Collaboration Mini-Grant
Sponsored by the AMLE Foundation Fund Committee
Description
One of the key concepts presented in AMLE’s foundational document The Successful Middle School: This We Believe is:
“Courageous, collaborative leaders make a difference by putting their knowledge and beliefs into action,”
The purpose of the Collaboration Mini-Grant is to encourage collaborative learning in the middle grades by providing financial support to AMLE member-educators for such projects. Collaboration is a key concept in the successful education of young adolescents as it provides opportunities to enhance learning and to broaden student perspectives. A collaboration project could be between teams, with parents and/or community agencies, with another school, or within the student body (e.g., between grade levels, with content areas).
Award
The recipient of this $3,000 grant will receive funds to institute a proposed program or to enhance an existing collaborative program. The recipient(s) will be required to make a presentation of their collaborative project as a concurrent session at the Annual Conference the year in which the grant is awarded or the following year. The recipient(s) of the grant will be recognized through their presentation at the annual conference and in the Foundation Fund Committee’s newsletter. Attendance at the conference will be at the expense of the school; however, up to $1,000 of the grant award may be used to defray the costs.
Eligibility
Any person or school that has been an AMLE school or individual member for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the date of applying for the grant is eligible to apply for this grant.
Submission
All grant applications must be submitted electronically via email to membercenter@amle.org no later than July 15, 2023.
Proposal
A narrative summary of the project or program must be provided in not more than three pages. (Pictures, articles, artifacts, and videos may be included in addition to the three pages.)
The summary must include the following:
- Provide an overview of the project or program (For existing projects or programs explain how it has changed over time and how long it has been in place.)
- List the groups or individuals involved in the collaboration
- Describe the collaborative process used to design the project or program stressing how students were involved in the development
- List desired outcomes for students, both academic and social/emotional domains
- Explain how this project will benefit the school, staff, students, and possibly the community
- Describe plans for sustaining this project or program in the future
In addition to the narrative summary, include the following with the application as separate documents:
- Title page with name of project or program, names of person(s) submitting application, school name, full address of school, school phone number, and contact person’s name and email address
- Timeline that addresses planning, implementation, and evaluation
- Budget detailing how the grant money will be used
- A letter of support from the school’s principal
Evaluators
Members of the Foundation Fund Committee will evaluate the grant applications using the Collaboration Mini-Grant rubric.
Past Winners
2022

2021
Ridgeview Charter Middle School
Atlanta, Georgia
North Branch School
Afton, Virginia
2020
Dallas Center-Grimes Meadows
Dallas Center, Iowa
Druid Hills Academy
Charlotte, North Carolina
2019
Hastings Middle School
Upper Arlington, Ohio
Colegio Americano de Guatemala
Guatemala
2018
Avonworth Middle School
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ewa Makai Middle School
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
2017
Hudson Middle School
Hudson, Ohio
North Hills Middle School
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2016
Coastal Middle School
Savannah, Georgia
2014
Vance Middle School
Bristol, Tennessee