GRANT GUIDELINES

WHO CAN APPLY

Students, school personnel and community members for projects that enhance and enrich the educational experience of the students and teachers in the Central Berkshire Regional School District.

GRANT INFORMATION

The Seven Towns' Education Partnership Fund (STEP) is an endowed fund whose purpose is to enhance and enrich the educational experience of the students and teachers in the Central Berkshire Regional School District (CBRSD). The fund wants to ensure the highest level of achievement for the students and enhance their capacity to achieve excellence both in school and in the community.

We seek proposals for grants from students, teachers, administrators, staff, parents, nonprofits and members of the community of the Central Berkshire Regional School District for projects that will fulfill the purposes of the fund.

ELIGIBILITY

Grants from the fund will not replace public dollars for the school district. The fund seeks primarily to help cover the direct costs of projects (not salaries). Priority will be given to proposals that rely on volunteer efforts and that show additional means of support.

Possible projects include, but are not limited to: independent study; new programs; extracurricular activities; individual creative projects, in or outside the classroom; visiting speakers; artists-in-residence; professional development for teachers; scientific, athletic, or technical equipment; library resources, and class field trips.

Berkshire Taconic does not support organizations that, 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 $100 to $1,000 for the first several years as the fund builds its endowment.

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 school 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 fund's advisory committee, made up of parents, teachers, students, the superintendent and members of the school community. Their recommendations will be referred to Berkshire Taconic’s board of directors for final approval.