I have a proven track record of finding and securing non-profit funding.
During my undergrad at Michigan State, I worked as a telemarketer and supervisor the university’s fundraising arm. By the time I left, I was regularly talking to donors who gave thousands of dollars a month to the university, along with the rare “whales,” donors whose gifts could balloon into the millions. The experience turned out to be very valuable to me throughout my teaching career.
Annual giving drives expect objections from potential donors at all giving levels. They plan for them. If a donor objects to giving back because they are still paying off student loans, there is a script for that. Someone expresses interest in giving but just does not have the time to give during the phone call? No problem, there is a script for that, too. As a fundraising supervisor I reminded my callers to be respectful of objections while still following the playbook. “Do your best for the students and the university,” I told my team. This attitude helped me personally raise more than $80,000 during my time at MSU.
That same philosophy extends to educational grants. Many grants today expressly say they no longer entertain requests for requests for laptops and computers in order to give preference to projects involving social justice and equity. Yet technology is key that unlocks all kinds of human knowledge — a great tool to help level playing fields. The onus falls on schools and education technology leaders to secure necessary funding even though the path may be difficult.
I have worked with grant-funded organizations
From 2014-2017, I was hired as a curriculum writer and editor for NWOi3, a coalition of schools in northwest Ohio that wrote curricula for middle and high school students in the four core subjects.
The experience was professionally instructive. Our training included lessons on the importance of accounting and transparency in publicly funded work.
Continued training through BGSU
The grant application process was part of my masters coursework through BGSU. My cohort was assigned apply for grants that would support technology use in the classroom.
To that end, I have included a copy of the grant I wrote as part of the curriculum for my master’s degree.