Looser-Flake Foundation Education Grants
maximum awarded per application: The total grant pool available is up to $100,000. There is no maximum or minimum request amount set. School districts may consider using a cost per Mercer County student ranging from $20-$40 to estimate an appropriate request, but this is not mandatory.
contact: Kelly Thompson
opens: March 1
deadline: April 21
notification: May 31
PURPOSE
The Looser-Flake Foundation Education Grants Program supports educational opportunities for Mercer County residents by providing grants for innovative approaches to advance curricular, educational, and social-emotional learning goals in the school districts serving children who are residents of Mercer County.
This grant program supports the Mercer County Better Together Action Plan, Education Goal #5: Strengthen supplemental education opportunities for students:
Action: Support teachers, educators and students in achieving overall goals as a means to strengthening the education experience for local students.
Action Rationale: As state funding for public school systems remains unstable, the need for teacher, educator and student support was identified through the planning process. Additional supplies, programming or other requirements are often necessary to ensure educational needs are met.
Learn more about the Looser-Flake Foundation here.
Application Process
Applications are submitted via the Quad Cities Community Foundation's online grant system. If it is your first visit to the system, you will be asked to create a new account. For assistance, visit Grantseeker Resources or email info@looserflakefoundation.org.
All grant decisions are made by the trustees of the Looser-Flake Foundation.
Eligibility
Invited school districts serving Mercer County residents are eligible to apply for these grants. The proportional number of Mercer County residents served by each school district will be a factor in determining the level of support provided to each school district. The invited school districts are:
Mercer County CUSD #404
Rockridge CUSD #300
Sherrard CUSD #200
United CUSD #304
One application will be considered from each school district. It may include projects benefitting multiple or all schools within that district, but it must come from the district level; if there are multiple schools within a district, the individual schools or branches may not apply on their own. Hardware, software, consulting, strategic planning, and training are all eligible expenditures.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Reach: The number and proportion of Mercer County residents that are served by the organization and the project.
Innovation: The organization clearly identifies the innovative way the request will help them advance curricular, educational, or social-emotional learning goals for Mercer County students.
Project plan: The project plan is clear and achievable. If technology or curriculum are purchased, the plan includes a training and implementation component for the educators who will use them.
Leverage: The application demonstrates how the Looser-Flake Foundation grant will complement and expand on school district resources, and/or lead to securing additional resources to achieve the project’s goals.
Collaboration: School districts are encouraged where possible to demonstrate collaboration among school districts, or with other local educational partners such as library districts.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
We’re here to help you to be as successful as you can with your grant application. To discuss if your project is the right fit, contact:
Kelly Thompson / email
Call (563) 326-2840
Final Reports
Grant recipients are required to complete an online report describing the use of the funds after the project/program is completed or within one year of the award. Future grant applications will not be considered until a report is submitted for past grants.
Final reports on funded projects will be due no later than July 1, 2024.
Click here to log in and complete a final report for an Looser-Flake Foundation grant.
