Grant Guidelines

Who should apply for a grant?

Grant applications are welcome from any faculty or staff member within the Barrington School District. Collaboration across classrooms, grades, and schools is highly encouraged. Over the past years, BEF has funded grants totaling over $900,000 for innovative educational programs.

What types of projects are funded?

BEF looks to award grants for projects that: 

  • Are not funded through the School Department budget
  • Employ innovative methods or techniques to inform and educate
  • Show the most promise of significantly enhancing the educational process
  • Have a direct and immediate impact on the largest number of students
  • Yield materials or processes that will benefit future students

What types of projects are typically not funded?

BEF grants are not intended to replace or relieve the responsibility for public funding of public education nor are they intended to provide supplemental funding for normal budget growth and maintenance. Grants are typically not provided for: 

  • Compensation shortfalls
  • Capital improvements
  • Professional development
  • Equipment purchases that are not part of a specific project   
  • Ongoing maintenance of existing curriculum programs, whether or not those programs were originally funded by a BEF grant

How are proposals evaluated?

The Allocations Committee from the BEF Board reviews and evaluates applications closely based on the criteria outlined below. The committee then makes recommendations to the Board, and the Board as a whole determines which projects will be awarded funds.

Grant applications should clearly describe the proposed project, with particular emphasis on:

  • Clarity of objectives and goals
  • Evidence of innovation, creativity, and excellence
  • Size of the student population that will benefit from the project
  • Expected results and their measurability

 What is the grant application and award process?

1)   Solicit Endorsement. Review your proposal with the school Principal for general feedback. Discuss the proposal with colleagues (including department heads) and the district Director of Technology, and solicit their ideas and support.

2)   Collaborate.  Consult with grant recipients from past years. Ask them to review your proposal or to share key elements they felt made their grant request successful.

3)   Compose.  Complete the grant application, which can be downloaded from the BEF website or from Aspen. (Hard copies are available upon request only.)

4)   Apply.  Submit your application online by Wednesday, January 9, 2013 to barredfdn@gmail.com.

5)    Notify your principal.  Download and complete Part I of the Principal’s Comment Form. Email the form, along with your application, to your principal by Wednesday, January 9, 2013. Your principal will in turn forward the completed Comment Form to BEF by Monday, January 14, 2013.

All applicants will be notified of funding decisions in writing by March 1, 2013.

Once funded, all purchased materials or programs become the property of the Barrington Schools. 

Click here to download a copy of the Grant Guidelines.