Hardscrabble Education Fund Grant Guidelines
Application Deadline: May 1th
Grant Notification: May 30th
Grant Range: $500 - $5,000
Geographic Limitations
The fund supports projects which benefit citizens in Essex County in the public school districts of Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Nahant, Salem and Swampscott.
Program Priorities
The Hardscrabble Education Fund promotes and supports academic achievement in pre-collegiate, regulated public school systems of Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Nahant, Salem and Swampscott by issuing grants to teachers, schools or districts primarily in the fields of English, Mathematics and Science.
Priority consideration will be given to projects which: 
- Strengthen the capabilities of teachers by supporting their initiatives in the areas of Math, English and Science.
- Promote the development of teachers and staff by administrators.
- Benefit public school children.
- Introduce or enhance the use of technology.
- Increase the availability and effective use of instructional supplies.
- Forge a link between the public schools, parents and their respective communities.
- Encourage experiential learning projects.
- Take advantage of matching gifts for projects which combine resources from various segments of the community.
Grants awarded are for one year in an amount up to $5,000.
Eligibility
Only public elementary, middle or high schools operating within the constraints of local district rules are eligible for consideration. Public charter schools are not eligible.
Application Deadline
Applications must be postmarked no later than May 1st. The deadline is based on the postmark date and not the date the electronic copy is sent. Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered.
Application Procedures
Proposals must be sent in paper and electronic form.
- Paper format - Three paper copies of the complete proposal are required. Please do not staple or bind. Mail proposals to the Essex County Community Foundation 15 Cherry St., Danvers, MA 01923.
- Electronic format - The electronic copy includes a copy of the Hardscrabble Cover Sheet, the Proposal Narrative and the Project Budget. Please email to j.bishop@eccf.org . Include the name of the school on the electronic file
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Proposal Format
Complete proposals include three parts: a Hardscrabble Fund Cover Sheet, a Proposal Narrative and a Project Budget.
1. HARDSCRABBLE EDUCATION FUND COVER SHEET: The signatures of both the applicant and the school principal are required on the proposal cover sheet. Click here to download the cover sheet.
2. PROPOSAL NARRATIVE: A 3-5 page proposal narrative covering the following:
- School Description - Briefly describe your school. Include meaningful statistics on who you serve and a brief history of the school, including significant accomplishments.
- Statement of Need - What need(s) or opportunities is this project intended to meet? How were these needs determined? Why is this project important?
- Project Description - Describe specifically what will be accomplished with funding from the Hardscrabble Education Fund. What is your project's purpose, goals and time frame? How many students and which Essex County communities will benefit? How does the project coordinate with or enhance other efforts? Include other prospective support for the project.
- Evaluation - How will your school measure the success of the project? What information will be collected to assess the results?
3. PROJECT BUDGET: Itemized income and expense budget of the project, including amounts and sources of other financial support committed or projected.
Review Process
Applications are reviewed by an advisory committee and are generally awarded within 30 days.
Reporting Requirements
Grant recipients must submit a final report within 60 days after grant funds have been expended or by the end of the school year. Click here to download Grant Report Form.
If a school is requesting a grant, in the year after having received a Hardscrabble Education grant, the final report for the existing award should be submitted by May 1. If this is not possible, because the project is not completed, please submit an interim report, which would be followed by the final report at the end of the school year.
For More Information
For more information or discussion of a project or program idea, please contact:
Julie Bishop
Grants and Nonprofit Services Manager
Essex County Community Foundation
15 Cherry Street
Danvers, MA 01923
Tel: 978-777-8876
Email:
j.bishop@eccf.org
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