SFES Offers Traditional and Small Grants to Help Suffield Schools

From the Suffield Foundation for Excellent Schools

The Suffield Foundation for Excellent Schools (SFES) is now taking applications for its yearly educational grants as well as the new monthly mini grants.

“We hope the new mini grants will allow for more teachers, students and community members to apply for and receive grants for unique educational experiences that are outside of the traditional SFES grant process and/or criteria,” explained Maria Andrade, grants chairwoman. “We are very excited about this program and hope to receive applications during our first monthly submission cycle of Dec. 15.”

In order to award more funding for smaller programs, SFES created the new Mini Grant. Mini Grants offer an abbreviated application process and less restrictive criteria than our traditional grants. Unlike traditional grants, Mini Grants are available at more frequent cycles throughout the school year. The maximum amount awarded for a mini grant is $500.

Proposals are welcome from Suffield public school personnel, including teachers, administrators and other school staff members, as well as students, individual Suffield citizens and other organizations.

Also now available are the annual traditional grant applications, with a deadline of Feb. 10, 2012.

Grants should have clearly defined and realistic goals, as well as a specific and detailed method of implementation. When evaluating a grant proposal, the foundation will consider whether a project meets the following criteria:

• Is it innovative?
• Is its value significant?
• Is its impact broad?
• Is it sustainable?

For more information about the grants program, go to the SFES.org page. Questions about the grant process should be e-mailed to the Grants Committee Chair at grants@sfes.org.