Grants

NEF provides one-time grants for projects which enhance the core and supplemental parts of the curriculum, support new educational paradigms and result in richer learning experiences for our students. The goal of the grant program is to fund educational projects that are relevant, creative, effective, and inspiring. Grant funds are not intended to replace or relieve the existing responsibility for public funding of school programs, nor are they intended to substitute for regular budget growth and maintenance.

NEF will consider proposals for:

  • Equipment or materials that will enhance the curriculum
  • Professional development for educators when it would support new grade-level, department-level or system-level initiatives. (Funds awarded may be used to pay costs associated with bringing a speaker or program into the district, or sending representatives to a workshop, course, institute or special program. Costs may include tuition and materials. This does NOT include course work for degree candidates, national board certification, re-certification, self-directed programs, travel related expenses, retroactive expenses or stipends for staff.)
  • Technology that enables new and unique learning opportunities. (Requests for technology, audio-visual items, or other equipment should be prepared with the guidance of district specialists. This will assure compatibility with other district-owned equipment, completeness of the application, timeliness of specifications and price quotations. Technology requests must have the approval of the District Director of Technology.

NEF will ONLY consider proposals that meet the following criteria:

  • are self-sustaining after the initial investment
  • support the goals of the Northborough Public Schools and/or the Northborough/ Southborough Regional School District and/or the town of Northborough
  • will transform learning in specific and visible ways
  • are new to the teachers and students involved OR expand on Pilot programs that have a proven record of success

NEF will give priority to grant proposals that meet some or all of following criteria:

  • show creativity and innovation
  • are broad in scope with a measurable impact (i.e., will impact a significant number of students/teachers/community members over an extended time)
  • are pilot efforts that can be adopted later by a wider audience OR offer expansion of successful pilot initiatives previously funded by NEF to reach/impact additional students across the school or town
  • enhance collaboration among classes, grades, schools, curricular teams, and/or community initiatives
  • support NEF’s focus area for the given year (For 2022-2023, NEF’s selected Focus Area is “Hands-On Learning”)

NEF will not support the following:

  • salaried positions
  • programs, equipment or services cut from the school budget
  • substitute teacher stipends
  • on-going program support
  • retroactive compensation
  • field trips
  • clothing or refreshments

For a list of Grant examples, click here.

For a look at projects previously funded by NEF, visit the Funded Projects section of this website.

For NEF grant applications, click here.

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