Democracy Demands Wisdom
Humanities Grants for Civic Education
The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities (RICH) is making grant funding available for projects and programs that enrich the humanities components of K-12 civic education through the creative integration of the Rhode Island Grade Span Expectations for Civics & Government and Historical Perspectives / Rhode Island History in teaching and learning.
In 2007-8, RICH participated in the development of the Rhode Island
Grade Span Expectations for Civics & Government and Historical
Perspectives / Rhode Island History (GSEs) through its involvement on
Rhode Island Civic Education Commission. The GSEs were developed as a
means to identify the content knowledge and skills expected of all
students (grades K-12). For more information about the RI GSEs, please
visit: http://www.ride.ri.gov/Instruction/gle.aspx
Funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities allows us to
announce a special one-time grantmaking initiative in 2010 to support
projects and programs that enrich the humanities components of K-12
civic education through the creative integration of the Rhode Island
Grade Span Expectations for Civics & Government and Historical
Perspectives / Rhode Island History in teaching and learning.
Grants are available for professional development activities to individual teachers and to organizations (schools and other non-profit community organizations).
Please note: The Humanities Grants for Civic Education are distinctive from the general RICH mini and major grants and have unique grant guidelines and evaluation criteria. The following information is an overview of the Application and Management processes for the Civics Grants. Please be sure to read the entirity of the Civics grants RFP before submitting your application or contacting RICH staff.
AVAILABLE SPECIAL INITIATIVE GRANTS
Special Initiative Civics Grants to Individual Teachers: Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded on a monthly basis to individual teachers to support professional development activities related to the integration of the GSEs in their teaching. In-service teachers in public, independent, or parochial schools in Rhode Island are all eligible to apply. Pre-service teachers are not eligible for this program. All applications must be submitted online by 5 pm on the 1st of each month.
Special Initiative Civics Mini Grants to Organizations: Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations are eligible for grants of up to $2,000 awarded on a monthly basis. Eligible organizations include: Public, independent, or parochial schools; School districts; Regional educational collaboratives; Nonprofit organizations (including PTOs and school foundations) whose work provides direct benefit to teachers and students. Any such organization must provide letters of support from the appropriate school officials to demonstrate the partnership between the school and the organization. All applications must be submitted online by 5 pm on the 1st of each month.
Special Initiative Civics Major Grants to Organizations: Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for grants over $2,000 at one deadline. Intent to Apply due April 1, 2010. Full proposal from pre-registered applicants only due May 3, 2010. Eligible organizations include: Public, independent, or parochial schools; School districts; Regional educational collaboratives; Nonprofit organizations (including PTOs and school foundations) whose work provides direct benefit to teachers and students. Any such organization must provide letters of support from the appropriate school officials to demonstrate the partnership between the school and the organization.
All applications must be completed online by 5pm on the day of the deadline. You will need to create an online profile to submit a grant application. To create your online profile, please click here.
Mini grant applicants should email: civics@rihumanities.org to check on availability of funds prior to submitting a proposal.
FUNDABLE ACTIVITIES
Proposals can include:
• Attendance at local or regional professional development (conferences, seminars, teacher institutes) and support for substitute teaching costs;
• Pilot programs using curricular materials accompanied by evaluations;
• Development and dissemination of curricular materials using the RI Unit of Study template*;
• Demonstrations of the use of curricular materials;
• Development of on-site teacher institute(s);
• Engaging school community in facilitated examination of local / regional issue of relevance to curriculum units / lesson plans (including the creation or improvement of units / lesson plans using the RI Unit of Study template).
*IMPORTANT NOTE re: Rhode Island Unit of Study Template: If your project includes the creation of a unit of study, you will be required to attend a training session on the use of the Rhode Island Unit of Study template, which is currently under development at RIDE. You should specifically include a statement that expresses your understanding and acceptance of this requirement if your proposal includes the creation of a unit of study.
EXAMPLES OF FUNDABLE PROJECTS:
• A school district contracts with outside organization to develop lesson plans for middle school social studies. Holds district-wide workshop for teachers use of materials in classroom, and provides opportunities for teachers to report on how lesson plans were used.
• A teacher improves a unit of study that is part of the required curriculum for a U.S. History course in order to make it more engaging and “close to home” for students. The teacher researches new information to bring a Rhode Island perspective to the topic, perhaps working with local historical organizations, and then reworks the unit according to the RI Unit of Study. The teacher then presents the new unit to the other teachers in the district who are also required to teach that topic.
• A high school teacher attends a Teacher Institute in early American History at Colonial Williamsburg. Funds go toward tuition and travel expenses.
• Several fourth grade teachers work together to create a unit on civic education relating to the impact their community has on the environment and the changes in the community over the years with the advance of technology from gas lamps to electricity and transportation from horse-drawn carts to cars and trucks.
• A school district convenes teachers, students, families and greater community in an examination of local history / current event. This community dialogues serves as a basis for updating or revising curricular units on Rhode Island history and civic life.
UNFUNDABLE ACTIVITIES: This grants initiative adheres to current RICH policy on unfundable activities, which include the following: academic fees or other degree-related expenses; academic research; fellowships or scholarships; foreign, non-economy, or extensive domestic travel; book publication; fundraising or for-profit activities; restoration work; art creation or performances in the arts; construction work; equipment purchases; archival acquisitions; direct social action, such as counseling, legal, medical services, or economic development activities; political action; and food or beverages. Other restrictions may apply. Please consult with staff with any specific questions about funding limitations.
RESOURCES
Civics and Social Studies: http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/civics.aspx
Contains information about the Civics GSEs (legislation, history, FAQs), as well as the K-12 Civics GSE document (with Glossary and list of Online Resources, and the three grade-span specific documents (K-4, 5-8, 9-12) with essential questions and potential topics/links to other GLEs/GSEs.
RI Statewide Curriculum Web site: Social Studies Resources: http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum/rhodeisland/roles/teachresource.aspx#SocialStudies
RI Statewide Curriculum Web site: Rhode Island Resources: http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum/rhodeisland/roles/teachresource.aspx#Rhode_Island
RI Statewide Curriculum Web site: RI Historical Organizations/Sites: http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum/rhodeisland/roles/teachresource.aspx#RI_Historical_Organizations
RI Statewide Curriculum Web site: Museums and Libraries Resources: http://www.ride.ri.gov/instruction/curriculum/rhodeisland/roles/teachresource.aspx#Museums
NEH Resources: Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops provide the opportunity for K-12 educators to engage in intensive study and discussion of important topics in American history.
http://www.neh.gov/projects/landmarks-school.html
NEH Resources: Summer Seminars and Institutes for School Teachers provide K-12 educators with a means to deepen scholarship in the humanities.
http://www.neh.gov/projects/si-school.html
NEH Resources: EdSITEment
http://edsitement.neh.gov/
Rhode Island Historical Society Resource: Teacher Resources
http://www.rihs.org/education_resources_alt.html
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