Welcome to Lakeland Schools

Grant Application and Information


Foundation Grant
The Lakeland Education Foundation provides financial support for worthy projects or activities that will enhance the educational experience of students in the Lakeland district. If you are interested in helping with this important work, please contact the Foundation by writing to Lakeland Education Foundation, P.O. Box 132, Shrub Oak, NY 10588 contact Diane Kness, LEF President by email: 
LEF@lakelandschools.org.

Grant Application Form - Scroll to bottom of page to download the forms.

  • Grant Application (MS Word format) Fill out on line, tabbing to get from field to field. Save and print.  Print a copy for your records and a copy to be mailed to Diane Kness, LEF President, P.O. Box 132, Shrub Oak, NY 10588.
  • The application may be sent electronically as an attachment to lef@lakelandschools.org but please mail a hard copy to Diane Kness, LEF President, P.O. Box 132, Shrub Oak, NY 10588.

Eligibility
Any Lakeland School District parent/teacher organization, teacher, administrator, staff member as well as any Lakeland student who is being guided and directed with a staff member's support, may apply for support.

Types of Project Supported
Projects that initiate substantive changes in the curriculum, or the way in which the curriculum is taught, or projects that enrich the curriculum both in and out of the classroom are all open to consideration. A list of prior sample grants funded is available upon request.

Criteria for Granting Awards
Projects submitted for funding should be instructional innovative and enrich the educational experience of the target student population. Proposed activities may be directly related to curriculum content or further develop students' critical thinking skills, attitudes or career goals. Projects also need to address the New York State Learning Standards. Applicants must also demonstrate that the proposed project is feasible within the requested budget including supplemental funds available.

The target student population is another important element in the evaluation of applications. Activities having a broad impact upon a large group of students are appropriate, but high impact activities for smaller numbers of students are also appropriate. The Foundation is particularly interested in projects that are innovative and effective and will continue to enhance the educational experience of students beyond the initial grant period. Evaluation of the project effectiveness is critically important.

Applicants must provide the criteria and process that they will use to evaluate the project's effectiveness. Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project is feasible within the requested budget, including any funds available from other sources. The Foundation will not fund projects or line items within a project budget that currently exist within the school budget. Budget requests that supplement available funds are appropriate. The Foundation is particularly interested, however, in providing seed money to launch projects that, if successful, could be incorporated into the regular school budget in subsequent years.

Selection Criteria

  • Is the project innovative and does it enrich the educational experience of the target student population?
  • Does the project address the New York State Learning Standards?
  • Does the project address the district graduation goals?
  • Does the project promote the district's current educational priorities?
  • Does the project use sound educational principles?
  • Does the project fit the Foundation's general mission?
  • How many students will benefit, in relation to the project's cost?
  • Are the project evaluation tools appropriate? Written evaluation, narrative etc.
  • Does the applicant have a timetable for evaluation of the project?
  • Does the project have plans for a mid-project and final progress report/ evaluation?
  • How can the benefits of the project be measured in future years?
  • Is the budget reasonable? Can expenses be reduced while still meeting the project goals?
  • Is cost-sharing through other funding sources possible?
  • Are the required support services available and committed to the project?
  • Are funding sources available to continue the project upon its completion?

The Foundation reserves the right to request a personal interview with any applicant for the purpose of clarifying issues that might not be addressed satisfactorily in the written application. Applicants are required to adhere to the application deadlines established by the Foundation.

Limits of the Award
The Foundation has not established any specific limit for a single award. Applicants should request an amount of money suitable for the purposes of the proposed project. All funding requests should be justified explicitly. The Foundation reserves the right to reduce the amount of the award below the requested amount. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation prior to submission of the application to determine if suitable funds are available.

Conditions of the Award
Grants will be awarded in trust to the school district, which will create an individual account to handle the funds. The Applicant cannot use the funds for any purpose substantially different from that expressed in the project application without prior approval of the Foundation, although small deviations from the proposed budget within the overall total grant amount, such as substitution of vendors or changes in prices of goods or services, are allowable at the discretion of the Project Leader. The school district is responsible for submitting a final cost accounting to the Foundation. The Applicant is responsible for carrying out the project for which funds are awarded and for submitting a final project report to the Foundation. For projects funded for over $500, the applicant must also submit a mid-project progress report.

It is the responsibility of the Project Leader to contact the District office to verify a deposit has been made and to verify the amount of the award deposited into the designated account for their grant. No funds are to be spent until such verification has been made by the Project Leader. Neither the LEF nor the District will be held responsible for funds spent without prior verification and authorization by the District.

The signatures of the various school officials (Principal, Department Chairpersons) signify their agreement to allow the applicant to carry out the proposed project as outlined in the application. The signatures of the various support service managers similarly signify their agreement to supply the services outlined in the proposal. The school or school district is responsible for ensuring that any activities carried out under the award are conducted in accord with all relevant state laws, regulations and safety requirements.