The Cumberland Education Foundation (CEF) is launching its 2024 grant program, which includes the awarding of grants to applicants for specific educational ideas and/or projects.
Applications may be submitted with a funding request of any amount up to $2,000 and can be submitted by any Cumberland School District staff member including administrators, teachers, and support personnel. Grants are to be used as an additional resource by educators to support a learning environment that directly involves students and enriches their academic experience.
Grant applications must be submitted via the google form located below by May 17, 2024. Grant awards will be announced no later than June 28, 2024.
All funds awarded during the 2024 grant cycle should be expended during the 2024-2025 school year. Grant recipients must submit purchase order requests or requests for reimbursement using Cumberland School Department (CSD) forms to the CSD business office. Grant recipients should use CSD business vendors and follow the requisite purchasing guidelines.
We look forward to receiving your application. If you have any questions please contact Jon Walmsley via email at jwalmsley@cumberlandedfoundation.org.
Guidelines
Who can apply for a grant?
Grant proposals are welcome from any Cumberland School District staff member including administrators, teachers, and support personnel. Collaboration across classrooms, grades, disciplines, and schools is highly encouraged.
What types of projects are eligible?
CEF is looking for projects that:
- Employ innovative methods or techniques to inform and educate
- Significantly enhance the educational process
- Have a direct and immediate impact on the target audience
- Complement and enrich existing curricula
- Yield materials or processes that will benefit future students
CEF grants are not intended to replace or relieve the existing responsibility for public funding of schools nor are they intended to substitute for normal budget growth and maintenance. In addition, CEF grants are intended to provide funding to initiate creative ideas/projects but not necessarily to provide ongoing funding for those same ideas/projects year after year. Grants that CEF will not fund include:
- Projects funded through the school budget
- Compensation shortfalls
- Capital improvements
- Equipment purchases that are not part of a specific project or curriculum
- Ongoing maintenance of existing curricular programs
- Professional development opportunities that are outside of the district or not tied to curriculum
- Clubs and activities that are not extensions of existing curricular programs
What should be included in the grant application?
The CEF Board will review applications based on the criteria outlined in the Grant Evaluation Rubric provided below. Qualified new programs will be given priority over recurring programs in the grant evaluation process.
Grant applications should clearly describe the proposed project, with particular emphasis on:
- Innovative approaches to teaching and learning
- Clarity of goals and objectives along with alignment to district, school, and curricular goals
- Detailed implementation plan
- Evidence of compelling need
- Expected results and their measurability
- Size of the student population that will benefit from the project
- Reasonable budget
What is the grant application and award process?
- Develop your proposal.
- Review proposal with administration to ensure that it is in line with the district’s goals and specific school objectives. Applicants are encouraged to discuss proposals with colleagues and solicit their ideas and support for the grant proposal. Applicants should ensure that their building administrator endorses their application.
- Complete and submit the grant application via the Google form below.
- All applicants will be notified of funding decisions by June 28, 2024.
ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY May 17, 2024.
For questions or more information, please contact jwalmsley@cumberlandedfoundation.org
2023 Grant Awards
2023 Scholarships
