Good Morning, Grant Lovers! A Journey into the World of Grants
Good morning! What a beautiful day to talk about something truly exciting – grants! Welcome to my new podcast series, Good Morning Grant Lovers, where I will be sharing my passion, experience, and knowledge about grants. This podcast series is about love – my love for grants and how they can transform Montessori projects all over the world.
For those of you reading my blog for the first time, my name is Mirka, and I am writing to you from Montessori Institute Prague. This journey with grants started many years ago when I was a young mother with a newborn in my arms, dreaming of bringing Montessori education to my country. But, like many of you, I didn’t have the money to start a school or a training center. I was told it would take a long time, cost a fortune, and be incredibly challenging. But I didn’t let that stop me.
Someone suggested I look into grants, and though the word sounded intimidating at first, I decided to try. And you know what? We got our first grant – a small one, just 2,000 euros, but it was a start. Since then, over the past two decades, we have raised an incredible 2.3 million euros in grant funding, making it possible to build our school, support teachers, and create impactful projects. If I can do it, so can you!
What Are Grants and Why Should You Care?
A grant is money given to you by an organization to support a meaningful project. This money is not a loan; it does not have to be repaid, but it comes with a responsibility – to use it for the purpose you promised in your application. Grants come from various sources: government institutions, the European Union, private foundations, corporations, and even local businesses.
For those of you in Montessori education, grants can fund:
- School start-up costs
- Training for teachers
- Classroom materials
- Adolescent programs
- Community outreach projects
- Research and development
- And so much more!
There is a grant for almost everything – from helping young mothers to supporting environmental education. The key is to find the right funder who shares your mission and values.
Who Can Apply for Grants?
If you are wondering whether you can apply for a grant, the answer is likely yes! Schools, non-profits, community groups, and even individuals can receive grants, depending on the requirements of the funder. If you have a project that benefits society, there is a good chance that someone out there wants to fund it.
I’ve seen grants help Montessori programs around the world. In fact, some of you reading this might already be thinking about applying for grants to support your projects in Germany, Portugal, Romania, Africa, and beyond! In the coming days, I will share information about where to look for grants, how to write winning applications, and how to sustain your projects financially through multi-source funding.
Why I’m Doing This Now
Spring is a big season for grant opportunities. Many grant funders announce their calls for proposals at this time of year. That’s why February is the perfect time to start preparing. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be guiding you through everything you need to know to start applying for grants confidently.
I want you to fall in love with grants just as I did. I want you to see how much potential there is to grow your Montessori projects in a way that is financially sustainable. If accessibility is important to you, grant funding can make your programs available to more children and families.
Join the Journey
I invite you to join me on this Good Morning Grant Lovers journey to learn about grant funding for your Montessori work. Whether you read this blog or listen to my podcast, I promise to make these sessions practical, inspiring, and full of useful tips.
Do you have questions about grants? Let me know in the comments! What projects are you working on? Are you looking for funding? Let’s make this a space where we learn together and grow our Montessori impact worldwide.
With love for grants and for you,
Yours, Mirka
