Overview

BEF is launching the Flex150 as a pilot initiative to provide fast, flexible, small-scale funding so any Barrington Public Schools staff member (teachers, librarians, teaching assistants, and other school-based staff) can act on a good idea without waiting on a full grant cycle.

Flex150 is intentionally different from BEF’s Traditional and SPAR-Q grants. Where those programs support larger, more developed proposals, Flex150 is meant to be a simple way for BEF to say yes quickly to the everyday ideas and needs that come up during the school year.

Funding Details

• Up to $150 per staff member, per school year 
• Open to all school-based staff, not just classroom teachers.
• Funding is allowable for school-based activities, including clubs (except travel expenses). 
• Funded on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis from an annual Flex150 budget, until that budget is spent for the year.
• The BEF Board will monitor distribution across schools over the course of the year and may take steps to keep access reasonably balanced.

Guidelines

Unlike BEF’s other grants, Flex150 requests are not evaluated against a rubric for merit, reach, or impact. 

A request should be approved unless one of the following applies:

• The annual Flex150 budget has been fully spent for the year.
• The request exceeds $150 or exceeds the requestor’s remaining balance for the year.
• The request is for travel or travel-related expenses.
• The request is for a generic, everyday version of an item the school routinely stocks (e.g., standard pencils, pens, paper, markers) requested simply to replenish or supplement what the school already provides — even if the school has temporarily run out.

Outside of these four conditions, the goal is to say yes. The number of students who benefit from a request is not a factor in the decision.

Flex150 is intended for classroom items and small enhancements teachers and staff often pay for out of their own pocket to make their classroom or program work better — things like iPad covers, book bins, reading-corner furnishings, organizational tools, or specialized materials for a club, activity, or project. If it’s something a teacher currently buys personally because it’s not part of what the school routinely provides, it likely qualifies.

How to Apply

Complete the short Google Form, built to take just a few minutes. Applicants can expect a funding decision within one week of completing the form. 

Reimbursement follows BEF’s standard process: once the staff receives confirmation, the staff member works with the school secretary to purchase, those receipts are submitted to the district, and BEF reimburses the cost.