Anchorage School District officials are coaching potential grant writers to “reframe” all “equity or DEI components” in classes or programs that seek federal funds under the Trump administration.
Earlier this year, President Trump signed a series of executive orders and directives aimed at eradicating and defunding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, including federal grants that support this ideology.
Instead, Trump is emphasizing “merit” based programs that are free of racial preferences and identity-based political goals.
DEI ideology, however, is deeply embedded across many elements of the Anchorage school system, and the district stands to potentially lose millions of dollars if grants are denied due to DEI content or initiatives.
Grant writers are advised to use a “DEI Adaptation Strategy” for grants that were “previously embedded with equity or DEI components.”
While the district has shown no desire to cease its DEI activities, it does want to avoid a massive loss in federal funds. Recently, district officials held a meeting to provide strategies that grant writers can use to secure federal funding under Trump’s new anti-DEI rules.
The slide show presentation began by asking participants if their grant proposals were “ready for scrutiny under new EO (executive order) rules.” Grant writers were then told to “emphasize plain-language” and use the term “merit-based” in crafting grant proposals.
Under “Tactical Actions,” the presentation recommends the district develop a grant “monitoring dashboard,” which includes “flag” alerts for applications that might be “tied to likely policy-sensitive areas (e.g., DEI, indirect costs).”
Grant writers are also advised to use a so-called “DEI Adaptation Strategy” for grants that were “previously embedded with equity or DEI components.” To ensure these applications are approved for funding, while “minimizing ideological friction,” grant writers are coached to reframe DEI verbiage, while emphasizing “universal educational outcomes and fiscal prudence.”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Based on its internal risk assessment summary, Anchorage School District officials view DEI, social emotional learning, multilingual and equity-focused programs as “high risk” when it comes to federal funding. Grant submissions that include these elements should be audited for “sensitivity” or writers should “reframe content,” the presentation warns.
Grants focused on literacy, math, workforce training, safety and infrastructure are listed as low risk under the Trump administration rules.
When it comes to federal funding for childcare and early learning facilities, the presentation said these grants are more likely to be approved if the applications are framed in a way that is “depoliticized.”
The presentation was developed by Development Director Savannah Stamates and Project Support Specialist Ellie Sawyer, both of whom work in the district’s Development and Grants Office.
6 Comments
The Anchorage superintendent of schools needs to go.
He was a DEI hire too. Please take your kids out of these sick,woke schools.
Turn the superintendent in using the form from the Alaska Department of Education. DEI is harmful and extremely biased against white men and white boys. What could be more racist??? It does not consider a person’s merit-based performance. It lacks any interest in hiring the top person in that field regardless of the list of civil rights exemptions. Pray daily for help from God to send more angels to help us with the chaos in Alaska. Pray for the success of the MAGA movement to put us back under the U.S.Constitution, the Rule of Law, The Ten Commandments which are the basis for the US Criminal Code and also the Bill of Rights. Glenn Biegel was excellent in his essay on prayer.
They are doing exactly the same thing of re-framing DEI in corporations. As I recently heard in a executive meeting, “our goals have not changed, just how we talk about them”
And they wonder why they’re losing student numbers in Anchorage schools.
Again, the Marxist Democrats cheat so they can have their cake & eat it, too.
All on the taxpayers money.
How twisted is that?
Liars, cheaters and money grifters.
The district’s dance around DEI is fascinating. Remember, grant writers, it’s all about those universal educational outcomes! I once had to tiptoe around sensitive language while pitching a community garden project, very Slither io -esque in its strategic maneuvering; we emphasized neighborhood beautification rather than food insecurity to get approval.