Small Grants to Educators Enhance the quality of education
Small Grants to Educators Program
The Northampton Education Foundation awards grants twice a year to encourage the development of creative and innovative teaching and learning initiatives for Northampton's public schools consistent with the districts' goals.
Funding For All
The Small Grants to Educators program awards grants twice a year to encourage the development of creative and innovative teaching and learning initiatives for Northampton's public schools consistent with the districts' goals. Through the grant program, NEF funds projects, events, and opportunities that enhance student learning, professional development, and collaboration across our schools. Since the grant program was initiated in 1991, it has distributed over $1 million to Northampton's public schools.
Small Grants Application Form
NEF accepts Small Grants proposals through our online-fillable application form.
Please be sure to read the program guidelines before filling out the application.
Who May Apply
Grant applications are accepted from teachers, administrators, and educators in Northampton’s two public school districts: Northampton Public Schools and Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. If sponsored by an educator, projects may be initiated by caregivers, community members, students, and/or local organizations and undertaken in collaboration with an educator.
Funding and Grant Cycle
Small grants are available for up to $3,000/year. Applicants may reapply for grants in following years, for up to three years, and be eligible each year for full funding. Grants submitted jointly and involving a collaboration by two or more schools (e.g., a project involving educators and/or students from JFK Middle School and Leeds Elementary School working together to create or implement a project) will be eligible for up to $5,000/year. Please note: A program offered at more than one school but not involving a collaboration between or among the schools does not qualify for the larger grant.
There are two Small Grants cycles per year. The deadline for the Spring grant cycle is mid-April for projects to be completed between July 1 and June 30 of the following school year. The deadline for the Fall grant cycle is mid-October for projects to be completed between December 1 of the current year and June 30 of the following calendar year. Requests for grant disbursement for awarded grant projects for both grant cycles must be submitted by August 15 in the year the project is to be completed. End-of-grant reports for all awarded grants must be submitted by August 15 in the year the project is to be completed.
Repeat Grant Requests
In the event that a Small Grants project is successful, a new grant application can be submitted to conduct the same project in a subsequent year. Up to three grants may be awarded for the same project, with full funding available each year. Repeat grant requests are considered stronger when they expand upon or add something new to the previous proposal and/or incorporate lessons from the previous year.
Review Process
Grant proposals are evaluated by a review committee, which is appointed on an annual basis. The membership of this committee brings a variety of perspectives to these deliberations. Committee members vote on proposals based on how well applicants have responded to the program guidelines and how clearly they have responded to application questions. The committee recommends funding finalists to the NEF board, and the board announces its recommendations. Grant awards to Northampton Public Schools go to the NPS School Committee who votes to accept NEF’s funding. Grant awards to Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School do not have to be voted to be accepted.
All Small Grants applicants will be notified if their proposal was funded fully, partially funded, or not funded before July 1 for Spring grant cycle applications and December 1 for Fall grant cycle applications.
Reporting
End-of-grant reports for all awarded grants must be submitted by August 15 in the year the project is to be completed.
Time-Sensitive Grants
The NEF board of directors may, at its discretion, award grants outside the regular Small Grants cycle in order to allow educators to take advantage of opportunities that arise unexpectedly. The maximum grant under this program is $1,500. For more information, email both Jennifer Sanders James and Sam Hopper, Co-Chairs of the NEF Small Grants Committee.
NEF Small Grants Committee Board Members
- Jennifer Sanders James, Co-Chair
- Sam Hopper, Co-Chair
- Dale Melcher
- Tom Annese