Grant Application Information and Instructions
for the 2025-2026 school year.

There will be two grant cycles for the 2025-2026 school year.  Teachers may apply for ONE grant per each grant cycle as a lead OR additional applicant.

Grant Cycle 1 - Opens Thursday February 13, 2025. Application deadline is Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 11:59pm.  Applicants will be notified of their grant application status by June 9, 2025. If awarded, funds will be available September 1, 2025.

Grant Cycle 2 -  Timing TBD. Funds will be available beginning January 1, 2026 through the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

The mission of the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools (The Foundation) is to enhance the classroom experience and promote excellence of West Hartford Public School students by financially supporting innovative educational programs in our schools. Applications will be judged on their creativity and innovation as well as degree of support of the curriculum and impact on student learning.  This is an opportunity for teachers to try out a new idea or enhance a portion of the curriculum that would not otherwise be funded. 

Eligibility  

• Applicants must be employed by the West Hartford Board of Education, hold a Connecticut Department of Education certification, and have direct contact with students in the West Hartford Public School System.

Using the Application Portal

• If you applied in the past, your log in is your WHPS email address.  If you do not remember your password, click forgot password and you will receive an email to reset it.  If you don't see the email, please check your junk folder.
• Grant applicants that have not applied in the past will create a password associated with their WHPS email address to log into the Foundation website and create/ submit an application. 
• Once an application is started, the application is saved by clicking the green "save changes" button.  IMPORTANT, please remember to click "save" to save your work frequently, and especially when you make changes and at the end of each section of the application.  
• Click here for detailed instructions on the application portal.
• Click here to begin the application process. 
• Click here for examples of completed applications.
• The application will include a place for a 5-7 sentence summary of your grant proposal for publicity purposes. Please click here for suggestions on writing the grant summary.
• If you have any questions, please click here.

Grant Guidelines and Requirements

• Maximum grant award is $2,500. 
• All grants will be read on a blind basis.   DO NOT USE A SCHOOL, TEACHER, OR ANY NAME THAT IDENTIFIES YOUR SCHOOL OR PROGRAM (ie: IB, STEM, STRIVE, SEP, or REACH).
• Given our available resources, the Foundation would like to fund as many qualifying grant requests as possible.  Preference will be given to innovative grants that have not been implemented in the same school in the past three years. However, all grants will be considered as funding allows.
• Grants must be implemented during the 2025-2026 school year. 
• Prior to completing your application on-line, you must have your Principal or Department Supervisor read and approve your grant proposal.
• Applicants may only apply for ONE grant during each grant cycle as either lead applicant OR additional applicant. 
  • If you are the lead applicant, please check with co-applicants as they cannot be on multiple applications. 
• If your grant includes multiple schools/programs, each school/program MUST have one contact listed as additional applicant.
• Please provide actual terms when using acronyms in the application.
• All field trips (out-of-the-building) must include:
  • (1) dates, or expected dates; and
  • (2) admission price per person or overall cost of program if there’s no per person fee.
• Book Requests:
  • All book requests MUST be for students and include the approximate number, type of books, as well as at least 3 book titles and approximate price per book.
  • If applying for books, please check with your respective Principal, Library Media Specialist, Curriculum Specialist or Reading Specialist to ensure the books you are requesting are not available to be ordered via the book budget.
• Applications seeking to purchase or involving living things must include plans for year-round maintenance.
  
  
• Multiple Sources of Funding:
  You will be asked if your grant is using funds from other sources other than The Foundation to implement a grant.
  
  For example:

1. You are planning a field trip that will cost $1,500.
2. You have confirmed that your department budget will be paying the $500 entry fee.
3. You are applying for a $1,000 Foundation grant to pay for the buses.

The $500 would be the "Amount confirmed from other sources" because in order to implement the grant, you will use BOTH Foundation grant money and money from the department budget.

• Partial Funding:
  • Given our available resources, the goal of the Foundation is to fund as many qualifying grant requests as possible. Therefore, flexibility to accept partial funding makes it more likely that the Foundation will award a grant.
    • If your grant can be implemented with partial funding, you will be asked to describe your alternative plan or identify your alternative source of funding for your grant. If identifying an alternative source of funding, this source MUST be confirmed before submitting your application. CLICK HERE for examples of alternative plans and funding sources.

    • If your grant is unable to accept partial funding, you will be asked to explain why your proposal cannot accept partial funding.

• Be specific as possible for items listed in your grant proposal by including a description, quantity, vendor and model number (if available).

Important Information for Professional In-Residence Grant Requests

• Professional In-Residence grants for both virtual or in-person programs will be allowed for work with students only. We do NOT fund professional development or teacher in service programs.
• For Professional In-Residence grants,(held in school or virtually), the request must include the following:
  • Name of the professional.
  • Contact information:  email, phone number & website (if available)
  • a complete description of the programs and activities.
  • # of visits and length per visit.
• Before submitting your application, you must contact the professional in-residence to confirm general availability and professional fees.  

To view a sample list of In-Residence or field trip programs please CLICK HERE. This list is NOT an endorsement nor does it make your grant more likely to be funded. 

Other General Information:

• Collaboration among teachers, departments, grade level, and schools is encouraged. 
• If educationally beneficial, we consider re-granting.
• We will fund grants for transportation for field trip and in-residence programs.

The Foundation will NOT fund the following:

• Furniture
• Food (snacks/ refreshments).  However, food that is an integral part of the grant will be considered. For questions, please click here.
• Professional development or professional books, substitutes, or teacher in-service programs (including teacher stipends).
• Guided level texts or Fontus & Pinnell collections.

Important Information for Technology:

Prior to applying for any type of electronic device (including a computer), hardware or software, apps or on-line subscriptions, you must receive written permission from Information Technology (IT).

Please click here to complete a form which will reviewed by Sean Nagel, IT Manager Town of West Hartford & WHPS. 

Please allow 2 weeks for a response.  Within 2 weeks, Sean will either approve your request or provide appropriate specifications and pricing for you to include in your grant.

Important Information for Outdoor Installations:

Prior to applying for an outdoor item, you must receive written permission from Robert Palmer, Director of Plant Services.  Please email Robert at Robert.Palmer@westhartfordct.gov with a description of your grant proposal and allow 2 weeks for a response.

Questions

Please click here to request grant writing assistance or ask a specific question regarding applying for a grant.

• Telephone: 860-561-8755 (note: typical office hours are Monday-Friday 3:30-5:30)
• E-mail: fwhps@westhartfordct.gov

Revised: 2/13/2025