Deadline to Submit Proposals for Funding Consideration is Friday, Nov. 5
WATERTOWN — The Safe Schools Endeavor, in partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation, is pleased to announce applications for 2021-2022 funding are now available. All schools in Jefferson and Lewis counties are eligible and encouraged to seek grant funding for projects, programs, and initiatives that seek to strengthen school safety and improve student and campus culture.
School officials and representatives should complete applications no later than Friday, Nov. 5. All applications must be completed through the Community Foundation’s online Grant Lifecycle Manager, which may be accessed at nnycf.org/grants. Grant awards will be determined in December and applicants will be notified with a funding decision in January.
Since 2018, nearly $46,000 in grant funding has been awarded to 15 schools across the two counties. Public and private schools are welcome to apply.
Grants are made possible thanks to the generous gifts of many individuals and businesses in Jefferson and Lewis counties who support the Safe Schools Endeavor and its mission to help keep all children safe while they are at school.
The Safe Schools Endeavor will consider applications submitted by students, teachers, faculty, staff, and parents. Any individual or group with an idea to improve safety within their Jefferson or Lewis County school should discuss the concept with their respective school administrator to gather their support. Proposals that are student-led or involve close collaboration with students may receive additional weight as funding is considered.
“We are grateful to the many businesses and individuals who have made gifts in support of this initiative, and we appreciate how their continued support has enabled us to invite schools to again share their best proposals and apply for funding,” said Erika Flint, Steering Committee chairwoman. “Our communities are united in their view that school safety is a shared responsibility. We are especially encouraged by student-led safety initiatives and look forward to seeing thoughtful input from current students.”
Proposals can include student or parent programming, equipment, faculty and staff training, or anything else that an individual or group within the school community believes would enhance the overall safety of the school and its members.
The Safe Schools Endeavor stresses awareness, empowerment, and action within school communities, and grant proposals will be evaluated based upon the degree to which they embody these desired outcomes. A scoring rubric is also available for review at bit.ly/sserubric. Contact Erika Flint at eflint@fdrhpo.org, with any application questions.
Individuals and groups may request any amount, but typical grants will fall in the range of $1,000 to $2,500. All projects or programs must begin or occur in the 2021-2022 school year and be supported by the respective school district. Funding for programs or projects that have already occurred are not eligible as the Safe Schools Endeavor is not a source for reimbursement of expenses.
To stay informed about the Safe Schools Endeavor and its progress in our schools, like it on Facebook at Facebook.com/SafeSchoolsEndeavor and follow it in Instagram at Instagram.com/safeschoolsendeavor.
Jeff-Lewis BOCES Superintendent Stephen Todd, who serves on the Safe Schools Endeavor Committee, has called the endeavor a “game-changer” because “it’s all about empowerment.”
In 2018 and 2019, 26 projects were awarded grant funding totaling $45,698. Schools and projects receiving support have included:
- Alexandria Central School, to purchase the Raptor Security System.
- Augustinian Academy, Carthage, to purchase security cameras and door barricades and to fund the “Child Lures Prevention” program.
- Beaver River Central School, to purchase a school “visitor management system.”
- Carthage Middle School, to fund “Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports” campus assemblies.
- Copenhagen Central School, to fund trauma training for school staff and a “Mindful Educator Course.”
- General Brown Junior/Senior High School, Dexter, to fund an “Emotion into Art” program.
- Immaculate Heart Central School, Watertown, to support the “Stop the Bleed Program.”
- Indian River Middle School, Philadelphia, to purchase safety vests, radios, and trauma bags.
- LaFargeville Central School District, to fund manikins and an automated external defibrillator.
- Lowville Academy and Central School, to fund the “Stop the Bleed” program and purchase security monitors.
- Lyme Central School District, to support the “Stop the Bleed Program.”
- Sackets Harbor Central School District, to purchase security cameras and “Halo Units” that detect vaping and smoking.
- South Jefferson Middle and High School, Adams, to support the “Sources of Strength” program and fund a motivational speaker program.
- Thousand Islands High School, Clayton, to fund the creation of a “mindfulness room.”
- Watertown City School District’s Case Middle School, to fund the “Totally Vocally” program and to purchase lockdown items.
- Watertown City School District Learning Center, to purchase a public address system.
- Watertown City School District Middle and High schools, to fund the “Campus Impressions” program.
- Watertown City School District’s Sherman Street School, to fund a “Leonardo Music” assembly and an anti-bullying assembly.
- Watertown City School District’s Wiley Elementary School, to fund safety equipment.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors, and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.