The Foundation will consider and award grants that enhance the educational experience ranging from Academic, Technology, Athletic, Arts and Infrastructure. Grants can span traditional to non-traditional educational modalities and seek funding for small to large initiatives. The Foundation will consider one-time projects, ongoing requirements, pilot programs, technology purchases and infrastructure enhancement.
The Foundation offers two types of grants:
- Micro Grants: Grants valued under $500 that will have an immediate impact in classrooms, whether teaching in person or remotely, and aid in students’ ability to learn. The Micro Grant works outside of the ESF grant deadlines and will be evaluated on a rolling basis upon submission.
- Standard Grants: Grants will be approved twice a year. Deadlines for submissions are 10/15 and 4/1 and will be reviewed in the ESF Board Meeting following the deadline. Please submit Standard Grants as soon as they are ready, in case feedback and adjustments are needed prior to our deadline.
The Foundation evaluates grants from a broad perspective and selects them based on a number of considerations with the most important criteria for funding being the following:
1. Does this grant enhance the educational experience? Education can be more than traditional academics and curriculum. The Foundation is willing to push the edge of traditional definitions and conventional wisdom in assessing grants.
2. Does this grant reach an appropriate number of students? Grants typically fall across a number of dimensions – single or multiple classes, groups/activities, subjects, schools or grade(s) levels.
3. Is there sponsor support (Teacher, Department Chair and/or Administrator) sufficient to ensure success of the grant? Grants sponsored by a parent or community member must have school sponsorship as well. Experience has taught The Foundation that strong support from the people responsible for implementing the grant is key to success.
4. Is The Foundation the best source of funding for this grant? The Foundation is not a sponsor of last resort; it is the sponsor of best resort for grants that further and advance an Edgemont education. Is funding likely in the school budget or from another source? The Foundation will work independently and also together with any organization in considering a grant.
5. Will the grant have a deep or long impact on the educational experience? We look to fund grants that are long lasting and reach as many students as possible in a given time period.
To submit a grant application please download the attachment below and submit to Grants@EdgemontSchoolFoundation.org. Please submit a separate grant proposal form for each grant request and also please indicate who at the school or district level has approved your grant request. Resubmission of a previous grant request is acceptable.
All grant requests that have a technology component must be submitted to Paul Garofano for his approval before submission to The Foundation. Technology grants should include in detail, but be not limited to: budget, technology concept, training requirements, and the school’s infrastructure to support it.
All awards are discretionary.
After your application has been submitted, a member of the Grants Committee may contact you to ask questions or to provide additional information and/or materials before review by the full board.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate contact the Grants Committee at Grants@EdgemontSchoolFoundation.org