Summary of the Week

Below is a summary of the comments and suggestions posted by event participants. Thanks again for a week of wonderful discussion and learning!

On Day 1, discussion focused on the importance of building school staff and community support for prevention initiatives, recognizing that early buy-in is key to program sustainability. As one coordinator pointed out, "In an era where positions and funding streams change continually, broad community -not just school - support is critical from the beginning [of your program] through continuation." Some examples of how coordinators have built support include the following:

• Involving stakeholders in the planning process

• Establishing an advisory board or council

• Meeting regularly with school administrators

• Distributing newsletters about program activities to staff and parents

• Creating a library of resources to inform school staff and build support for prevention programs

On Day 2, discussion turned to data and how needs assessment and process evaluation data can be used to both build support for and refine prevention activities. According to one coordinator, "Staff commitment, ongoing evaluation, and constant revision to 'tweek' our prevention programs make them more sustainable." Here are some examples of how coordinators have used data to support program efforts:

• By using survey data from students to guide future implementation and program selection

• By having staff complete annual evaluation forms to provide feedback on implementation progress

• By sharing discipline data regularly with school administrators and faculty

• By incorporating data into presentations for parents

Several of you also commented on the benefits of working closely with an outside evaluator. These consultants can help you "stay on track" and analyze your data.

Day 3's discussion focused on strategies for integrating prevention activities into the culture/fabric of a school. These included strengthening and enforcing prevention policies, linking prevention efforts to academic success, and aligning prevention goals with educational standards and benchmarks. According to one coordinator, "When I tied prevention methods to either a state mandate or local system policy, teacher/staff 'buy-in' was easier. Staff were more willing to incorporate prevention efforts across curricula." Several of you also noted the importance of weaving prevention into ongoing school reform efforts.

Last, but not least, Day 4's discussion addressed funding. Coordinators described both the benefits and drawbacks of receiving grant/foundation funding. Benefits included the following:

• Secure funds for a guaranteed period of time

• Not at the "whim" of district budget cuts

• Can bridge the gap during economic down turns

• Welcome supplement to the annual budget

These were some identified challenges:

• Grantwriting is time-consuming, and there's no guarantee that you'll "win"

• Finding grants that correspond to your goals can be difficult

• Grant funding is often accompanied by a lot of paperwork

Coordinators volunteered these suggestions for approaching the grant-writing process:

• Hire or contract with a grant writer you trust

• Make looking for grant opportunities a habit

• When looking for foundation funding, in particular, make sure that you share similar agendas

• Don't overlook state agencies, local non-profits, businesses, or your local regional board

Most importantly, don't give up! The more grants you write, the better you'll get at it and the more likely you are to succeed. Also, as one coordinator noted, "Grant writing can be an excellent opportunity to 'focus in' on an issue and discover 'unintended' opportunities."