THE 2026 GRANT AWARD CYCLE IS COMING!

  • Application Window

    JANUARY 6 - FEBRUARY 27, 2026

  • Grant Selection

    APRIL 16, 2026

  • Funding Available

    MAY 2026

The purpose of the Natick Education Foundation is to provide to the public schools of Natick the resources (in the form of grants) necessary to enhance the curriculum, programs, and services necessary beyond which is supported in the annual school budget.

Grant awards vary from $500-$5,000. Grant applicants can be teachers, students, department heads, or principals.  Grant projects can be designed to serve a classroom, an educator’s professional passions, a department need, a building community, or a need across the entire district.  

Grant Application Steps:

  1. Come up with an idea. There are two types of grants (outlined below) that you can apply for beginning on January 5, 2026. Until the submission period opens, you can review the requirements for each grant, decide which grant your concept would work best within, and begin considering your plan.

  2. Develop the plan in full.

  3. Get your principal’s approval. Share your project idea in-full prior to submitting your application to get leadership buy-in.

  4. Submit your grant. Grants will be accepted between January 5th and February 27, 2026.  

  5. Await confirmation. Grants are reviewed and awarded in April, 2026. Shortly after reviews are completed, the Central Office will contact you with directions about accessing funds in May 2026.

  6. Spend your grant! All grant funding must be spent by the end of the 2028-2029 school year. 

There are two types of grants that teachers can apply for:

 

Innovation in Teaching & Learning Grants:

Successful grants seek to provide innovative, hands-on, experience-based opportunities for students. They are designed to enhance the existing NPS curriculum, classrooms, or school communities. Grants may seek to support meeting the diverse needs of students through differentiation or inclusive environments.

APPLY IN JANUARY
for a 2026 Innovation in Teaching & Learning Grant
 

Requirements for this grant application:

  • Contact information / position in the district

  • Dollar amount

  • Implementation timeline

  • Statement of need

  • Explanation of how the grant meets the need

  • Description of deliverables: What is the timeline for the grant or milestones? What are the outcomes that you expect? Who will it impact?

  • Explanation of how the grant will be evaluated

  • Budget including Itemized cost of materials

  • Plan for sharing with colleagues

Examples of past Innovation in Teaching & Learning grants:

Pre-K / Elementary School Grants

  • Take a Break Space - Ben Hem

  • Brown School Gardens - Brown

  • Sensory Tools - Memorial

  • Sensory Path - Natick Pre-School

Middle School Level Grants

  • Creating Community and Fostering Learning with Legos - Kennedy

  • Social Emotional Learning Through Board Games - Wilson

High School Grants

  • Psychology Brains

  • Microbit Programmable Devices

  • Modernize Lego Class

  • Woodzilla Hand Lino Press 

Teacher Professional Rejuvenation & Development Grants:

Successful grants seek to support educators in their professional growth, pursuit, or passion.  This can include teachers attending training, taking part in hands-on learning opportunities, participating in immersive experiences, or building cultural proficiency.  Grant awardees should articulate how this professional learning or rejuvenation will support their professional work within NPS and have a plan to share their learning or experiences with their colleagues and/or students. Reasonable travel expenses will be considered. While in-service credits may be awarded for activities, NEF does not fund coursework solely for degree attainment or recertification.

APPLY IN JANUARY
for a 2026 Teacher Professional Rejuvenation & Development Grant
 

Requirements for this grant application:

  • Contact information / position in the district

  • Dollar amount

  • Project timeline

  • Project Summary  

  • Timeline

  • Project goals / Impact / Outcomes

  • Rational: Why have you chosen to pursue this project?

  • How does this project/experience relate to your role in NPS?

  • Description of project: When will you engage in this project? Who else will be involved?

  • Explanation of how the grant will be evaluated

  • Detailed budget including cost of trainings, travel expenses, learning experiences

  • Plan for sharing with colleagues / students

Examples of funded Teacher Professional Rejuvenation & Development Grants: 

  • High school art teacher attends summer programming to expand professional skills.

  • Wilson Middle School teacher attends a Trauma-Sensitive Schools training and brings learning back to their school

  • Math teacher acquires Breath for Change Yoga Certification for teachers

 

Questions? Contact nefgrants@gmail.com.