Announcing the Sixteenth Annual Request for Proposals from the
Northampton Education Foundation Endowment Fund
 The NEF Endowment Fund has up to $80,000 available for grants for the 2022-23 academic year. Over the past fifteen years, grants have financed a wide range of programs and projects in the Northampton schools, including: the creation of “Makerspaces” to introduce elementary students to problem solving by using science, technology and mathematics; a global STEM collaboration between Northampton students and a partner school in England; exploring the effects of climate change in partnership with the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary; hands on robotics; city-wide elementary school gardens for outdoor classrooms; the Breakfast After the Bell program; anti-racism projects with Self Evident Media; synchronized music and poetry partnerships with Hartford High Schools (MAPS); and collaborations between the Northampton Schools and the Hitchcock Center and Grow Food Northampton. This year, the Endowment Fund is seeking to fund multiple innovative projects aimed at having a lasting impact on our schools. We encourage new and continuing applicants. We hope to see creative ideas that will enrich and enhance our students’ educational experience. A proposal may be submitted by any group or individual with demonstrated support from school personnel. This year we are looking to fund grants of one year duration. We are seeking proposals with the following attributes: Innovation – A proposed project should bring something new and different to current practice or curricula in Northampton schools. (Applicants may be asked to demonstrate that an approach or technique is supported by research.) Broad Based – We prefer programs affecting large numbers of students, such as system-wide, school-wide, multi-grade programs, or those involving multiple schools. Enduring and Continuing Impact – We favor programs that create lasting benefits to students, curriculum and programming that enrich, enhance and support the goals and priorities of the Northampton School Department and the School Councils. Descriptions of previously funded programs are at www.northamptoneducation.org. Your preliminary proposal of no more than five pages must be submitted by March 1, 2022 and should include the following information: 1. A succinct description of your project. 2. Identification of the group or individual making the proposal. 3. Identification of the school or schools the program will target. 4. A statement of when the program will begin and how long it will last. 5. Identification of the school personnel who support your proposal. 6. An assessment of the resources needed for the project. 7. An outline of your preliminary budget. 8. A description of your project’s value to Northampton Schools. 9. A description of the continuing and lasting contribution your project will make. 10. An explanation of how you will measure and assess this program. The NEF Endowment Fund Distribution Committee will screen preliminary proposals. If your proposal is selected for review, Committee members may work with you to refine your final submission. Finalists will present their proposals to the Distribution Committee. We will announce awards by the end of this school year. Send proposals electronically by 3/1/2022 to: Stan Schapiro at schapirostan@gmail.com. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us. NEF Website NEF Facebook Page NEF Twitter Feed Donate to NEF Our mailing address is: Northampton Education Foundation PO Box 44 Northampton, MA 01061-0044 |