Toyota TAPESTRY - Guidelines and Rules

General Information & Proposal Guidelines

What are Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers?

A partnership between Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and the National Science Teachers Association, the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program offers grants to K–12 science teachers for innovative projects that enhance science education in the school and/or school district. 50 large grants and a minimum of 20 mini-grants, totaling $550,000 in all, will be awarded this year. To apply for funding, qualified teachers must write a Toyota TAPESTRY proposal according to the proposal requirements. The deadline for the completion of the online application is 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Wednesday, January 21, 2009. Recipients of Toyota TAPESTRY grants will be notified by March 4, 2009. Non-recipients will be notified by May 31, 2009.

Announcement

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and the National Science Teachers Association are pleased to announce the 19th Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program. This year, 50 large grants of up to $10,000 each and 20-32 mini-grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to K–12 teachers of science in the United States. The categories are Physical Science Application, Environmental Science Education, and Integrating Literacy and Science.

Who May Submit the Online Proposal?

The project director should begin the online proposal. This is the person who will be in charge of the project and implement it during the 2009–10 school year. The project director must be a middle or high school science teacher who teaches a minimum of two science classes per day or an elementary teacher who teaches some science in the classroom. All applicants must have a minimum of at least two years science teaching experience in a K–12 school not including the current school year. Staff people (up to four allowed) may also work on the proposal. Applicants may submit only one proposal per year as Project Director. Please be aware that Toyota TAPESTRY awards are conditional upon the awardee (project director) being employed at the same school for the duration of the proposed project.

How Do I Apply?

The online application is available from the TAPESTRY home page. The project director is asked to begin the application process by creating a login and password. You are not required to complete the application process in one session; the proposal is saved as you submit each section. There are examples of components as you begin each section. For questions or assistance with the application process, please contact tapestry@nsta.org.

K–12 Eligibility

The program is open to middle and high school science teachers residing within the 50 United States and U.S. territories and possessions and it is also open to elementary teachers who teach some science in the classroom or are teaching specialists.. Middle and high school teachers must teach at least two science classes per day. All applicants must have at least two years science teaching experience in a K–12 school not including the current school year. Only the Project Director has to meet the above criteria. The project staff may consist of educators of any discipline, administrators, parents, students or anyone who will be directly involved in the project. An individual teacher or a team of up to five people may submit a proposal. The Project Director will be the contact person for the team and will be the sole administrator of the grant money. Applicants may submit only one proposal per year as Project Director.

Toyota TAPESTRY awards are conditional upon the Project Director being employed at the same school for the duration of the proposed project (June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010).

The Project Director’s principal or headmaster must submit a letter of support for the project proposal and must indicate that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the project director will be employed at the school for the 2009–10 school year.

Toyota TAPESTRY grants will be payable in one installment to the school or school district of the awardee. A special account must be set up for these funds, and this account is to be administered solely by the Project Director named in the proposal. The Project Director must attest to the fact that, to the best of his or her knowledge, he/she will remain at the same school during the implementation year of the project.

Teachers who have previously received a Toyota TAPESTRY large grant as the Project Director may apply again for a large grant as Project Director 5 years after receiving their award. Former large grant awardees may apply for a mini-grant anytime unless they won a previous mini-grant as Project Director, in which case they must wait 5 years to reapply. Project team members from previous Toyota TAPESTRY winning projects may apply as Project Director or as team members. Employees of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., their relatives, its subsidiaries, affiliates, and promotional agencies are not eligible. Employees of the National Science Teachers Association and their relatives, NSTA Board Members and the judging committee are not eligible.

Toyota TAPESTRY funded projects must begin by June 1, 2009 and be completed by May 31, 2010. To ensure proper use of funds and adherence to the project calendar, the Project Director must submit progress reports and a final report to NSTA by the specified due dates. NSTA and Toyota are granted permission to use awardees’ names, photographs, likenesses, and project descriptions for promotional purposes.

Proposal Guidelines

Toyota TAPESTRY grant proposals should demonstrate creativity, involve risk-taking, possess a visionary quality, and model a novel way of presenting science. Proposed projects should promote exciting and innovative activities to motivate students in science. Proposals may include but are not restricted to:

innovative instructional strategies
curriculum development and implementation
creative uses of technology
involvement with the community and/or industry
collaborative programs among students and teachers
professional and staff development
involvement of at-risk or minority students
multidisciplinary or interdepartmental participation
in-class or extracurricular activities
solution of a local community problem

General Information

Toyota TAPESTRY recognizes outstanding educators who are making a difference by demonstrating excellence and creativity in science teaching. Since 1991 the program has awarded more than $8 million to 986 teams of teachers for innovative science classroom projects. Thanks to these teachers’ tireless efforts to improve their skills and increase their effectiveness, students nationwide are gaining a better understanding of science principles and methodologies. Toyota and NSTA sincerely hope these grants continue to inspire teachers and serve as a catalyst for lifetime science learning.

The project director should begin the online proposal. This is the person who will be in charge of the project and implement it during the 2009–10 school year. The project director must be a middle or high school science teacher who teaches a minimum of two science classes per day or an elementary teacher who teaches some science in the classroom. All applicants must have a minimum of at least two years science teaching experience in a K–12 school not including the current school year. Staff people (up to four allowed) may also work on the proposal. Applicants may submit only one proposal per year as Project Director. Please be aware that Toyota TAPESTRY awards are conditional upon the awardee (project director) being employed at the same school for the duration of the proposed project.