Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Grant Guidelines: Chatham Education Foundation

The Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) works to enhance and enrich the educational experience of students and teachers in the Chatham Central School District (CCSD). The Foundation hopes to be a catalyst for innovative thinking and thoughtful experimentation to generate excitement about and enthusiasm for learning. The CEF is supported by two endowed funds: the Arts and Humanities Fund and the Alexander M. White Fund.

Through its originating and larger Arts and Humanities Fund, CEF supports a wide variety of projects in the arts and humanities. In 2006, a second endowed fund, The Alexander M. White Fund, began to provide funding for projects in all disciplines.

Eligibility

Applications will be accepted from students, teachers, administrators, parents and members of the community.

Grants from the Chatham Education Foundation will not replace public dollars for the school district.

Possible projects include but are not limited to: independent study; new programs; extracurricular activities; individual creative projects, visiting speakers, artists in residence, professional development for teachers and program costs for field trips.

New projects are encouraged while enhanced or enriched repeat projects are also eligible for consideration.

Berkshire Taconic does not support organizations which in their constitution, by-laws, or practice, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief.

Awards

Grants awarded may range from $100 to $2,500. However, most grants average approximately $1,000. Grant money may be used for materials, travel and associated costs. For requests from individuals, preference will be given to projects that lead to a significant impact on the school.

Applicants will be informed of Berkshire Taconic’s decision within two months of the deadline date.

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:

• Excellence: Is the project or service truly of a high quality? Is it the right time for the project? Does it involve qualified individuals/groups?
• Impact: What is the potential impact of the project or service on the CCSD community? This does not mean the number of people involved, but rather the quality of the impact.
• Ability: Is the project well thought out and feasible?

Applications will be reviewed by the Chatham Education Foundation Governing Board, comprised of community members, parents, teachers, students, the Superintendent and a member of the Board of Education. Our recommendations will be referred to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation board of directors for final approval.

If you have any questions about the fund, email us at grants@berkshiretaconic.org.