carol lowery lowe’s grant manager, skillsusa 2014 lowe’s grant opportunities

Carol Lowery

Lowe’s Grant Manager, SkillsUSA

2014Lowe’s Grant Opportunities

2014 Grant Programs2014 Grant Programs

CareerSafe Grant Schools in Need

Grant

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CareerSafe Grants

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CareerSafe GrantsCareerSafe Grants

• CareerSafe vouchers allow students to take an online assessment and earn their OSHA 10-Hour Construction or General Industry safety credential.

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CareerSafe GrantsCareerSafe Grants

Vouchers are awarded based on the following:

• SkillsUSA membership• Use of vouchers in previous years• New applicants receive priority over repeat

applicants

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CareerSafe GrantsCareerSafe Grants

• Application available on line 9-1-13 www.skillsusa.org

• Submission deadline is 12-1-13

• Vouchers awarded in January 2014

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Lowe’s Grant OpportunityLowe’s Grant Opportunity

Schools in Need

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Schools in Need GrantSchools in Need Grant

Focus of Grant

•To identify schools, classrooms or instructors who have a very basic need to improve the quality of their students’ educational experience.

Grant Awards•$2500 o $25,000

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Schools in Need GrantSchools in Need Grant

Three Categories1.Classroom improvements2.Upgrading or providing tangible tools for learning technical skills3.Leadership development opportunities or providing for competition clothing that will give students the opportunity to compete at SkillsUSA events that would otherwise be unattainable

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Schools in Need GrantSchools in Need Grant

•Applications may focus on one category or combine 2 or 3 of the categories on one application.

•Only one application per school.

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Leadership/Official AttireLeadership/Official Attire

• Capacity building leadership development• Training that supports building or growing

of chapters/state associations• Seed dollars• Pay it forward!

• How do you propose to use the new skills learned at your training experience?

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Leadership/Official AttireLeadership/Official Attire

• Regional Conference• Fall Conference• Leverage & Activate• New Chapter official SkillsUSA attire• Competition clothing that would otherwise

be unattainable

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Leadership/Official AttireLeadership/Official Attire

Examples of what won’t be considered for funding…

• 200 new red blazers• Competition expenses• Things you are already doing!

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Schools in Need GrantSchools in Need Grant

Application1.Clearly outline the real NEED for the grant dollars being requested.2.Focus will be to place the dollars in the hands of those who have no other means for obtaining funds.

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Schools in Need GrantSchools in Need Grant

Goal•To provide life changing experiences by providing learning opportunities that help students gain employability skills, both technical and leadership skills.•Best applications will detail how the outcome will provide this experience for the beneficiaries

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Schools in Need GrantSchools in Need Grant

• Only available to active SkillsUSA Chapters

• Must complete proposed project by 11/30/2014

• 2014 grant funds are NOT available to 2013 Schools In Need grant recipients

• Complete an application–Online or–Electronic

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Grant TimelineGrant Timeline

• September 1, 2013

Grant application will be posted to website

• November 1, 2013

Application must be received!

• January 10, 2014 (approximate date)

Announce winning grant recipients

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Selection ProcessSelection Process

• Applications are reviewed and scored by SkillsUSA selection team

• Specific rubric for scoring will be posted to SkillsUSA website

• Lowe’s selects final grant recipients

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Selection CriteriaSelection Criteria

• 70-75% on project NEED vs. want

• 25-30% on clarity of application, budget detail, sponsor relationship/involvement and media plan

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Writing your applicationWriting your application• Describe your project in the first 2-3 sentences.• Tell your story! Why the NEED vs. want.• Describe the impact, present and future.

• How can we produce results that live beyond the life of the project implementation?

• Describe potential learning opportunities.• How can we create a unique learning experience for our

students that will engage them in building leadership skills as well as learning new hands-on skills?

• How can we create a long-lasting impact on our students that leaves them with the idea that community service is a life-long opportunity?

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Writing your applicationWriting your application• Answer the questions! If the question asks for an

“estimate”, give a number. Don’t just say “I can’t begin to estimate.”

• Outreach opportunity or pay it forward• What are you going to do with the new tools?• What leadership event will you plan and hold after members

attend the training?• Who will benefit from the classroom upgrade that hasn’t had

the opportunity before the upgrade or addition?• Be sure to detail the students participation in the process,

from application to implementation.

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Writing Your ApplicationWriting Your Application• Involve students in the planning, application writing

and project implementation. Too many times the advisor/instructor is doing it all!

• Make all aspects of your grant project a learning opportunity for your students!• Classroom upgrades: Students do the painting, building,

blueprints. • Tool purchases: take them to the store or have them place

the order• Leadership: conduct a leadership training based on what

they learn.

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Writing Your ApplicationWriting Your Application

• Review application

• Complete in it’s entirety

• Be specific, meaningful and succinct

• Think about WHAT you’re going to do for your project and then HOW you’re going to tell your story and plan!

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Things to Consider Things to Consider

• Impact ~ long term impact beyond life of the project & provides learning experience for students

• Maximize resources/reaching out further/partners• Itemized budget detail, easily understood• Specific sponsor engagement opportunities• Celebration/media event detailed and well thought through

with media sources listed• Well written, succinct, detailed task list and time line, easily

understood• Students implement the project (not contractors!)

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Do’s Do’s

• Tell your story and how it will impact the recipients!

• Include a detailed project description• Involve Lowe’s where it makes sense!• Create achievable timelines.• Include detailed budget and media plan.• Have application reviewed by someone who

is not involved in the project.• Have application reviewed for correctness.

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Don’tsDon’ts

• Add numerous, meaningless attachments• Vague or non specific language or

descriptions• Submit until it’s been checked and re-checked for proper spelling and grammar• Give up! Try again. Improve upon prior

attempts!

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Schools in Need GrantSchools in Need Grant

Pay it Forward Factor

Those applicants who can outline their plan to “pay it forward” by planning and implementing a project or event that will allow them to use the tools or skills obtained due to receiving the grant dollars will stand a greater chance of receiving funding.

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Share your experience!Share your experience!

Take this opportunity to

initiate or strengthenthe relationship

With your Local Lowe’s

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SkillsUSASkillsUSA

For questions contact:

Carol Lowery

clowery@skillsusa.org

641-512-0504

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