Fiscal responsibility isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a core principle that directly impacts the quality of education students receive. One effective tool that school districts can employ to bolster their financial stability while enriching educational opportunities is grant writing.

Grant writing involves crafting persuasive proposals to secure external funding from government agencies, foundations and private organizations. By tapping into these resources, school districts can diversify their funding streams, alleviating the pressure on taxpayers.

Rebecca Hendry is the Florence Unified School District’s director of grants and business partnerships. Before taking on her current position, Hendry served as principal of Walker-Butte Leadership Academy and assistant principal of Copper Basin K-8.

Currently, FUSD has about 20 federal and state grants that provide funding for district and schoolwide programs.

“Federal and state grant funds provide a wide variety of support for our district to effectively serve students, staff and families at all our schools,” Hendry said. “We also work with many outside agencies in our community to support one another in partnerships so that we can best serve all stakeholders,” she said.

Benefits of grants
Some of the advantages of Hendry’s grant writing efforts include:

Expanded resources – Effective grant writing opens doors to funds that may not have been accessible through traditional channels. This infusion of resources empowers schools to implement innovative programs, invest in technology and improve infrastructure.

Enhanced programs – Grants provide the flexibility to start special programs and initiatives that might otherwise be considered financially unattainable. For example, childcare programming and special needs preschool receive little to no funding from the state. FUSD has three current grants that help fund early childcare and preschool programs with salaries and benefits for staff. This means that the overhead cost to run these programs does not come from the district’s maintenance and operations budget and allows us to provide these programs and services at a lower cost for families in our communities. If we didn’t have these funding sources, the weekly cost for parents would be much higher.

Professional development – Grant funds can be allocated for teacher training and professional development programs. Educators armed with the latest teaching methodologies can inspire students and raise the overall standard of education.

Community engagement – Engaging with external organizations during the grant writing process builds partnerships within the community. This collaborative effort not only strengthens the district’s financial standing, but also enhances its reputation as a proactive educational hub.

Long-term sustainability – By securing grants, school districts can invest in sustainable projects that yield long-term benefits. Whether it’s energy-efficient infrastructure or curriculum development, these initiatives pay dividends well into the future.

School safety
Grants also provide funding for positions outside of classrooms. When the state announced several grant opportunities for additional school resource officers, social workers, and/or school counselors, FUSD applied for and was awarded additional SRO positions for the current academic school year.

These grants help to strengthen the district’s partnership with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office since they provide officers for our SRO grant program at Poston Butte High School, San Tan Foothills High School and Mountain Vista Academy. The deputies add an additional layer to the FUSD safety initiatives that include all school safety plans, emergency response procedures and assistance with any emergency situations that may arise.

Currently, Hendry is currently waiting for announcement on the American Rescue Plan Act Educational Disparities and Teacher Professional Development grant. The funding for this grant is more than $1 million and could provide a variety of resources for the district.

Many times, grants of this nature are competitive and will be awarded partially by the state to ensure funding is dispersed fairly and equitably across Arizona.

There are numerous other state and federal grants that provide funding for staffing, purchased services, supplies, professional development and more.

“Open communication and feedback support help me develop and generate creative ideas and strategies to support existing programs and establish new programs with funding opportunities,” Hendry said. “Our team is committed to working together to ensure that FUSD is a great school district, that provides an outstanding education for all students.”

Rita Ann Ezzai Reznick is the director of public relations for the Florence Unified School District.