The Power of Federal Grants
School districts across the nation face the daunting task of sustaining and expanding mental health and wellness services for their students. The federal COVID-19 relief funds that were temporarily allocated for these services are dwindling, leaving educators and administrators with pressing questions: How can we ensure that students continue to have consistent access to mental health support on their school campuses? What other valuable programs must we sacrifice to maintain what we have built?
The answers can be found in the world of federal grants available to support school-based mental health. The mere thought of navigating the complex process of applying for a federal grant can be overwhelming. It’s often perceived as “too hard”—too hard to understand the requirements, too hard to write, and undoubtedly too hard to submit. It’s true that applying for federal grants demands time, effort, and dedication; however, the rewards are well worth it.
Real-World Success
Conejo Valley Unified School District’s commitment led us to secure a staggering $11.3 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. This funding allowed us not only to sustain the wellness rooms in all our middle and high schools but also to expand our services significantly. We established a Department of Mental Health and Wellness, hired a director with clerical support, and added licensed clinical social workers to our team. These professionals provide clinical supervision to our staff members working toward licensure.
When it comes to grant writing, success often hinges on the strength of your team. Although it may seem that assembling a large group is necessary, the truth is that a small, dedicated team with a shared vision can work wonders.
In our case, our team included the assistant superintendent for student services, the director of mental health and wellness, the director of fiscal services, and a student services technician. These individuals were motivated and shared a deep passion for making a difference in our community.
One of the primary reasons our team was so effective was our collective knowledge and ability to access the specific information required for successful grant applications. Knowing where to find the necessary data and identifying the right contacts within the organization were invaluable.
For example, when preparing your grant application, it’s essential to have certain documents readily available. They include a copy of your district’s current indirect cost rates for use with state and federal programs, as well as a copy of your district’s determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service demonstrating your taxexempt status.
Additionally, having a clear understanding of the positions you intend to fund and the reasons behind their importance in the context of grant implementation is crucial. This knowledge will be essential when you’re crafting the budget narrative justification required for each position within the grant proposal.
Federal grants often require various attachments to support the application. These typically include (1) current job descriptions for all key positions listed in the grant, (2) up-to-date résumés for key employees who will be responsible for implementing the grant program or programs, and (3) letters of support from community partners who are committed to assisting with the grant’s successful implementation.
The Process
Implementing mental health services in schools is a process. Although administrators, counselors, and teachers are confronted daily with the unmet mental health needs of students, providing therapy is not traditionally within the scope of schools. Two words of advice will heavily influence the outcomes of implementing a full continuum of mental health services on your campus: provide high-quality services and track data.
Providing high-quality services may mean the number of students served is less than the desired goals. Starting small with reliable, trained mental health professionals lays the foundation for growth in subsequent years. Questions, fears, anxiety, and biases are likely to accompany the rollout of mental health services on campuses. Growth becomes innate to a service delivery system that proves to be helpful and effective. When school site staff members experience the benefit of having mental health support on campuses, stigmas related to mental health are addressed culturally, and students become more engaged in school.
The other vital component of school-based mental health is data tracking. In the infancy of the program, we tracked the number of students engaging in mental health support through the special-education process and risk assessments. These two limited data points revealed an overreliance on the special-education system to meet the mental health and social-emotional needs of students.
Now, in addition to these data points, risk assessments, psychiatric hospitalizations, reasons for using mental health services, and changes in symptom severity (i.e., anxiety and depression) are all followed through a robust data tracking system. Data are vital components of the grant application process.
Working as a team, we gathered the necessary data to assess the needs at our school sites. We identified the staffing required to implement services for students effectively and to maintain existing programs with one-time funds. Additionally, we developed a five-year budget, considering potential salary increases and technology needs.
Resources and Support
Federal grants are a valuable resource, and they are worth the time, energy, and commitment. Various resources are available to guide you through the process. Grant providers offer webinars and grant notices to help clarify the application process and define the types of applications that stand out. You can also review prior award abstracts available on grants.gov to understand what makes a grant proposal competitive.
Applying for federal grants may seem challenging; however, securing funding for essential school-based mental health services is a rewarding avenue. With a dedicated team working toward a shared vision and ensuring that you have all the required materials, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the competitive world of grant applications. You will be taking meaningful steps toward creating a brighter future for your students, accessing the financial support needed to make a lasting impact on your students’ mental health, and making a real impact in your community.