AEF FUNDING CRITERIA GUIDELINES

AEF has developed the following criteria for making its funding and partnership decisions.  These criteria guidelines are aligned with AEF’s mission and its organizational values and principles.  While each AEF-funded project, initiative or partnership may not address all of these criteria, the Board will give preference to those that address as many as possible.  The funding criteria are listed in no particular order of priority.  Favored projects are or have:

1. District-wide – these are projects that have an impact across the entire district, across a set of schools in the district, across a grade level, and/or impact as many students as possible.  Examples might include:  professional development, curriculum development and/or alignment initiatives, or projects that aim to bring the expertise of the broader community into the schools to enhance learning.

2. Emphasis on core educational mission – these are projects that focus on and extend student learning in required subject areas and/or those for which the state has developed frameworks, including English language arts, history and social studies, math, science, world languages, creative and performing arts, comprehensive physical and health education, and technology.  These are projects that make learning meaningful, memorable, inspiring and fun.  Examples might include academic fairs, debate teams, writing contests, art shows, artists-in-residence, or other creative performances that have the potential for replication and/or implementation across the district, schools, or grade levels.

3. Potential for long-term impact/replication – AEF prioritizes projects that have the greatest potential for effecting student learning in the long term.  These might include pilot or demonstration projects that could be replicated at other school sites if deemed successful.  AEF prefers to fund projects that are experienced over some period of time (i.e., a semester/trimester or full school year) rather than a one-time event or class.  Examples might include:  specialized curricula, tutoring or mentoring programs, school/parent partnership projects aimed at improving school performance, or a technology project that expands classroom learning.

4. Potential for sustainability – AEF also prioritizes projects that have the greatest likelihood of being sustained beyond the period of Foundation funding.  This includes working with the school district to ensure its commitment and investment in the project.

5. Fostering teacher innovation and/or teacher excellence – these are projects that directly support teachers in developing creative, innovative approaches to teaching and/or professional development programs that have been demonstrated to improve teacher performance and quality in key areas impacting student learning.