Student-Led Grant Opportunity
Students: Apply by DECEMBER 1, 2024 at 11:59 pm for an opportunity to win up to $1,000 to use at your school!
For the third year in a row, LSEF will be awarding up to $10,000 in grants through an opportunity for LSR7 students!
The Student-Led Grant Program will give LSR7 middle and high school students the opportunity to request between $250 - $1,000 to implement a project that enhances learning at their school. Projects must support the Foundation’s mission to promote excellence in education in Lee’s Summit R-7 Schools. Students must select a staff member “Ambassador” to serve as a liaison between the Foundation Office, building administration, and the student group.
All submitted applications must be vetted and approved by the selected staff Ambassador and by Building Administration (Principal or Assistant Principal), then will be reviewed by an LSEF committee and the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Projects will be selected from LSR7 middle and high schools and awarded funding in January 2025 to be used during the 2024-25 School Year.
Examples of Grant Projects
Equipment or materials that support curriculum
Resources that promote collaboration and teamwork
Enhancements to school facilities that benefit students and learning environment
Projects that encourage innovation, unity, inclusion and/or new opportunities
Rules and Guidelines
Applicants must be currently enrolled in an LSR7 middle school or high school.
Projects must be rooted in learning, supporting the Foundation’s mission to promote excellence in education in Lee’s Summit R-7 Schools.
Each applicant group must find an LSR7 staff member willing to serve as their grant Ambassador. The Ambassador will need to work with building administration in vetting/approving the project and serve as a liaison between the school/applicant group and LSEF. If the grant should be awarded, the Ambassador will be asked to manage purchasing of materials. Please note: This is a student-led grant, we ask that staff Ambassadors provide guidance and oversight, and ensure the student applicant(s) generate the idea and complete the application process. Staff members have the opportunity to apply for grants through LSEF’s PEAK Grant Program.
LSEF typically does not fund field trips, travel, consumable materials, or furniture. If these items are part of your request, please include justification of how it supports learning in your building;
If your grant has a technology-related request, please check pricing and item availability with the R-7 Technology Department.
All materials/resources purchased with the grant funds will become the property of the school and not the students or staff.
Scoring will be based on the rubric below.
Timeline
Application Opens: November 1, 2024
Application Due: December 1, 2024 at 11:59 pm
| SCORING RUBRIC | 0 points | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Description | Insufficient: Does not explain the funding request or items, or fails to provide enough information to understand the project’s purpose. | Minimal Explanation: Briefly mentions the funding request and items but lacks clear details on how they will be used. Purpose is vague or unclear. | Satisfactory: Explains the reason for funding with most items listed and a general plan for their use, though some details may be missing. Purpose is mostly clear. | Detailed and Purposeful: Provides a clear, detailed explanation for the funding request, including specific items and a well-defined plan for using them. Shows strong purpose and alignment with project goals. |
| Explanation of the need for funding | Insufficient: Does not explain the need for funding or how it will help. | Minimal: Briefly mentions the need with limited or vague details on how it will help. | Satisfactory: Explains the need for funding with some relevant details but lacks depth or specificity. | Clear and Compelling: Strongly explains the need for funding with specific details on how it will benefit students. |
| Project Objectives & Goals | Insufficient: Does not provide clear goals or fails to explain how funding would support them. | Minimal: Goals are vague or minimally explained, with limited or unclear connection to how funding will help achieve them. | Satisfactory: Goals are stated and relevant, with a general explanation of how funding contributes, though some details may be lacking. | Clear and Impactful Goals: Goals are specific, meaningful, and show a clear connection to how funding will support achieving them, benefiting the applicant and others. |
| Potential Impact & Benefits for Students | Insufficient Information: Does not provide an estimate of the number of students impacted or lacks any relevant details. | Limited Impact: Gives a vague or minimal estimate, with little explanation of the reach or number of students who will benefit. | Moderate Impact: Offers an estimate of the number of students impacted, though details are somewhat general or lack strong support. | Clear and Significant Impact: Provides a well-supported estimate of the number of students who will benefit, demonstrating a substantial reach. |
| Educational/Social-Emotional Impact: | Insufficient Information: Fails to explain how the project will impact students' education or social-emotional wellbeing. | Limited Impact: Mentions minimal or vague benefits to students' educational experience or wellbeing, with little supporting detail. | Moderate Impact: Describes some positive effects on students’ education or wellbeing, but lacks depth or specificity in explaining the full impact. | Strong and Clear Impact: Provides a detailed explanation of how the project will significantly enrich students' educational experiences and/or wellbeing, with specific benefits highlighted. |
