“Windfall lands on TPS sites” read the headline from the Tulsa World’s September 23^rd issue in regard to the $11.7 million federal grant awarded to the District for its Magnet Schools Assistance Project.  The District’s award—the largest of any such competitive grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education—was the result of the collaboration between TPS and Heartland Consulting, who hired Rosenstein, Fist and Ringold to write the 300-page grant application. 

Rosenstein, Fist & Ringold began providing grant application services to clients in 2007 via Heartland Consulting, a Tulsa and Washington D.C.-based lobbying group, when Heartland approached TPS and asked to learn what its greatest “wishes” were with respect to new initiatives in the coming year.  TPS quickly responded that one of its desires was to obtain the coveted Magnet Schools Assistance grant—one of the most competitive and challenging grants offered by the federal government.  TPS had begun the design work to revamp and/or create new magnet programs and challenging curricula at four Tulsa high schools that would be the subject of the Magnet School Assistance grant application, but it needed exemplary grant writing skills and project planning in order to make their dream of truly transforming the education at these schools a reality—especially since the deadline for the grant application loomed just two and a half months away. 

Rosenstein, Fist and Ringold stepped up to the plate and helped TPS/Heartland secure the homerun it desired.  As a result, Tulsa Public Schools now has nearly $12 million to create state of the art magnet programs at McLain, Webster, Central and Hale high schools—transforming them into schools of superior academic and thematic quality.  Notably, this magnet school project is also receiving an additional $100,000 in grant monies obtained by TPS/Heartland/RFR from the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education’s Carl Perkins competitive grants.

The collaboration between Heartland and TPS continues to this day, and RFR appreciates the opportunity to assist TPS and Heartland in improving the education and lives of Tulsa’s children.  If you desire to learn more about this project or have any questions, feel free to contact Doug Mann or Jana Burk.