Providing Educational Grants for Public School Students
“It’s such an exciting time. As we grow as an organization, we are touching the lives of even more students with wonderfully innovative projects and initiatives.”
– Paula Whitman
Since 2001, The Ed. Foundation, an independent, nonprofit, community-based organization, has awarded well over 400 grants amounting to over $1.5 million dollars, funded through private and public donations. (Click here for past grants)
The Ed. Foundation President, Paula Whitman, remarked, “It’s such an exciting time. As we grow as an organization, we are touching the lives of even more students with wonderfully innovative projects and initiatives. We’re constantly amazed by the creativity of the educators in our schools who continue to find ways to enrich the educational experience, even in difficult times. The future of education in our school district is bright, and we’re thrilled to play an important role in the process of inspiring education in Port.”
The Ed. Foundation has become a model and resource for educational foundations on Long Island. Founding Ed. Foundation president and president emerita, Amy G. Bass, is proud to see that The Ed. Foundation is continuing to thrive and remains committed to the success of the organization and the Port schools.
She noted, “As the Port Washington school district budget becomes tighter, I am thankful that we have a solid education foundation in place to offer supplemental funding to our school district in these tough economic times.”
Grants Awarded
To view a full list of the 2023-2024 grants awarded please click the link below to download the pdf.
Grants Spotlight
THE MUSIC AND STORIES OF THE AMERICAN SHARECROPPER (BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS)
The Blues grant at Weber brings an interdisciplinary study of African-American history to life for all 8th-grade students. Their study of The Blues includes art, music, poetry, and social studies, as students learn about the unique musical genre that developed as a result of migration and the poor conditions of African-Americans in the Deep South at the end of the 19th Century.
Students read poetry, listen to relevant musical examples, and ultimately learn how to compose their own lyrics following a simple Blues format. The program culminates with an extended workshop and performance with NY Blues Hall-of-Fame master artist Little Toby Walker, who performs with the students as they write and present their own original songs.
Targeted Donations
WDOT RADIO ($22,000)
This began as a donation to establish a high school radio station and has quickly become a part of the fabric and culture of Schreiber High School. The radio station is a vibrant club where students learn programming and development. There are currently two broadcasting classes that utilize the facility. Students can often be found at the sound board recording and creating shows for entertainment and promoting events. Tune in to www.portradio.org to hear some of the latest programming. - Dot and Ed Slade
The Slade Performing Arts Center ($28,000)
Thanks to a substantial donation, Schreiber students and the rest of the high school community are able to use a smaller “black box theater” space for performances and other classes. This theater has become a home for the Young Playwrights Club and is often used for dance and music classes as well as vocal instruction, small productions and other events. Dot and Ed Slade
DOTv ($62,000)
The Schreiber TV studio began as a club and has now been incorporated into the high school curriculum. Students can enroll in classes like Sound Production, Film and Television Production and Digital Video Production. This state-of-the-art facility has the technology which allows students to benefit from learning all aspects of writing, recording and reporting, in front of and behind the camera. DOTv has become an integral part of the Port Washington community as many organizations count on these talented students to create video and report on local events. Dot and Ed Slade
Past Grants
Past Grants Giving Since 2001
Grant Selection Process
Our grant process is a full-year cycle. It begins in January with application distribution and culminates in October with the Grant Awards Ceremony. Prior to each grant season, The Ed. Foundation team meets with Superintendent Dr. Michael Hynes, school district administrators, and each building principal to develop grant focus areas such as technology, literacy, or science and math.
We attend staff meetings at all of the seven schools to explain the process and answer any questions that might arise. As part of the application process, The Ed. Foundation requires each grant to be signed off by the applicant’s building principal, as well as Ryan Meloni, Director of Technology, and Jim Ristano, Director of Facilities, for grants that impact technology or facilities in the District.
Applications are usually due at the end of March to give our Grants Committee ample time to read and assess them. We receive applications from teachers, administrators, students, and other community members. The committee meets to evaluate the merits of each individual proposal.
The Committee reviews the requests using criteria such as number of students served, ties to curriculum, creativity of the project, budget and impact on the school, and students served. We also assess whether partial funding is an option, or whether support from other community organizations is a possibility.
After thorough evaluation and prioritization, the Grants Committee makes its recommendations to the entire Ed. Foundation Board in May for a vote on funding decisions. Applicants are notified in June. Once the grants are awarded, fundraising for the next year commences, beginning the grant application and award cycle for the following school year.
Grantee Information
Welcome grantees! Please click below to find useful information on how to communicate your grant to families, as well as a questionnaire to provide us feedback on your grant.
Letter Home to Families – See sample to send home a letter explaining your grant.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Some exciting news about our class… I have received a grant from The Ed. Foundation entitled: The goal of the project is: The timing of the project is: Please ask your child about it and send me any feedback. The Ed. Foundation loves to hear the kids’ reactions. Thank You
The 2024–2025 grant application is now available.
Learn more about The Ed. Foundation’s grant application process , and download the 2024-2025 application today.
Applications may be completed using the new, fillable form, and must be printed, signed, scanned and submitted via email to [email protected] by Friday, March 22, 2024.