Who may apply for a PSEF Grant? Any district staff who works directly with students.
Awarded Grant Purchasing Requirements: In order to pay for your project, you will work with your school office manager to pay your vendor or purchase your items using a PSD purchase order or credit card using an individual code assigned to your grant, which will be provided to you and your office manager if you receive the grant.
Reporting Requirements: By accepting a PSEF Grant funds, you agree to:
Publicly promote the Foundation, its work, and the impact of community giving.
Include PSEF grant publicity documents with your acknowledgement, which will be provided to you by the PSEF.
A Post-Grant Report, available on our website, must be filed within 30 days of project completion or by no later than the last day of school. Excerpts from the report can be posted on social media by you, the PSEF and/or Peninsula School District communication channels.
If requested, prepare a presentation summary describing the outcome of your project. This presentation will be in a format (project display, video, PowerPoint, etc.) appropriate for the Peninsula Schools Education Foundation's use at PSEF events.
If you cannot complete your grant activity for any reason, you must contact the Peninsula Education Foundation office as soon as possible to let us know.
Grant Reimbursement Requirements: Your Office Manger must charge your purchases to your individual grant code. The Peninsula School District will then submit invoices to Peninsula Schools Education Foundation, who will reimburse your account through the Peninsula School District Accounting Office. Peninsula Schools Education Foundation cannot reimburse a PSD employee, the school PTSA, or an individual, and cannot pay for teacher release time.
What may the PSEF Grants be used for? Our PSEF Grants are intended to support educators seeking to enhance student learning, close opportunity gaps, and meet needs that the district and individual school buildings cannot. Grants are limited only by the applicant’s creativity and the needs of their students.
However, the Foundation does NOT consider requests for the following:
Sports/Club uniforms
Leases (e.g., printers, copiers, etc.)
Professional development opportunities
Technology and curriculum requests that have not received prior approval from appropriate district staff. (See FAQ below re: who is involved in approval.)
How much money can be granted and for how long?
Grant Requests may be made for amounts between $1,000 and $5,000. Applicants must detail the specific costs of the request to the greatest extent possible.
Applicants are encouraged to seek building, district, or school organization funds, as well as funds from other grantors, in addition to funds requested from the Foundation.
All funds awarded must be used as outlined in the original request.
Funds must be spent by June 30th of the school year they were allocated for. UNUSED FUNDS DO NOT ROLLOVER. Instead, they will be returned to the Foundation.
Requests must be submitted prior to project start dates and may not be used for reimbursement of previously spent funds.
Who must review or approve a Grant Request before it is submitted to the Foundation?
The Building Principal must approve prior to submission.
Requests for curriculum must first be approved by PSD Teaching and Learning staff. Contact Chief Academic Officer John Yellowlees prior to completing a Grant Request.
Requests for technology must be approved by PSD Technology Officer. Contact Kris Hagel prior to completing a Grant Request.
What is the Foundation’s process for approving requests?
Grant Requests are evaluated based on alignment with the Foundation’s mission to to connect people, resources, and ideas to fund diverse and exceptional enrichment opportunities for all Peninsula School District Students. (The PSEF and PSD are separate and distinct entities, but PSD Teaching and Learning staff may review and make recommendations on requests made of the PSEF. The PSEF will consider those recommendations in its final decisions.)
Following the PSEF Board of Directors review of all requests, it will make its final recommendations.
The Board may: approve an entire request; decline a request; partially fund a request; or hold a request to seek more information.
Common reasons that grants do not get funded:
Incomplete or late application.
Lack of a definite project or detailed budget.
Lack of clear educational purpose or cultural value – nice, but not making a difference.
Project completed or requested purchases made prior to the grant award.
Request for items covered by PSD technology budget (e.g. document readers, computers).
Final project report(s) for previous year grant(s) not submitted
What is required after an applicant has utilized funds granted for a project? A Post-Grant Report, available on our website, must be filed within 30 days of project completion or by no later than the last day of school. The report must contain adequate answers to the questions about the project and a photo or video of the project.
Grantees who fail to submit a Post-Grant Report are ineligible for future grants.
PSEF Promotion Requirements: We count on you to recognize our support and help us spread the word about the great projects our donors are making possible in the Peninsula School District. How can you do this?
If you are purchasing books or equipment with your grant, contact us to request “Funded by Peninsula Schools Education Foundation Community Donors” stickers.
Let us know the date and time of a special event for your project, such as a visiting artist or performance, and we may be able to send a photographer.
Write about the project in your classroom, school or PSD newsletter and mention that it was supported by Peninsula Schools Education Foundation Donors.
Include PSEF grant publicity documents in your communications to families.
Mention your appreciation for Peninsula Schools Education Foundation Donors support in your social media posts, at curriculum nights and at other times you see parents.
Why do this?
The more families know about the great programs which are funded by PSEF, the more they will be eager to donate to help support future projects.
The more donations PSEF receives, the more funds we have to support grants.
Describe your project, including grade levels, number of students impacted, how students will be involved, and how the project enhances their educational experience. If this project is an after-school activity, provide information on how participation will be inclusive and participation barriers will be removed.
PROJECT BUDGET Include itemized costs for this project in the table provided. If using outside resources, attach cost documentation (program brochure and cost, equipment price list, etc.) Be sure to include the name of the business that will be contracted. Include expenses necessary for the project even if you do not intend to have Peninsula Schools Education Foundation pay for them.
If your project includes transportation costs, you must include an estimate for the cost. For school bus transportation, contact the PSD Transportation Department at 253-530-3900
Refer to the Grant Guidelines for expense items not supported by this grant program.
