(Cheddar) Boost!

Who Plans to Apply for i3? Look Online Now

By Michele McNeil 

The U.S. Department of Education has posted a spreadsheet listing the more than 2,000 districts, schools, and nonprofits that plan to apply for the $650 million Investing in Innovation grant.

If the thought of opening an Excel spreadsheet intimidates you, there's also a convenient summary of the intents-to-apply.

This list is a compilation of those who told the department, by April 1, that they plan to apply for these competitive grants. This was more of a courtesy for the department so officials could figure out what kind of workload is in store for them and the peer reviewers. Those on this list are not bound to apply, and those who aren't on the list can still apply. The deadline for the one and only round of this competition is May 11.

The list, 2,045 organizations long, is tedious to wade through. But my quick and crude Microsoft Access query tells me that about 800 of these potential applicants are districts and schools, while the remaining organizations are nonprofits. The districts include Atlanta, Los Angeles, Denver, Hartford (Ct.), and Broward County (Fla.).

The list of nonprofits include some usual suspects—Teach for America and The New Teacher Project— but also includes some lesser-knowns, such as Clarksville, Tenn.'s "The Way Mission," and Brookline, Mass.' "Facing History and Ourselves."

A fair number of universities also make the list, including the University of Southern California and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

To receive an invitation and collaboratively participate in our i3 Collaboratory initiative please e-mail digitallearning@gmail.com with Count Me In in the Subject Line and you will receive an follow-on invitation to the Investing In Innovation (i3) Grant Collaboratory blog-site.

Investing In Innovation (i3) Grant Collaboratory

Who Plans to Apply for i3? Look Online Now

By Michele McNeil 

The U.S. Department of Education has posted a spreadsheet listing the more than 2,000 districts, schools, and nonprofits that plan to apply for the $650 million Investing in Innovation grant.

If the thought of opening an Excel spreadsheet intimidates you, there's also a convenient summary of the intents-to-apply.

This list is a compilation of those who told the department, by April 1, that they plan to apply for these competitive grants. This was more of a courtesy for the department so officials could figure out what kind of workload is in store for them and the peer reviewers. Those on this list are not bound to apply, and those who aren't on the list can still apply. The deadline for the one and only round of this competition is May 11.

The list, 2,045 organizations long, is tedious to wade through. But my quick and crude Microsoft Access query tells me that about 800 of these potential applicants are districts and schools, while the remaining organizations are nonprofits. The districts include Atlanta, Los Angeles, Denver, Hartford (Ct.), and Broward County (Fla.).

The list of nonprofits include some usual suspects—Teach for America and The New Teacher Project— but also includes some lesser-knowns, such as Clarksville, Tenn.'s "The Way Mission," and Brookline, Mass.' "Facing History and Ourselves."

A fair number of universities also make the list, including the University of Southern California and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

To receive an invitation and collaboratively participate in our i3 Collaboratory initiative please e-mail digitallearning@gmail.com with Count Me In in the Subject Line and you will receive an follow-on invitation to the Investing In Innovation (i3) Grant Collaboratory blog-site.

Finding Our Passion!

Passionate Creative's

http://changethis.com/manifesto/issue/70.06.PassionateCreatives#view


Who are the passionate creatives?

Passionate creatives are every where. They are not bound by geography, job description, institution, or demographic. They can be found anywhere form the frontlines of the largest organizations to the garages of entrepreneurs unleashing the next wave of innovation.

They are certainly not just knowledge workers. They include mechanics who are passionate about the machines they service, gardeners who see art where others only see plants, and craftspeople who create something amazing out of the most mundane raw materials.

What unites them is the desire to make a difference, to leave the world a better place than they found it, and to engage with those who share their passion so that they can get better faster.

These individuals go by many names. Some have adopted the label of pro-amateurs (or "pro-ams"), which was popularized by Charles Leadbeater. The label typically refers to amateurs who hold themselves to professional standards in their pursuit of their passion.

We seek to include those of us fortunate enough to be compensated for work we are passionate about, whether we are entrepreneurs, professional, knowledge workers, craftspeople, or clerical workers who are searching for new and creative ways to do the most "routine" tasks.

Of course, these individuals have been around since the beginning of human history and played a more prominent role in some eras than in others. Our goal is to expand their ranks, and position then firmly in the center of the institutions that shape our professional and personal lives.