In the early 1990s, the effects of the previous decade’s Proposition 2 1/2 law combined with severe budget cuts that shrank or eliminated library and classroom budgets. In response, two groups of Northampton citizens began to organize. SOS, which stood for Save Our Schools and later Support Our Schools, focused exclusively on raising money for books, hosting their first plant sale in 1997 to take place the day before Mother’s Day.
In the spring of 2005, NEF assumed responsibility for the operations formerly run by SOS, with the goal of having a single comprehensive organization to support public education in Northampton. Under the merger, NEF has established the “Book Fund,” which is designated for classroom texts, library texts, instructional materials, and their digital equivalents.
The principal sources of the fund are an annual appeal to Northampton residents and an annual Plant and Garden Market, held in May. Funds are distributed annually on a per-capita basis per school, after each school has submitted spending plans and the NEF Board has approved them.
The 2022-2023 book fund application is available now.
Please read the following directions before submitting it.
For more information about the Book Fund, please contact Amy Levine of the NEF Board.