Our next grant session will be held in the Spring of 2009. More information and applications will be available on the site closer to that date.

The Walpole Computer Foundation employs a specific process in the allocation of funds through direct technology grants to the Walpole Public Schools. This grant process is designed to guarantee impartiality and fairness while also ensuring that funds are directed to the technology needs of highest priority within the school district.

The grant process is performed by the WCF Advisory Board, which is composed of representatives from each of Walpole’s seven public schools, the school district’s Central Administration and the WCF. The WCF chairs this board’s activities. The annual granting of funds takes place at the beginning of each school year.

The grant process is broken down into several steps:

• Creation and distribution of grant submittal letters and application forms
• Completion of application forms
• Submission of grant applications to school principals for review
• Review of grant applications by Central Administration
• Review and rating of grant applications by individual WCF Advisory Board members
• WCF Advisory Board meeting
• Announcement of grant decisions and distribution of funds

Grant Submittal Letter and Application Form
At the beginning of each school year, the grant submittal letter and the application form are created by the WCF and distributed to the principals of all public schools in Walpole. It is the principals’ responsibility to distribute copies of the letter and application form to all teachers and other educational staff members in their schools.

The submittal letter contains an explanation of the grant process as well as a schedule of all pertinent dates and deadlines. The application form lists the information required of each grant applicant and explains the criteria that will be used by the WCF Advisory Board in evaluating each application.

Completion of Application Forms
All applicants for WCF grants must be staff members of the Walpole Public Schools. Grant applicants are asked to provide all information requested on the application form. Key areas include:

• Project Description and Goals
  Explain specifically how grant funds will be used.
• Dissemination Plan
  Define who will be impacted by this project, identifying how many students will be involved and how their educational environment will be improved. Also list any plans for sharing information about this project with other staff and parents.
• Financial Request
  Itemize project components and costs of each component.

Applications should provide sufficient information to enable evaluation of the following criteria:

• In what specific way(s) will student learning and achievement be enhanced via the educational technology proposed in this project?
• Which specific Technology Competencies (K-8) or NEASC Technology Indicators (9-12) are addressed through this project?
• Can this project be implemented successfully using current staff and existing facilities?
• Are any other potential funding sources currently available for this project (such as local school budget, PAC, other grant sources, etc.)?

In addition to the four criteria defined above, each project’s consistency with the state’s Curriculum Frameworks and the long term technology plans of the schools will also be considered.

Once completed, each application is submitted to the school principal for review.

School Principal’s Review
Each principal receives all WCF grant applications from his/her staff for review. The purpose of this review is to insure that each request for funding meets the requirements outlined under “Completion of Application Forms” above. This review also provides each principal with an opportunity to identify other potential resources that might be utilized to fund a given project outside the WCF grant process.

Any incomplete application is promptly returned to the applicant to be finished. When resubmitted, the principal reviews the revised application to insure it has been completed.

All completed applications are forwarded to the Walpole Public Schools’ Central Administration for further review. Principals are encouraged not to reject or hold back any completed application from being forwarded to Central Administration, unless they are able to fully fund the requested project through other resources. This helps Central Administration become informed of all technology needs across the district.

Central Administration Review
The Walpole Public Schools’ Central Administration receives all WCF grant applications from the principals for review. The purpose of this review is to guarantee that each request for funding meets the requirements outlined under “Completion of Application Forms” above. This review also allows Central Administration to identify other resources that might be utilized to fund a given project outside the WCF grant process.

Based on the prior reviews by principals, all applications should be complete before reaching Central Administration. However, in the event that an application is found to be incomplete, it is returned to the applicant to be finished and resubmitted to the principal and then to Central Administration for review.

Central Administration will also consider the degree to which each project fits with the state’s Curriculum Frameworks as well as the long term technology plans of the local schools. It is assumed that any relevant information related to these two important areas will be communicated to the WCF Advisory Board by Central Administration.

All completed applications are forwarded to each of the individual members of the WCF Advisory Board for final review. Central Administration will not reject or hold back any completed application from being forwarded to the Advisory Board, unless the project can be fully funded through other resources.

WCF Advisory Board Review and Rating
All WCF Advisory Board members receive copies of all completed applications. Their job is to review each application and assign ratings on each of the following criteria:

• How will student learning and achievement be enhanced via the educational technology proposed in this project?
• Which Technology Competencies (K-8) or NEASC Technology Indicators (9-12) are addressed by this project?
• Can this project be implemented successfully given current staff and existing facilities?
• Are there any other sources available to fund the project and/or donate necessary equipment (through the Walpole Public Schools, PACs, state or federal government, corporations or other sources)?

Advisory Board Meeting
After the Advisory Board members independently review and rate all applications, the actual Advisory Board meeting takes place. Each applicant (with the exception of those applying for computer lab funding) is required to make a brief presentation to the Advisory Board explaining the merits of his/her proposal. Board members are then given an opportunity to question each applicant to clarify information in the application or the presentation.

At the conclusion of all presentations, the Advisory Board members identify the projects of highest priority based on the criteria defined above. Applications for these projects are then approved for full or partial funding depending on total fund availability.

If funds remain after all high priorities are addressed, then medium priority projects are identified. Based on consensus of the Advisory Board, some or all of these projects are funded in full or in part. This process continues until all funds are exhausted or all qualified projects are funded. It should not be assumed that the WCF will automatically fund all projects if sufficient funds are available.

Additionally, it should be noted that projects are not necessarily funded in full. The WCF will not fund furniture, for example, since all dollars are to be expended as widely as possible in supporting technology needs. Furthermore, the WCF believes that whenever large dollar items such as computer labs or technology equipment leases are involved, the schools should also support some portion of the project. The schools’ portion can be funded through sources such as PAC budgets, specific school-sponsored technology fundraisers, etc. This approach helps to extend the available funds as far as possible.

Announcement of Grants and Distribution of Funds
After the Advisory Board meets and decides which applications should be approved for funding, the WCF Executive Committee reviews the decisions and authorizes the release of funds. Letters identifying the grant recipients and allocation of funds are distributed to all applicants, school principals, Central Administration staff, WCF Advisory Board members and WCF Executive Committee members.

Funds are distributed as follows:

• Purchase orders are submitted to the WPS Central Administration noting that funds are coming from the WCF.
• Invoices are forwarded to the WCF for payment. Please note that the WCF will not fund more than the amount awarded by the WCF Advisory Board for any given project. Any invoice exceeding an approved grant’s value must be covered by the school system.

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Walpole Computer Foundation, P.O. Box 741, Walpole, MA 02081
WCF Federal Tax ID # 04-3167600

WCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated under MA General Laws; Chapter 180.

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