A new contest aims to deliver help to schools challenged by cutbacks.

Amid reports that schools are losing funding for everything from school lunches to after-school programs, department-store chain Kohl’s has announced a contest that will let you help your school get funding. On July 7, the company said it would give half a million dollars to each of 20 schools this year, in recognition of the 10th anniversary of its Kohl’s Cares philanthropic program that supports children’s health and education.

Schools that teach kindergarten to 12th grade are eligible to win funds—whether it's for starting an art program, creating a new computer lab, or saving a music program. Through September 3, 2010, go to http://www.facebook.com/kohls to submit what your school could do with the funding.

Tell us how you feel: are you frustrated by program cutbacks in your own child’s school? If you had the power to gift a half million dollars to a school, how would you want the money used?