NEF Grant Background and Guidelines

The total amount of funds available for a given year depends upon the success of NEF’s fundraising and investments. The foundation may allocate up to 10 percent of its assets each year for grant awards. Individual spring or autumn grants may not exceed $5,000.

What do NEF grants support?

Needham Public School faculty and administrators, parents, students, and community members may apply for funding in support of enrichment projects that benefit Needham Public School students. NEF funds a broad range of projects, from those that focus on traditional academic subjects, to others in the visual and performing arts, and still others that promote multi-cultural and community learning experiences.

NEF-funded programs should enhance, but not duplicate, the standard public school curriculum. We look for innovative, creative ideas that fall outside the ordinary school budget, yet promise to augment the curriculum in a meaningful way. The Foundation encourages projects that demonstrate partnerships between teachers, schools and disciplines. NEF grants do not underwrite basic school needs.

Process and Committee Review

The NEF Spring and Autumn Grant Committees review grant applications each March and October and make funding recommendations to the NEF Board of Directors. Approved grant requests are then presented to the Needham School Committee for final acceptance.

The Spring and Autumn Grant Committees are a diverse group, comprised of 13 members: eight NEF directors; three Needham Public School educators (one each from the elementary, middle, and high school levels); and two community residents.

The Grant Committee may choose to offer partial funding at its discretion. The Foundation encourages collaborative funding and invites applicants to seek partial or additional funding from other sources.

NEF Spring and Fall Grant Application Guidelines

  • The proposal should demonstrate creativity and innovation in educational programming and target a significant number of Needham school children. The project may seed an initiative that could be replicated in other schools or grades or expanded as a large grant, promising to benefit more students in future years.
  • The proposal may be a collaborative effort between educators, schools, parents or others to reach children in multiple classrooms, grade levels or schools.
  • Community members seeking funding must demonstrate a partnership with someone within the school(s) where the proposed program will be implemented.
  • The proposal should include a clear, typed presentation of the request on the appropriate forms. The application should be clearly written and understood by non-educators. It must include all authorizing signatures.
  • If the proposal includes a request for equipment funding, the application should detail an educational program in which the equipment would be used. Technological hardware requests need to be pre-approved by Deb Gammerman, the Needham Schools’ Director of Technology and Innovation.
  • The proposal should provide a plan and budget for additional non-NEF funding, if necessary.
  • The proposal should not seek repeat funding for a previously approved project or retroactive funding for an existing project.
  • The proposal should not seek funds for transportation or substitute teachers.
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