Saying No Isn’t What I Like to Do
We finished reading Qwest grants today. Qwest is funding a total of nine $10,000 innovative technology grants throughout the state, and we screen our region’s applications to send on three finalists to the state. At the state level they will pick one from our three, so there will be one grant funded at each of the nine Educational Service Districts.
What makes it a frustrating exercise is that there are so many good proposals from so many dedicated teachers. Projects covered almost every content area and grade, and focused on involving students in a variety of creative and exciting projects. I would fund many of them without batting an eye, but only the one will be accepted from our region.
All of these people clearly put a lot of thought and effort into the projects they envisioned, and it really bothers me not to be able to reward them for their dedication, passion, and skill. I’m hoping that we will have access to greater levels of money in the future to avoid this problem!
March 18th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Conn, wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was some data-place-base-space to electronically deposit all those wonderful requests that didn’t receive funding - and other funders could search through them? Educational technology means so much more than just things that happen on computers in classrooms. It’s about harnessing the power of networked individuals and systems for the most human good. We’re in the same vicinity; I need to find you for a F2F brainstorming chat.