GRANT GUIDELINES

WHO CAN APPLY

Students, teachers, administrators and community members for projects that sustain excellence in education in the Southern Berkshire Regional School District.

GRANT INFORMATION

The Eagle Fund was created in 1998 by the community to help promote excellence in the Southern Berkshire Regional School District through grants to students, teachers, administrators, and members of the community. The fund is not intended to be a substitute for the public funding of the district’s core curriculum. Rather, the fund is intended to make possible exceptional educational opportunities that are designed to take students far beyond the basics and that will distinguish the district in the quality of its educational offerings. The fund also provides a special bridge between the district and the members of the communities it serves. It is intended to foster pride in the district and to generate the excitement and enthusiasm that comes from knowing that through innovative thinking, good ideas, and thoughtful experimentation, dreams can be realized.

ELIGIBILITY

• Applicants may be students, teachers, administrators, staff, parents or members of the community. Applicants who are not students or employees of the school district must have their applications signed off by an SBRSD principal or superintendent.
• Proposals must augment and enrich the educational experience of students in the school district and should not be part of core curriculum.
• Preference is given to proposals that request funds for the direct costs of initiatives rather than staff salaries.
• Preference is given to proposals that provide matching funds through in-kind, volunteer or cash donations.
• Preference is given to projects that will serve as a catalyst to broader educational opportunities and are likely to have a lasting connection with other school offerings.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation 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 will generally range from $250 to $5,000. Because the fund expects many worthy projects to be competing for limited funding, it asks that all applicants make a special effort to ask only for that amount actually required and to be diligent in searching for matching funds through in-kind or other cash donations.

It is the Eagle Fund's goal to assist in the startup of a worthy project but for a project to become self-sustaining in three years. The Eagle Fund will consider funding projects of exceptional educational value for more than three years, and said projects must show other sources of financial support in the grant application.

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 community? This does not mean the number of people involved, but rather the quality of the impact.
• Connection: What is the existing or future connection to other district offerings?
• Ability: Is the project well thought-out and feasible?

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of representatives. Members of this committee include SBRSD residents who are active in community affairs, as well as the Superintendent of Schools, faculty members and students. The Eagle Fund’s awards are approved the Eagle Fund Board of Governors. The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Board of Directors will review committee recommendations.

Commitment/Report Requirements
A grant report must be submitted and filled out completely by the date indicated in the grant notification email. If the report is not submitted by the indicated time, you will not be considered for future funding.

In addition, grant recipients may be asked to make in-person presentations at year end. Grant recipients are required to write a narrative grant report, demonstrating what was achieved with the grant funds. The report must be submitted online, where grant recipient originally applied for the grant.

OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

• Janet’s Fund provides financial resources and goodwill to support creative activities for Mount Everett Regional High School students.
• The Clayton Chrisman Memorial Fund supports projects related to environmental studies for students enrolled in the 11th or 12th grade at Mount Everett Regional High School.