SOMEF: Teacher grants overview

Through its Teacher Grants Program, SOMEF offers funding to educators in the School District of South Orange and Maplewood to enhance district education in several ways:

to support initiatives of educators' own design that enhance the educational program;
to pilot novel teaching strategies, unique courses of study, or materials and equipment that will enable new learning modalities; and
to expand the curriculum or support district initiatives by introducing new ideas for learning within classrooms, across one or more grades, or with other schools or student groups.

Grant projects should have a lasting impact on teaching and learning in the district, and must benefit students directly. Grants may be used for any project that will improve the teaching and learning experience for our students and their teachers.

Grant applications are submitted on-line, and will be accepted through 10/16/09. Review instructions, preview the application, download tips for preparing a successful SOMEF grant application or creating a budget, see application review criteria or access the application. Questions? Need grant-writing assistance? info@somef.org.

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

One of the most important ways that SOMEF supports innovation in the School District of South Orange & Maplewood is by offering grants to teachers for their creative ideas for ways to add to their students’ learning experience. Since 2000, the SOMEF Teacher Grant Program has grown from $1,000 shared among three projects to a total of more than $309,000 awarded for 451 grants.

Applications for SOMEF Teacher Grants are accepted annually in mid-October for projects to be carried out the following spring. Grant awards are announced in early December. All teachers, curriculum leaders, health professionals, administrators or other members of the educational staff are encouraged to apply for grants. Team projects are welcome.

SOMEF Teacher Grant awards range from $150 to $1,500 or more. All applications must be reviewed and approved by the teacher’s supervising school leader (principal, department leader, etc.) to insure the feasibility of the intended project. SOMEF cannot guarantee funding of grant proposals, due to the volume of applications received and selection based on grant guidelines (see blue box to the right).

SOMEF grants can support enrichment and/or remediation through interdisciplinary and multi-age projects, alternative teaching strategies, equipment that expands the learning experience, exposure to the offerings of local cultural institutions, guest specialists and more. Click below for lists of previously awarded grants.

View a list of grants awarded for 2009-10

View a list of all previously awarded SOMEF Grants.

Raising More Funds for Teacher Grants

Every year, the list of approved project proposals exceeds the amount SOMEF has allocated for grants. In an effort to accommodate additional grants, SOMEF publishes the list of the remaining eligible proposals in December, and invites donors contribute toward the grants of their choice until January 31st. To learn more, click here:Direct Grant Funding.

Grants for Administrators

SOMEF also makes grants to District Administrators for special summer projects that enhance the educational program of a school or department including staff development, student enrichment or remediation, educational materials, etc. Online summer administrator grant applications are now online for Summer 2010. Deadline is April 12. View list of Administrators' Grants awarded.