SOMEF: Teacher grants overview

Who can apply?

Any teacher, curriculum supervisor, health professional, administrator, or other member of the educational staff of the School District of South Orange & Maplewood may apply for a SOMEF Teacher Grant. (Team projects are encouraged!) Grant applications are accepted annually through mid-October (check for current deadlines) and are awarded in early December, based on specific criteria. Grant projects must benefit students directly and can be used for innovative courses, materials and supplies, guest educators - anything that will enhance the learning experience for a teacher and his or her students.

SOMEF awards Teacher Grants in two categories: Small Grants (projects costing up to $1500) and Large Grants (those costing $1500 or more).

The application deadline for 2008-2009 Teacher Grants is October 15, 2008. Grant applications are available online

Please note: SOMEF funds are granted exclusively for use in the School District of South Orange and Maplewood (NJ).

South Orange-Maplewood
Education Foundation(SOMEF)
Teacher Grants Overview

Since 2001, the SOMEF Teacher Grant program has grown from $1,000 shared among three projects, to more than $183,000 awarded for 271 individual grants. These funds support an array of classroom and curriculum materials, special events, visiting artists and other enriching programs that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Grants have enriched the lives of our children with poetry, puppetry, philosophy, photography and so much more.

View lists of previously awarded SOMEF Grants.
Applications are now available online.
Find our how to apply

With help from members of SOMEF's Grants Committee, SOMEF Volunteer Barbara Belasco began the important job of categorizing and summarizing all SOMEF teacher grants awarded since 2000. Grant descriptions including subject area, teacher recipient, and grant amount range for grants awarded in 2004 and 2005 are complete. Click here for grant summaries.

Extending the Teacher Grant Program
with the Late Funding Campaign

Once again, the SOMEF Teacher Grants Committee has received more exceptional proposals with requests totaling more than we were able to fund.

In an effort to extend funding to additional grants, SOMEF is putting out the word that additional approved proposals can accept full or partial “late funding” (grants for which teachers could carry out their projects with funds received by February 9, 2008). Please take a look at these worthy proposals, and respond generously. Late Funding Initiative.

Grants for Administrators

SOMEF also makes grants to District Administrators for special summer projects. The online summer administrator grant application will be available in February, 2009.