Grant writing is one of those things that everybody puts off. The people who make an effort to write them are the people who get their pet projects funded. Putting off writing one, two, three, or four won't get your project off the ground. It takes time and is hard work, but those who make the investment usually see the payoff. How badly do you want what you're asking for here?

In the meantime, get some cheap .049s that have seen a lot of use. Teach the kids the basics of glow engines with them--disassembly, assembly, and operation. You can run them in the shop.