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Financing:
Finding Funds for Technology - Part 2
Our last column concluded with the question" "Do you know where your band parents work?" I bet you already knew where I was going with that question. Just like employers appreciate referrals when hiring, they like referrals when giving-and they generally like to give in ways that will endear their employees to them. Businesses are aslo more likely to give when there is some connection to their community.
I am not suggesting turning your band parents into mini "fundraisers" (although, let's talk candy bars for a second), but you might consider explaining to them your vision for their child's education. Fill them in on what you think the cost is, and tell them what it will do for the kids and how they could contribute to building that dream for their children. If you are clear enough to communicate your vision to parents, then you have already begun the process of writing a good grant proposal.
This is because the same elements you articulated to parents are the four elements you will need to put on paper in your grant proposals. Those elements are:
- Define your vision.
- Estimate the cost.
- Establish measurable goals.
- Explain how they can contribute.
Now its time to think about defining your vision. Spend some time with that, and when you have it, pretend you're the CEO of a corporation being approached to give money. Remember that a CEO's concern is very much like a parents: How will this program produce adults with marketable skills?
We'll talk about some ways to do that in the next edition of Instruments of Change. In the meantime, start keeping a file of stories you see about schools using technology to teach music. (You might even start with this edition of IOC.) Til next time…
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