| Budget | Insufficient: Budget provides no description of costs; budget plan is not complete | Minimal: Budget provides little description of costs; budget plan is not complete | Mostly Complete: Provides a vague or brief description of costs; details for requested funding is limited | Detailed and Accurate: Budget is thorough and clearly supports the funding request, including accurate fees for all items. |
| Project Continuation and Sustainability | Insufficient Information: Does not address whether the project is one-time or ongoing, or fails to provide any information on sustainability. | Limited Explanation: Briefly mentions the project's status (one-time or ongoing) but provides minimal or vague information on sustainability. | Satisfactory Explanation: States if the project is one-time or ongoing, with a general plan for sustainability, though some details may be lacking. | Clear and Sustainable Plan: Clearly states whether the project is a one-time event or ongoing, with a strong, detailed plan for sustainability beyond initial funding. |
| Creative & innovative | Lacking Creativity or/and Innovation: The project lacks creative and/or innovative components, and there is no evidence that these ideas will improve student education or wellbeing. | Limited Creativity: The project contains some creative and/or innovative components, but there is little evidence that these ideas will improve student education or wellbeing. | Moderately Creative: The project contains very creative and/or innovative components and there is some evidence that these ideas will improve student education or wellbeing. | Highly Creative and Innovative: The project contains strong creative and innovative components. It describes how creativity will help stimulate and improve student education wellbeing. |
| Grammar & Punctuation | The application is poorly written with numerous grammatical and punctuation errors, making it difficult to understand | The application contains several grammatical and punctuation errors, causing some distraction and minor difficulty in understanding. | The application has minor grammatical and punctuation errors, allowing for easy understanding. | The application is exceptionally well-written without grammar and punctuation errors, ensuring clarity and ease of understanding. |
| OVERALL SCORE | Poor: The application is incomplete, poorly organized, or lacks essential information. Fails to make a convincing case for funding. | Fair: The application addresses basic requirements but lacks detail or clarity in multiple sections. Shows minimal impact or need for funding. | Good: The application is complete and coherent, addressing most requirements adequately. Shows a reasonable case for funding, though some sections lack depth or clarity. | Excellent: The application is thorough, well-organized, and compelling. Clearly demonstrates need, impact, and alignment LSEF’s mission to promote excellence in education in Lee’s Summit R-7 Schools. All sections are strong, with specific details and a well-supported case for funding. |
FAQS
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A grant is a financial award provided by an organization to a group/individual/institution for a particular purpose
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Grants will be reviewed and approved by the Lee’s Summit Educational Foundation’s Board of Directors. Factors that will be considered will include (but not be limited to) how many students would be positively impacted, equitability, innovation/creativity, how request would enhance learning opportunities and/or creating a positive environment/culture within the school.
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If all or some of your grant funding could not be implemented until next school year, please provide an explanation and outline a preferred timeline within your application.
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You should seek a staff lead/’Ambassador” that would be in support of your request and believe it would be of use within your school and make a positive impact. The Ambassador should also be willing to help serve as a liaison between the school and LSEF to help manage purchasing/reimbursement and logistics involved with the utilization of your grant.
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LSEF depends on fundraising through individuals or businesses to support our funding priorities/investments into the District each year. Testimonials and updates about the impact our funds are making in the classrooms/schools are not only appreciated by our existing donors, but help us continue to grow. Your recorded testimonial will serve as a report back to LSEF staff, committee and Board regarding the status of your grant, and the impact it has made. This video may also be used at LSEF events/presentations and on social media. Please ensure we have school and parent permission for anyone/everyone featured within the video, to be used for these purposes.
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Our hope is for you to utilize this grant in the ’22-’23 school year. If you have a request that could not be implemented until next year due to availability of the resource and/or if it’s based on a “season” for your group/project, it may still be considered by the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis.
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LSEF will only provide what is initially awarded (up to $1,000). If the estimated prices within your budget increase and/or you are to spend more than what is allotted, it will be up to your group to secure the additional funding necessary through your school or fundraising efforts.
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Grant recipients will be provided a code to purchase items through their staff lead or building secretary’s district purchasing card. LSEF will reimburse LSR7 for approved expenses charged to the code.