Why is this opportunity available?

WRCCS knows how challenging it is to start a charter school. Not only do you need to justify your need, write a plan, create the curriculum, meet with your community, and onboard members of a new entity, but you also may be doing this work without any funding or support. This stipend aims to jump-start design teams with one-time comprehensive financial support. After the stipend period, WRCCS is still able to continue supporting schools through our universally available resources and coaching. The stipend is intentionally available for governance boards of future charter schools. While creating a formal board at the early stages may seem daunting, we have seen that building strong capacity as a non-profit board from the beginning maximizes the school’s likelihood of long-term sustainability and community support.

Design Stipend Overview

Please watch the short video below that explains the changes made to this year's Design Stipend processes. We are switching to a "choose your own adventure" model, where you are able to choose which aspects of design you would like to focus on and get reimbursed for throughout a given year. This model allows for flexibility and choice while still keeping on track with opening your charter school.

Stipend Information

Who can apply?

Please look over the eligibility requirements to ensure you meet the requirements. To review the requirements and calendar schedule of meetings and evidence submission, please review the Design Stipend Cohort 2024-25. In order to receive a WRCCS Design Stipend a school must meet the following; 

• Charter school design team is in their pre-planning period, planning to open their school in the fall of 2025 or later
• The charter school has not received the DPI’s Wisconsin Charter Schools Program Grant funding or Federal Charter Schools Program Grant funding
• The charter school has not previously received a WRCCS Design Stipend
• A charter school governance board* (not authorizer) who has the following completed:  
  • Already had an official formation meeting with the governance board
  • Has an elected governance board president/chair
  • Established as a governance board entity (dedicated 102c Non-stock/Non-profit in Wisconsin and typically also 501c3 federally Tax exempt)
  • Has a bank account in the name of the governance board or school (or an MOU with a ddistrict fiscal agent)

*Note: If your governance board is not ready with the required documentation yet, WRCCS consultants can help you get filed with the state as an entity, This does not guarantee admission into stipend this round

How much money could you get?

Our vision is to provide a stipend up to $10,000 to governance boards who are designing a charter school. 

*You can receive the WRCCS Design Stipend only once.* 

Note - We have changed our structure from previous stipend rounds. Please see the above video for more information.

What can you do with the funds?

You can use the funds to support your team in engaging in professional development and design work for your charter school.  We want you to rely on existing WRCCS resources and support to complete this project. You can review the WRCCS Design Team website to learn more about the design process.

You can pay your staff release time, pay for subs, travel to visit schools or hire consultants to support your learning. WRCCS has many resources available at no cost to you. We highly recommend you explore our list of WRCCS partners and the support you could get from your local CESA teams. 

You cannot request funds to purchase items or pay people to do the jobs they are paid to do already. You will not be allowed to use these funds to write the Wisconsin Charter Schools Program grant application. 

How to apply?

We've simplified the process this year! We are aiming to provide a longer duration of support with a flexible "choose your own path" approach. Teams that participate will receive stipends depending on how many path checkpoints you choose. To review these checkpoints, click here for the WRCCS Design Stipend Cohort explanation document. 

Your team can apply using the following process at any time:

At any point you would like to join, all you have to do is complete the Google Form Cohort Application
AND
Register for the Design Network events you wish to attend (via TicketTailor or WRCCS website)
AND
Upon acceptance into the Design Cohort, sign the cohort contract with WRCCS (provided upon acceptance) confirming your payment process

Click here for a Google doc with these same instructions on it at the bottom. Please see the above video for step-by-step instructions.

How will funds be awarded?

If you, your team, and/or your school:

Attend the monthly event(s) to learn and plan
AND
Spend the month(s) engaging in the assigned work
AND
Fill out the monthly Google Form to request funds and share evidence of your month's learning with WRCCS

WRCCS will then evaluate your evidence of work completed, pull your stipend request from the google form, and award stipends as soon as possible. 

Notes:

• Terms of contract will apply.
• Payments will arrive from CESA 9 about 45 days following the Google form submission. Plan accordingly. 
• No-cost Coaching hours form WRCCS (about 1 hour per month is available) must be requested and scheduled.

Additional Stipend Information

What does this have to do with the DPI charter grant?

Our hope is that once you have completed all three domains of the Design Stipend, you will be better positioned to open a strong charter school. Our process is not connected to the DPI process, but could pair nicely with that process.

Still have questions?

Contact us with questions!