Thomas M. Leonard Partnership Grant for Education
$2,500
Category 1 Profile and Criteria
The Thomas M. Leonard Partnership Grant for Education was established in recognition of founding ENHC President Tom Leonard and is designed to nurture the future stewards of the historic, cultural and natural resources of Essex County. This annual grant will be awarded to one or more qualifying non-profit organizations targeting under-served youth ages 8-16 in Essex County. Grant funds must be used to develop a program or project that advances awareness of the region’s resources for the benefit of the greater community. Special consideration will be given to projects that promote resource stewardship and that include outcomes that can be shared with other youth organizations across the region.
The ENHC supports creative projects that create or further develop educational opportunities for children during and out of school. The goal is to utilize historic, cultural and natural resources to engage children in their local, regional and global communities, and thereby encourage the preservation of resources. All applicants must be non-profit organizations, and are required to form a partnership with at least one other organization (can include other qualifying non-profits and school systems). Please note, no organization can receive this award more than once in any three-year cycle.
Funding will be provided to programs that use creative methods to teach and nurture a sense of responsibility for area resources. A variety of mediums can be used to deliver results: historical research projects, archaeology programs, marine science programs, building research and site visits, documenting oral histories and video or website production, photography, video, music, audiotape, first and third person accounts, computer resources, etc. These examples are intended as suggestions and are not offered as a complete list of projects eligible in this category.
Category I "Thomas M. Leonard Partnership Grant for Education" Application Requirements
All applicants must fill out the Application Form and provide complete answers. Prepare the applications on 8 ½ “ x 11” paper using one side only. Type must not be smaller that 10-point.
Applications must not exceed four (4) pages, excluding application form, budget form and budget narrative. Supporting materials must not exceed twenty (20) pages. Do not include materials such as DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes, oversized posters/maps (larger than 11x17 tablet size) etc., they will not be accepted or reviewed.Applicants may fill out the application and budget forms online (Word documents), but must print and mail all materials to ENHC. Please do not email applications.
All applications must contain the following information. Applications that lack any of these requirements will be removed from consideration. Number and label your application using the following outline:
I. Application Form (pdf) or Word document
Complete and sign the one-page Application Form.
II. Project Summary
In one paragraph, provide a clear and concise summary of the project. Begin by completing this sentence: The (name of your organization) seeks an ENHC Partnership grant to ______________.
III. Project Profile
Please use this numbering system to provide the following information about your Category 1 "Thomas M. Leonard Grant" project.
- A brief overview of the project, including how it will benefit the participants and the public.
- An explanation of how the project fulfills a demonstrated area of need.
- A profile of the project’s intended audience, including proposed number of youth served, age, grade level, and gender. Provide any additional demographic information available regarding the target audience (under-served youth, ages 8-16).
- A summary of the skills participants will acquire and how those will be measured.
- A detailed description of the project’s outcomes and deliverables, as well as the implementation plan and timetable for obtaining them. Include start and end dates.
- A discussion of your organization’s capacity to carry out the project, including the personnel involved, their roles, and their relevant experience.
- A summary of similar accomplishments by the applicant organization, including the completion of other grant projects.
IV. Project Budget Form (pdf) or Word document
It is important to submit a detailed, accurate budget for the project. List all sources of funding, including the grant amount being requested from ENHC. Note that project income must equal project expenses. Indicate if the income is cash or in-kind.
V. Project Budget Narrative
Provide a written explanation for each line item for all three columns.
VI. Evidence of Matching Funds & Tax Exemption Letter
Submit a one-page letter signed by the applicant organization’s CEO or Chief Financial Officer certifying that the applicant will provide a one-to-one match for the ENHC grant and also has sufficient funding available to cover the total cost of the project. Indicate the source of the matching funds.
Provide a copy of the applicant’s IRS non-profit determination letter.
VII. Supporting Materials
Demonstrate support for the project by submitting materials such as recent letters of commitment from project partners, recent letters of support from municipal and elected officials, press clippings, photographs, evidence of feasibility (planning studies), and any other pertinent information. The supporting material must not exceed twenty (20) pages.