I shouldn't say there are really secrets to getting large amounts of grant money for your school, but the guidelines listed below will help you get more grant money than 97% of the other schools in the United States. Follow them closely, and you'll get more grant money than you believed possible.

As you read these, you may think they're too simple to be all that important. You would be wrong! Follow the guidelines below, and you'll get more grant money than 95% of the other schools that apply.

First, know specifically what your needs are and match those needs closely with the granting entity's mission. Let's say your students read two grade levels below normal. The U.S. Department of Education gives money to schools who have students with math levels two grade levels below normal.

That's not a match.

You need lots of new library books. They give money for innovative technology programs.

That's not a match.

You should always contact the granting agency BEFORE you start filling out their grant application. If you do not have a fairly close match between your needs and their purpose for giving, you are not going to get the grant money you need. Many times a phone call or an email can save you hours and hours of work.

First, match your needs with their purpose for giving.

Second, complete the application EXACTLY as you are instructed by the granting entity. If you don't, either your application score will not be high enough to compete with other schools also applying for the grant, or your application won't be read at all. If it says use 12-point type, use 12-point type, not 10, not 14. If it asks for a formal budget, submit a formal budget, not a loose bunch of numbers not specifically directed at the problem.

Follow directions. You expect students to follow directions exactly. Agencies that give grants expect you to follow directions, too.

Third, apply for many grants, not just one or two. For each problem you have, submit at least three grants. Try to solve four different problems. Do the multiplication---that's 12 applications right there.

Follow the two simple steps above, and the grant money will start coming in quickly once you apply step three.

Once you've matched up your needs to their purpose for giving, once you've followed their grant application directions completely, then all you need to do is crank out enough applications. It's a numbers game. Your odds just went up geometrically.

I'm not going to tell you that getting grant money is easy, but if you follow these three basic guidelines, you'll get as much or more grant money than 95% of the other schools in the United States.