Grants

Overview

The Charter Center offers pre-authorization planning grants to support the thoughtful design and development of high quality charter schools. The grants are awarded, on a competitive basis, to high capacity founding leader(s) and planning teams working to develop an application for a charter school in New York City.

ELIGIBILITY

Founding leader(s) and planning teams intending to submit a charter application in early 2013 in order to open a charter school in New York City in 2014. The Charter Center only recommends grants to individuals and groups that have the clear capacity to bring to fruition high-quality charter schools.

Planning teams associated with for-profit management companies are not eligible to apply for this grant.

AWARD AMOUNTS

Up to $35,000

USE OF FUNDS

Grant funding should be applied to activities/items integral to planning a high quality school and submitting a successful charter application. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • convening a design team to develop an academic plan, standards and assessments for driving instructional decisions and teacher recruitment goals, and systems for school finance and operations that will support student achievement and are aligned with the school’s mission;
  • covering the costs of visits to successful charter schools to assess and gather effective practices;
  • recruiting founding Board members, developing a strong, working Board and creating a plan of accountability;
  • retaining a technical assistance provider with proven expertise in developing a charter school or a business plan, including a pre-operating budget, funding development plan, and financial projections for the school’s first 1-5 years of operation;
  • hosting community outreach and family recruitment meetings;
  • retaining attorneys, consultants, for obtaining 501©(3) status, and other key planning and negotiation services;
  • paying school leader or executive director stipends for a period of time before the charter application is approved; and
  • developing communication and technology materials.

DEADLINES & DATES

Applications are due by noon on Friday, November 9, 2012.. Grants will be determined at the following meeting of the Board of Directors. Grantees will be notified in shortly thereafter.

APPLICATION PROCESS

  1. Applicants must contact Niomi Plotkin, Director of New School & Leadership Development, prior to submitting an application to determine if the school is far enough along in the planning process to be considered for a grant.
  2. Applicants should submit a cover sheet and a planning grant application in the required format. A hard copy and an electronic copy are required at the deadline.
  3. The review process may also include personal meetings, site visits and requests for additional information. A representative will contact your group if applicable.

Please check back for the electronic grant application forms.