help.

The GLOBE Program
Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment was formed through a partnership of national governmental agencies. The program has many advantages. First, the GLOBE Program seeks to bring education to students and teachers by giving schools equipment to do soil samples, atmospheric readings, and phenology. Teachers get free training at GLOBE workshops, videos, and continuous access to online materials. Though it’s not exactly money, not having to purchase STEM equipment means huge savings.

Toshiba American Foundation
Is your school lacking in the innovation department? A TAF grant can be applied for online and helps US-based schools K-12. K-5 grade teachers can receive up to $1,000 from Toshiba to bring hands-on projects into the classroom that will teach students more about math and science. There is also the 6-12 grant that gives up to $5,000. You may request equipment, like computers and microscopes, or go further and ask for custom projects.

Grants can change the entire classroom. No matter the size of the grant, every school can broaden the future for both students and teachers by acquiring money and supplies that are essential for personal and community growth.

This article was contributed by guest author Brooke Chaplan.

Image by 401(K) 2012, Flickr

Image by 401(K) 2012, Flickr

Scholarships are awarded to students for a variety of different reasons. A student can win over a scholarship committee for merit, they can demonstrate their financial need, they can present evidence that they are involved in the community, or they can even show their passion for a specific field. Regardless of the reason why a student is awarded scholarship funds, there is no denying the fact that any money is helpful for a starving student who wants to earn a college degree to better their future.

If you are a soon-to-be high school senior who is dead set on attending college, it is important to apply for as much free money as possible. Submitting applications for scholarships may require a time investment, but it costs nothing out of pocket. There are hundreds of thousands of awards granted to graduating seniors and even adult students every year from different donors, government agencies, professional societies and even private corporations. For those in search of good opportunities, here are six scholarships every high schooler should spend the time to apply for.

The Kohl’s Cares Program For Children Who Are Involved in the Community

Community involvement can go a long way when you are looking for financial assistance to pay for college. For students between 6 and 18 who have spent at least 1 year volunteering their time to provide community service, the Kohl’s Cares program is a great option. The award encourages kids to get involved while they are young so they continue to be dedicated to service in adulthood. To be selected, students must be nominated by anyone over 21 who has seen the child get involved.

Cox Cares Foundation Awards

Cox Cares Foundation is committed to offering graduating seniors awards to help pay for fees to attend a two-year or four-year accredited college. For more than 15 years, the foundation has awarded between $1000 and $5000 to students who are attending school full-time, have earned at least a 3.0 and have a history of involvement within their school. Applications are available in December and must be submitted by February every year.

The Best Buy Children’s Foundation Award

Every year, Best Buy gives 1200 different awards in the amount of $1000 to students in high school who are selected. In order to be eligible, students must submit their application before the deadline and show academic achievement, volunteerism or even work experience. Since there are multiple ways to get selected, this is a great national opportunity that no student should pass up.

The Engaging and Fast-Paced Common Knowledge Scholarship

So many scholarship foundations focus on academic achievement and the quality of an essay that some really good candidates are overlooked. If you enjoy taking fast-paced quizzes and want to earn an award based on what you know, you can win between $250 and $2500 by taking scholarship quizzes through the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation. With the best score and the lowest time, you can win money to get even smarter.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program For High School Seniors

Coca-Cola offers a sizable $20,000 scholarship for all seniors who are going to attend a 4-year degree at an accredited university. All students who have a 3.0 GPA or higher are free to apply to explain why they would be the best pick for this award. When walking the line, having honor cords and stoles from places like The Honors Program will certainly get you attention, but it is important that you highlight your capacity to lead and serve for consideration.

The Prime Scholarship

The Prime Scholarship is for students intending to pursue a career as a nurse upon graduation. The scholarship is open to applicants working toward a two year or four year college degree.

The Discover Card Tribute Award Scholarship Program

Discover offers awards between $2500 and $25000 to high school juniors and seniors who will be attending a higher education or training program after high school. While you only need to earn a 2.75 GPA to be eligible, you must also show you have special talents, an inherent ability to lead, a passion for community service and challenges that may prevent you from going to school without assistance. All majors are eligible for this award.

No one wants to dig themselves into thousands of dollars of student debt just to cover the cost of getting an education. While Federal Pell grants and other forms of aide do help, scholarships are additional awards that can fill in the rather large funding gaps. Make sure you review national, state, city and school specific opportunities, and begin applying for awards well in advance.

This article was submitted by guest author Rachelle Wilber.

Image by Tax Credits, Flickr

Image by Tax Credits, Flickr

Your post secondary education might be the biggest bill you will have to pay for the next 10 years. At the same time as (if not before) filling in your university application, you need to think of how you will pay the ever increasing tuition fees. There are a variety of sources that can assist you in doing this, from your own savings, to grants, loans and scholarships offered through the government or private institutions.

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada is a great resource and we’ve found a few pages that will help you out.

First, check out their recommendations on where to get money to pay for school.

The Government of Canada provides a number of programs that can help you pay a portion of your tuition fees through grants, bursaries or scholarships. Whether offered through governments, schools or private organizations, the money doesn’t necessarily have to be paid back like a student loan. Grants and bursaries are generally offered based on need, whereas scholarships are mostly offered based on merit (athletic, academic or other unique abilities).

Here are some ways to find grants, bursaries, and scholarships.

When looking for scholarships, be sure not to limit yourself. Another option is to browse scholarshipscanada.com, a database with scholarships, bursaries, grants and student awards. You do need to sign up for this service, but it is a great tool to not only determine which scholarship you would qualify for, but also to search for advice on how to submit a strong application.

Lastly, remember that saving money comes in more ways than just putting your paycheques into your bank account. Students are eligible for government tax credits which can save you a significant amount every year.

Check out these other relevant articles:

Image by CollegeDegrees360, Flickr

Image by CollegeDegrees360, Flickr

Having trouble paying your tuition? Don’t have time for a job? Good news: there are many scholarships, bursaries, grants and awards that can cover the costs of schooling for you. They are offered by a number of institutions, such as the federal and provincial government, private industry and service organizations, and post-secondary schools. The great thing about grants, bursaries, awards and scholarships is they don’t need to be repaid.

Scholarships

Scholarships are usually awarded based on academic standing or other achievements, including leadership, athletic ability and community service. They can range from $500 to a generous $23,000. There are five kinds of scholarships:

  • Admission (or entrance) scholarships: Awarded upon enrolling in a post-secondary institution.
  • Renewable scholarships: Can be applied to financial debt yearly, if one maintains good grades.
  • National scholarships: Available to students all over the country.
  • In-course scholarships: Given after an applicant’s first year of college or university.
  • External scholarships: Encompasses scholarships that are granted by organizations other than a school. One should ensure his or her school is approved by the corporation before applying for an external scholarship.

Grants

Grants are bestowed according to grades, financial need and academic research projects. One perk about grants is they are offered to as many people who meet the criteria.

Bursaries

Bursaries are presented depending on one’s financial needs. Bursaries tend to be granted to be used in conjunction with other sources of funding, such as student loans, family support and individual earnings.

Awards

Awards are given based on academic merit or accomplishments. They are usually small sums of money that can be applied to one’s tuition or book costs.

Links

The following are links to websites where you can apply for scholarships, grants, bursaries and awards:


Remember you can find out about scholarships, bursaries, grants and awards through your post-secondary school, high school counsellor or online. Employers are an alternative source to check; many organizations offer students financial aid, so it’s a good idea to ask if they provide this service.

Going to school doesn’t have to be a financial struggle. There’s financial aid all around; you just have to look for it. There’s no reason to panic about your finances while going to school.