COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING ADVISORY COUNCIL
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Effective Service-Learning Projects go beyond simply using the community as a learning laboratory. Of equal importance is the attempt to solve school and community problems, meet human and environmental needs, and advocate for laws or programs that promote the common good. Through addressing real-life problems in their communities, students are challenged to work together to exercise the rights and responsibilities of democratic citizenship…Service learning is distinguished from community service or volunteerism in two ways: 1) The service activity is integrated with academic skills and content; and 2) Students engage in reflection activities on their experience… adapted from NCSS Position

Click here to download the
“Building Character Through Community Service Learning” Guide

Statement on Service Learning

The Tantasqua Regional/Union 61 Community Service Learning Advisory Council will be awarding grants to support Tantasqua Regional/Union 61 school-based community service-learning projects. The purpose of this program is to encourage curriculum units that connect classroom learning with community service in genuine collaborative effort.

The Tantasqua Regional/Union 61 Community Service Learning Advisory Council invites proposals that accomplish the following:

• Continue, or expand, previous successful grants
• Experiment with new ways of motivating students to connect and apply learning to their personal lives
• Help students experience the personal satisfactions of contributing something of value to others
• Make a positive contribution to their community
• Helps students value their school and community
• Involve collaboration with other educators, students, schools, and community organizations
• Include reflection
• Involve educators, students, and community organization members in design and implementation
• Connect different areas of the curriculum

Funding: Up to $500.00 (elementary) or $300 (Jr High and Sr High) will be awarded.

Eligibility: Any student, educator, or community organization representative of the Tantasqua Regional/Union 61 Regional may submit a proposal. Each proposal must have a student, educator, and community organization partner. Both students and educators must be members of the Tantasqua Regional/Union 61 District. Failure to complete a final report for a previous grant will be grounds for disqualification. (Please make note of the expectations of award recipients.)

Expectations of Award Recipients:

• Complete a final report, which includes evaluation and budget expenditures (including receipts), and return to Linda Friedman no later than June 2, 2008.
• Promote the project at school and/or community functions.
• Participate in the Annual CSL Celebration, which is scheduled for May 15, 2008.

Funded Expenses: Funded expenses may include materials, transportation, and fees. Honoraria may be awarded in special cases. In unusual circumstances the Board may be persuaded to approve an equipment purchase. Care should be taken that the cost of the project reflects its scope. Expendable items must be used to provide community services. Non-expendable items must become the property of the school and/or community. Provisions for storage, access, and use of these items must be made by the project partners.

Proposal Requirements:  All applicants must submit a grant proposal, which includes the Application, the Applicant Information Form and the Financial Information Form.

Award Criteria: Each grant proposal will be judged on the following criteria:

• 5 points - Value of community service
• 5 points - Connection to curriculum
• 5 points - Collaborative effort
• 3 points - Clarity of goals and objectives and effectiveness of evaluation plan
• 2 points - Creativity and innovation

Submission: Two copies of the grant proposal should be given to the CSL school coordinator , who will submit one copy to:

Linda Friedman
37 Central Street
Brookfield, MA 01506

or

Deb Mckinstry
Tantasqua Regional High School

Deadline: All proposals are due to the CSL school coordinators by November 8, 2007.

Notification of awards will be made by December 21, 2007.

***************************************************************************************************

To utilize this form, please copy and paste into Word.  After completion, please submit to the building principal.

TANTASQUA REGIONAL/UNION 61 SCHOOL DISTRICTS
COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING GRANT PROPOSAL
PROJECT INFORMATION

Project Name:_________________________________________________

Student Partner(s):___________________________________________

Educator Partner(s)___________________________________________

Community Partner:_____________________________________________

Contact Person who will assume responsibility for finances, communication, and organization:

________________________________________________________________

School(s) Involved:_____________________________________________

Signature of School Principal(s)________________________________

Project description:

Community need to be addressed:

Connection to curriculum:

Evaluation:

Specific time line:

TANTASQUA REGIONAL/UNION 61 SCHOOL DISTRICT
COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING GRANT PROPOSAL
APPLICANT INFORMATION FORM

Student Partner:

Name:_____________________________________________________

Affiliation:______________________________________________

Address(Home)_____________________________________________

Telephone Number (Home): ___________

Telephone Number (Affiliation): __________

Fax Number: _____________________________

Educator Partner:

Name:___________________________________________________

Affiliation:____________________________________________

Address(Home):__________________________________________

Address(Affiliation):___________________________________

Telephone Number (Home): ____________

Telephone Number (Affiliation): _________

Fax Number: _____________________________

Community Partner:

Name:___________________________________________________

Affiliation:____________________________________________

Address (Home): ________________________________________

Address(Affiliation)____________________________________

Telephone Number (Home): ___________

Telephone Number (Affiliation): __________

Fax Number: _______________________________

TANTASQUA REGIONAL/UNION 61 SCHOOL DISTRICTS
COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNINGGRANT APPLICATION
FINANCIAL INFORMATION FORM

Project Name:___________________________________________________________

Category Item Supplier Cost Estimate

Materials:

Equipment:

Transportation:

Fees:

Honoraria:

Other (please specify):

Total Cost Estimate: