Grant Guidelines

SHERWOOD EDUCATION FOUNDATION GRANT SUBMISSION AND FUNDING GUIDELINES

The mission of the Sherwood Education Foundation is to enrich the quality of education in the Sherwood School District. The Foundation was organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes in order to receive donations, gifts, and bequests that the Foundation will then utilize

to promote educational excellence and innovation, as well as to support the curricular and extracurricular activities, programs and facilities of the public schools within the Sherwood School District. By receiving and expending funds in this manner, the Foundation strives to recognize and encourage academic excellence.

SEF only accepts grant applications from teachers and staff in the Sherwood School District. All applicants will receive a confirmation email that the application submission was received.

SEF average grant is $2,700 and prefers that requests under $250 are funded through other sources (i.e. school PACs). The SEF also caps the amount for book grants at $500 per classroom. 

Each grant application must have a project coordinator. Project coordinators may submit multiple grant applications per school year.

Full or partial funding may be awarded if your grant application is selected.

SEF prioritizes funding projects that are innovative, can potentially be replicable by other SSD teachers, and will benefit future classes beyond the grant year.

Grant Criteria

Proposals should meet the following criteria:

  • The concept supplements or enhances the adopted district curriculum on current standards, is innovative, and engaging for students; requests to fund additional or new curriculum must be directed to the school district curriculum directors. 

  • The proposed concept must directly impact students in the classroom; SEF does not fund or reimburse tuition or fees for staff certifications, seminars or summits where students are not the direct learner or audience.   

  • The application has clear and concise objectives, a solid workable implementation plan, and tangible strategies in mind for evaluating its impact.

  • The budget is reasonable and sustainable. If additional project funding is available, disclosure of the source and the amount provided is required, as well as (if any) future fundraising plans.

  • A wide range of students will be positively impacted.

  • The proposed concept cannot include managed software or technology devices/form factors that would require the district’s tech department to manage and/or service and procure additional security installations (i.e. iPads, laptops, e-readers, etc.).

  • The SEF cannot provide any form of payment directly to teachers or request funds to cover substitute teachers for grants that involve educational field trips or similar. 

  • The grant cannot include a budget for gift cards, meals, souvenirs or other items that a student would receive as a gift for their personal use; exclusions may include art supplies, classroom materials or sewing kits for student-made projects that they would take home.  

  • The proposed concept must not be associated with a sport, club, or other activity supported by a Booster or affiliated funding program.

  • SEF requests that your project supports an inclusive learning environment and strives to remove barriers to equitable student outcomes.

  • SEF limits recurring grant requests.

  • SEF does not fund staff salaries or consultant fees.

  • SEF does not fund flexible seating or furniture.

  • SEF requires that awarded funds will be used in the manner specified by the application. If grant funds over $10 are not utilized, it is expected that the balance will be returned to the foundation within the calendar year the grant was issued.

Grant applications will be submitted to the SEF Board of Directors, and project coordinators will be notified of the board’s decisions approximately one week after the new school year begins.

Grant Showcase

If your grant is approved, we’ll ask that you complete a brief final report once your project is complete. We also ask that you take photos of your project throughout its duration and share them with us for social media purposes.

*SEF Guidelines have been updated to reflect new and accurate information on what programs are support.