Westbrook Education Foundation

Grant Application

Guidelines

MEMORANDUM

TO:         All Westbrook School Administration, Faculty and Staff
FROM:     Brendan Rielly, Jim Violette and Don Perkins
RE:         Westbrook Education Foundation
DATE:     February 7, 2003

We are excited to announce that we are developing the Westbrook Education Foundation, a unique opportunity for private and public spheres to come together to support our children’s education. The Foundation will be a nonprofit corporation, separate from the City of Westbrook and the school system, with a board of directors comprised of individuals as well as business, school and city representatives. Teachers, staff and administrators will be able to apply for grants to fund specific projects. Funds for the Foundation will be obtained in the form of individual and corporate donations. We envision the Foundation supporting innovative programs or projects that are of clear benefit to our children but, because of financial constraints, could not be included in the school budget. Foundation grants will not replace or affect the school budgeting process, but will be an additional resource for innovative projects and programs.

We recognize that all of you are the primary reason our children receive such an excellent education, from kindergarten through high school. We want to help you do the things you’ve always wanted to do in the schools and in the classrooms, but never had the financial resources to do. That is why we are creating the Foundation. And, that is why we wanted to take this opportunity to ask for your input. What do you think should be the focus of a foundation such as this? How would you envision the Foundation working best to support you, our schools, and our children? We need your input. We are in the process of setting fundraising goals and cannot yet give target ranges of grants available. We are optimistic that financial support for the Foundation will be strong, and that the Foundation will fund a mixture of projects and programs, large and small.

Please send your thoughts and comments to Brendan Rielly at brielly@jbgh.com. Or you can mail them to Brendan at 10 Alberta Drive, Westbrook, ME 04092.

Thank you for your time. We look forward to working with all of you.

Sincerely,

Brendan Rielly , City Councilor
Jim Violette , City Council President
Don Perkins, School Board Member