PEF School-wide Grants

PEF School-wide Grants are offered through the Peabody Education Foundation's PEF Grants program to provide supplemental programs and resources for Peabody, Massachusetts public-school students. The Peabody Education Foundation describes PEF Grants as its signature program and states that since 1985 it has raised more than $1 million from the community to bring innovative programs to Peabody public schools. Funding is supported through donations from community members and local businesses. School-wide Grants specifically provide principals and Department Heads with an opportunity to request support for projects benefiting entire grades or schools. Principals and Department Heads may submit School-wide Grant applications with a funding cap of $10,000. The guidelines state that principals can apply for up to $10,000 total per year and that multiple applications may be submitted. Applicants may choose between two program categories: Creative Learning, which is academically based, and Mental Wellness "HOPE," which addresses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Proposed programming and resources must fall outside what is provided through the regular school budget. The Foundation describes its mission in this context as supplementing rather than supplanting existing school funding. PEF School-wide Grant funding is intended to benefit students rather than teachers or parents. Transportation, food, and refreshments will not be funded. All grant money must be used by the end of the current school year, and funding must be applied to the program for which it was originally approved. Any changes to an approved application must be reviewed and approved by the PEF Grants Committee, and failure to notify the Committee of changes may result in loss of funding. Following an award, the principal or responsible applicant must work with vendors or performers to obtain necessary paperwork such as invoices and receipts because the PEF Grants Committee does not work directly with vendors or performers. Applications must be completed online using the 2026-2027 PEF Grants Program Online Application. Only the current online application will be accepted. Applications must be complete and must contain detailed financial information, including the project's total cost and estimated shipping and handling charges. An itemized budget is mandatory, and applications submitted without one will not be reviewed. Applicants should provide a detailed description that allows the Grants Committee to understand and evaluate the proposed program and may upload additional information they want considered with the application. Applications are evaluated based on innovation, educational objective, and financial impact. Applicants should therefore provide enough program and financial detail for the Committee to assess the proposal against these criteria. If funding is awarded, invoices and receipts must be submitted by email to the PEF Grants Committee within 30 days after completion of the program. If a vendor requires a Purchase Order, it should be requested from the PEF Grants Program Committee by email. When statements or press releases about an awarded project appear through school websites, social media, newspapers, school newsletters, or similar channels, they must acknowledge that the project is supported by a grant from the Peabody Education Foundation. Applications for the 2026-2027 School-wide Grants opened August 1, 2026 and are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis through December 31, 2026, or until funding is no longer available. Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis, making early submission relevant even though December 31, 2026 is the stated final deadline. The PEF Grants program is offered every school year, supporting annual recurrence, with the next application cycle expected in August 2027 based on the current cycle's opening month. Questions about the program may be sent to PEFGrantsProgram@gmail.com. No individual program contact or telephone number is identified in the provided materials.

Apply early because funding is first-come, first-served and may become unavailable before the December 31, 2026 deadline. Submit complete and detailed financial information with an itemized budget because applications without an itemized budget will not be reviewed. Clearly address innovation, educational objective, and financial impact because these are the stated evaluation criteria. Demonstrate that requested programming or resources supplement rather than supplant the school budget.