We had an excellent online session with Ashley Pereira hosted by Carlos Ochoa with 60 academics and professionals.
Ashley is specialized in helping K-12 STEM and CTE education change makers turn their vision into validated success. With a deep-rooted passion and proven track record in advancing STEM education, I've led pioneering learning experiences since 2008, positively impacting nearly 4 million learners. My expertise lies in leveraging synergies between people and systems to not only prove but enhance the impact of STEM, career readiness, and immersive tech through grant funding and program evaluation. Bringing a commitment to excellence and mind-blowing efficiency, my specialized package offerings are delivered with swift, actionable insights, enabling your organization to quickly prove and promote the power of your program or product.
Each year millions of dollars in grant funding are awarded for education programs. In this presentation Ashley Pereira, Founder & CEO of Greater Good Consultants LLC, will share inside tips on how to find grant funding and utilize it within your growth strategy - for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations! Learn the basics of grants, the best FREE grant research databases to find opportunities, and how to screen leads to identify the best fits.
The meeting covered various topics, starting with the VR/AR Association Education Committee's focus on producing a white paper about exercise in education to offer insights to newcomers, emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and equity. Ashley Pereira shared insights on grants and funding, highlighting the importance of grants for both for-profit and non-profit organizations, with a focus on the US but globally applicable practices. The discussion also delved into identifying funding sources, grant research, and screening processes, emphasizing the need to target local areas for increased success rates. Ashley provided tips on grant writing and evaluation plans, while discussions on finding partners for grant applications and challenges in securing funding were also addressed. The meeting touched on the Erasmus project training program, challenges in education-industry collaboration, and the VR education market, highlighting the importance of collaboration, content creation, and immersive learning experiences. Lastly, insights on federal grants were shared, with a decision not to recommend pursuing them for early-stage organizations due to complexity and time commitment.
Topics & Highlights
1. Discussion on VR AR Association Education Committee
importance of producing an index with insights to help new generations in VR AR education.
concept of ICE (Innovation, Collaboration, Equity) as key focus areas for the committee.
importance of the white paper about exercise in education, recording sessions, and the growth of the VR AR Association Education Committee.
2. Discussion on Grants and Funding
grant discussion applies to both for-profit and non-profit organizations, with a focus on the United States but with globally applicable practices.
the concept of grants as free money, typically awarded to non-profit organizations, but also discusses how for-profit companies can utilize grants as a sales and marketing tool.
3. Identifying Funding Sources and Grants
various types of funders, such as corporate foundations, private foundations, public foundations, and associations. She emphasized the importance of aligning criteria with funders' criteria to increase the chances of success in grant applications.
4. Finding Grants and Funding Opportunities
importance of knowing what to ask for when seeking grants, whether for general operating expenses or specific programs. She highlighted the use of free databases to find suitable funding opportunities.
5. Grant Funding Database Demo
demo of using a free grant funding database to search for funding opportunities for educational projects, highlighting the availability of federal, private foundation, and national grants.
benefits and limitations of free grant databases, mentioning higher competition due to ease of access and the recommendation to consider paid software for more targeted searches.
funding needs for the project involving a virtual reality experience of being embodied in Rosa Parks, discussing the historical empathy and implicit racial bias reduction goals.
6. Grant Research and Screening Process
importance of targeting local areas for funding requests to improve success rates.
7. Grant Writing Tips and Evaluation Plans
significance of research, tailored requests, and robust evaluation plans in grant writing to enhance the chances of success.
8. Finding Grants for Educational Programming Worldwide
paid database Instrumental as a comprehensive option for finding grants worldwide, highlighting its robust features and high cost.
sharing the expense of the paid database among a group of organizations, with examples of successful collaboration shared by participants.
concerns about the complexity of grant processes in Europe, emphasizing the challenges in creating consortia and the lack of focus on real market impact.
9. Finding Partners for Grant Applications
advice on finding partners for grant applications, emphasizing the importance of networking, chambers of commerce, and university connections.
10. Challenges in Securing Funding
concerns about the need to align grant funding with real market benefits to avoid wasting money and effort. He highlighted the trend of companies disappearing within a few years due to lack of customers despite receiving grants.
detailed information on different types of funding available in the European Commission, including the Horizon Project, Erasmus, and indirect projects promoting regional collaboration. He mentioned specific grant amounts, eligibility criteria, and the competitive nature of securing such funding.
11. Erasmus Project Training Program
history of an Erasmus project aimed at training teachers in vocational training and universities on XR and VR technology due to the gap in skills in the industry.
concerns about the lack of dissemination and sharing of experiences from the project, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and sharing knowledge.
12. Challenges in Education Sector and Industry Collaboration
concern about the gap between industry needs and education sector trust, highlighting the wasted time and money in training experts. Ashley agrees, emphasizing the importance of funding to bridge the gap and the need for program evaluation to prove impact.
challenges in the education sector and industry collaboration, mentioning the lack of understanding in using technology, the variety of available technologies with different price points, and the need for software developers and investors to support educational initiatives.
13. Challenges in VR Education Market
saturation of the market with equipment, high price points for VR education software, and the disconnect between selling workforce solutions and actual affordability.
lack of interest in VR solutions in education, citing the example of receiving grants and funding but minimal response from schools due to the perceived nature of the problem as a 'first world problem.'
challenges in education, including internet connectivity issues in rural areas, lack of device access for VR solutions, and the political and money-driven nature of the education sector.
14. Collaboration in Education
highlights the significance of collaboration in education, pointing out that individual efforts may not effectively address the overarching problems, and stresses the importance of working together despite financial constraints.
Multiple speakers discuss the value of content over technology in education, sharing experiences from past projects and emphasizing the need to focus on content creation and collaboration.
15. Virtual Reality in Education
Carlos mentioned the use of 360 videos from National Geographic in Iceland to understand the value of preserving the environment and emphasized the simplicity of VR experiences using minimal devices.
The discussion touched upon the challenges of creating digital content for VR, the need for standardized platforms for content creation, and the potential for immersive learning experiences to enhance education.
goal of bringing VR to education and training, highlighting the importance of developing strong content to drive adoption and make a positive impact.
16. Discussion on Federal Grants
concerns about pursuing federal grants, seeking advice from Ashley on whether it's worth pursuing for early-stage organizations without prior grant experience.
decision not to recommend pursuing federal grants due to the extensive time commitment and complexity involved, suggesting a different approach of starting small and building partnerships before approaching funders.
