Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Grant Guidelines: Williamstown Elementary School Endowment Fund

The Williamstown Elementary School Endowment (WESE) Fund, established in 1997, is an endowed fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF), designed to support initiatives and activities that enrich the educational experience for students and teachers at the Williamstown Elementary School (WES). The Fund is not intended to be a substitute for public funding of WES's core curriculum. Rather, the Fund is intended to make possible exceptional educational opportunities designed to take students beyond the basics.

WESE welcomes proposals from students, teachers, administrators, parents, non-profits and members of the community for projects. It is estimated that $17,000 will be available for distribution in the 2012-2013 funding cycles.

Applicants are required to contact Joelle Brookner, WES Principal, prior to submitting a grant application and by April 8 at the latest to ensure coordination and suitability with other school programming and funding sources. Joelle can be reached at jbrookner@williamstownelementary.org or 413.458.5707.

Eligibility

• Students, teachers, administrators, parents, non-profits and members of the community are invited to apply for a grant.
• Proposal must augment and enrich the educational experience of WES students and should not be part of core curriculum. Possible projects include, but are not limited to: new programs that augment the curriculum, extra-curricular activities, independent study, individual creative projects (in or outside the classroom), visiting speakers or artists; scientific, athletic, or technical equipment*; class field trips. *If you are requesting funding for equipment, please indicate why the item is not covered through the school budget.
• Preference is given to proposals that will serve as a catalyst to broader educational opportunities and are likely to have a lasting connection with other school offerings.
• The fund seeks primarily to help cover the direct costs of projects (not salaries or stipends). Priority will be given to proposals that rely on volunteer efforts and that show additional means of support. Due to other means of financial support for teacher professional development, priority will generally be given to grant applications that support the student educational experience. (For clarification, please speak to Joelle Brookner, Principal, at (413) 458-5707 or jbrookner@williamstownelementary.org)
• Berkshire Taconic/WESE does not support organizations, which in their constitution, by-laws, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religious belief.

All grant awards support activities for the 2012-2013 school year. Multi-year funding (up to 3 years) to create new initiatives will be considered. Grant recipients are expected to provide BTCF with a written evaluation and photographs/video of the funded activities within three months of the project's completion.

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:

• Excellence: Does the proposal support excellence in education? Is it the right time for the project? Does it support the WES mission "to inspire in all students a love of learning and challenge them to grow in heart and mind?"
• Impact: Is the potential impact of the project or service on the WES community? Are other available resources being utilized in support of this project?
• Relevance: Extent of impact (how many students may benefit from the grant and from which grades); relevance to existing or future school program/priorities; feasibility. Is it the right time for the project?
• Capacity: Can the applicant complete the project? Are there examples of previous projects?

Applications will be reviewed by the fund's advisory committee, made up of community members, teachers, parents, WES principal and superintendent. Their recommendations will be referred to Berkshire Taconic's board of directors for final approval. Grant awards will be announced in June.

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