Sat
Feb 23 2008
11:52 pm
Only a half a grant writer in our schools?
By: reform4

Did you know the Knox County Schools only has one person working about half of their time working on grant proposals? A grant writer can generally bring in 15 to 20 times their salary.

If our 19 Commissioners were to surrender 50% of their Discretionary Fund, we could fund another full-time grant writer, probably bringing in another $1 million in for school programs.

Or maybe we could just add it to this round of the budget?

(Link...)

Topics:
Anonymous's picture

well, you should have gotten

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 2008/02/24 - 8:32am.

well, you should have gotten appointed so that you could make that decision this budget year.

Tamara Shepherd's picture

New this year

Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Sun, 2008/02/24 - 9:51am.

Good point, Steve. And did you know that KCS did not have even that one person on board until this school year?

Oh, to be ridded of these many school and school club fundraisers, every 60 or 90 days!

reform4's picture

It wasn't easy...

Submitted by reform4 on Sun, 2008/02/24 - 10:39am.

It was NOT an easy decision, believe me. I talked to a number of people in the District (not just supporters, some random people) and the feeling was about 80% that they wanted caretakers and a fair race (and JJ just made his race competitive). The desire to give the voters of the Fourth a fair race took precedent.

I also figured that for some issues (like this one), I got to know enough of the appointees on the campaign trail that I could lobby for things like this. In fact, as a non-appointee, I can lobby 19 commissioners on the phone whenever I want, where as a commissioner, that's not realistic.

-----------------------------------------
Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
(link...)

Indya's picture

KCS Grant Writer

Submitted by Indya on Mon, 2008/02/25 - 3:10pm.

We actually do have a full-time, year-round grant writer working for Knox County Schools. She started in the Fall of 2006 and has been with KCS ever since. Her name is Carole Wilson and she gave an update to the school board about grant-writing efforts about 6 months ago. She's helped win numerous grants directly, and also trains others in grant-writing so their efforts are more successful.

I believe some or all of her salary comes from the Great Schools Partnership, which is the 'think tank' for our school system. Today's paper has an article about the GSP and its future role in relation to the School System. (link...)

I agree that grant-writing is an essential task for KCS and that good grant-writers bring in a lot more money than they cost in salary and benefits. I'd like to fund more grant writers, but also don't want to rely too heavily on grants for things that should be funded directly through our regular budget.

Indya Kincannon

reform4's picture

Thanks...

Submitted by reform4 on Mon, 2008/02/25 - 3:40pm.

.. I had understood from Karen that she was only able to work half of her time on grant writing. Thanks for clearing that up.

kcarson's picture

Grant writer for KCS

Submitted by kcarson on Tue, 2008/02/26 - 3:22pm.

Steve,
What I said was the we only have .5 FTE allocated for a grant writer for Knox County Schools. The other .5 FTE (which makes up Carol's position) is with the Great Schools Partnership. These are different (though supporting) organizations with different job responsibilites which clearly could each utilize more support and man power.
Karen

Pam Strickland's picture

So this woman spends half

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Tue, 2008/02/26 - 3:29pm.

So this woman spends half her time on KCS grant work and the other half on the GSP?

Pam Strickland

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut

Anonymous's picture

So this is what Karen said

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 2008/02/26 - 6:41pm.

So this is what Karen said before she said something else. There is a pattern, here. Watch the upcoming televised School Board workshops and you will see her different tales exposed coming to Comcast Cable Channel 10 very soon.

Bbeanster's picture

Ahhh, the Truthiness Squat

Submitted by Bbeanster on Tue, 2008/02/26 - 9:08pm.

Ahhh, the Truthiness Squat checks in.
Carson committed the cardinal sin of getting elected -- twice. Jealousy is such an unattractive emotion.

reform4's picture

MY mistake!

Submitted by reform4 on Tue, 2008/02/26 - 10:03pm.

Yes, you did say that, I stand corrected. I was focused on the issue of how we might handle new/additional grant proposals, I neglected to mention the GSP connection. THANKS for clarifying.

-----------------------------------------
Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
http://www.reform4.com

CathyMcCaughan's picture

grants are hard to get and harder to keep

Submitted by CathyMcCaughan on Mon, 2008/02/25 - 8:09pm.

Don't forget the individual PTA/PTO grant seekers and the UT interns from various majors who help write grants for the schools. I think that a lot of people think there are gazillions of grant dollars available to anyone for anything. It's just not that simple. Not only are grants very, very specific about what they will fund, keeping the grant is a full-time job of paperwork and hoop jumping.

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