Tell us a bit about the work you do on a daily basis and how you got started?
I'm the Founder & Executive Director of BK International Education Consultancy (BKIEC), an accredited education consulting firm where we customize program design, project management, and professional learning support for K-12 school districts, nonprofits, and government agencies. Prior to BKIEC, I was a STEM career professional and classroom teacher. BKIEC was launched with the goal to create transformative change by building stronger learning communities, and educators are at the heart of these learning communities. We envision building the capacity of educators to best serve students. Too learn more about what we do check out our website at www.bkconsultancy.org.

Tell us why you think grant writing is crucial for a school’s overall health?
Grant writing is crucial for school's health, because it provides additional funding and resources to meet school's needs to best support students, teachers, and families. It also provides opportunities for strategic partnerships and innovation.

How do you support schools with this?
One area of support offered by BK International Education Consultancy to schools is through our grant writing face-to-face trainings and online micro-courses. They support educators understanding of the various types of grants and assist them with identifying their needs through data-based decision making. For example, if a school is interested in implementing restorative practices we walk through a needs assessment to identify what data supports this need, and what grant opportunities are available to support the initiative. Through grant funding resources could be allocated for services or products by companies like Restore More.

Tell us about a time you secured funds and how it impacted teachers or students?
Our team has secured funds to support various district, school, and classroom-level projects. For instance, a Toshiba Foundation grant was used to support an elementary's schools robotics program which served 100 students in Atlanta, Georgia. The funds afforded them the opportunity to visit a Hyundai vehicle manufacturing plant in Alabama to see how robotics are used to make everyday products, such as cars.This funding impacted both teachers and students, because it gave a real-world connection between classroom content and college and career readiness. The kids and teachers still remember this trip, and how robotics connect to our daily lives. This is one example of how grants can support meaningful learning experiences.

Why are you passionate about this work?
BK International Education Consultancy is passionate about grant training because knowledge is power, and building teacher capacity is key to instructional impact. We believe that by educating teachers on grant writing, they can use their own diverse skill set to master the technique, and then be empowered to attain resources on behalf of their schools and students.
What do you want our readers to know?
BKIEC is continuing to grow locally, throughout the US, and internationally. We look forward to providing additional program design, project management, and professional learning services to K-12 school districts, nonprofits, and government agencies in 2020. Interested? Follow up with us by Scheduling a 30-min consultation HERE. Want to do some research first, check out our info on grants HERE. What advice do you have for people looking to learn this skill?
Educators naturally have the foundational skills to write grants. We show educators how to leverage skills they already have to write their first grant. We also have a new book coming out that delves into this more for individual educators interested in reducing the use of personal funds for their classroom, and learning grant writing on their own. Finally, we have an online micro-course called the Grant Writing for Educators - Level 1, which is $29, and you earn CEUs/PLUs for recertification. Interested in taking a course? Review our micro-courses HERE.

Bejanae Kareem
Founder & Executive Director of BK International Education Consultancy

Edupreneur Spotlight: A Chat with the Executive Director & Founder of BK International Consultancy!