A Message from the WEEF Grant Committee...
Dear Potential Grant Applicants,
The Westerly Educational Endowment Fund is back meeting and planning for the future! It has been a difficult time for all of us and we would like to take this opportunity to recognize the extraordinary commitment of everyone involved in making a difference in the lives of the students of Westerly. The challenges were met with strength and perseverance, and we applaud the efforts of our dedicated, caring, and highly motivated teachers, parents, family members and friends, and the entire Westerly community.
With that deep commitment in mind, let us forge ahead to develop ideas that could be formulated into valuable learning experiences for the students of Westerly. WEEF would like to fund opportunities to celebrate plans for the future. Since its inception, WEEF’s grant funding has given over $300,000 to various school and community requests. Over the past five years, grants such as: “Growing” a Discovery Garden, a request for Aerial Drones, Mastery through Multiple Modalities, VEX IQ robotics kits, and summer skills sets, as well as an annual $1000 grant awarded through a teacher appreciation lottery, have been WEEF funded There have been community connections too; like Bricks and Murals, WEC shipbuilding and sheet metal scholarship opportunities, and a funding source for the Babcock Smith House video documentary on Joshua Babcock; to name a few.
WEEF will continue to strengthen the learning environments with its support. The Westerly Education Endowment Fund’s 2021-2022 grant process seeks to continue to generate opportunities to empower educators to explore ideas that promote student growth. At this time, teaching and learning are demanding unique ways and creative thinking to achieve purposeful planning and motivate student interest and participation. As these circumstances remain challenging, the Westerly Educational Endowment Fund wishes to be an important funding source for grant initiatives that enhance and enrich the learning environment with resources and materials to assist in the successful delivery of the district’s curriculum outcomes.
The Westerly Education Endowment Fund (WEEF) was established in 2001 by a group of Westerly citizens who wanted to provide enhanced educational experiences to Westerly students. During this 2021-2022 school year, we will celebrate TWENTY years of work providing the enhanced educational experiences that those Westerly citizens sought to provide through this endeavor.
A WEEF grant may be just the opportunity that gives your program an added impetus toward accomplishing your goals, and perhaps partnering with others, and bringing a wish list of positive, effective reinforcements against all odds in these uncertain times. We are giving teachers and the community a chance to use this grant cycle to look to the future with ideas that add to all aspects necessary to nurture the promise of tomorrow. Take this opportunity to think about ways to celebrate everything within the learning environment that has the power to create wonder, to inspire, and to motivate.
The WEEF grant application can be completed and submitted online here. Grants applications are due by Friday, January 6, 2022. Enjoy this holiday season, create a grant proposal from your wish list, and then look forward to beginning the New Year celebrating news from WEEF that will enrich your teaching and learning! Be sure to read the additional budget information carefully. Grants in excess of $2,500 will require additional documentation of three price quotes. Contact WEEF at westerlyeef@gmail.com for more information or questions about the process. You may also contact cdmiller0302@gmail.com directly for further assistance.
Thank you and stay safe,
Deborah Ventresca -WEEF Grant Committee Chairperson
Committee members-Deb Pendola, Michelle Pinto, Megan Herlihy, Aaron Morrone, and Colleen Salia
How to Apply for a Grant
Please complete the 2022 Grant Application and review the WEEF Grant Rubric.
Please complete the 2022 Grant Application and review the WEEF Grant Rubric.
