Coginchaug Valley Educational Foundation to Hold Grant Workshop

Grant funds will once again be available to individuals, organizations, towns, teachers and others applying under the Coginchaug Valley Education Foundation (CVEF) grants program. As a new resource, CVEF will be holding a grants Q&A workshop on Monday, April 2, 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the . The session will provide assistance for those going through the CVEF grants process.

"We know that grant funding through CVEF could help a lot with education-based projects and activities in our community, as it has in the past," says Grants Committee chair Nancy Earls. "The purpose of the April 2 Q&A workshop is really to provide hands-on help with the application." 

CVEF's grants program is the primary way this four-year old organization fulfills its mission to support lifelong learning in Durham and Middlefield. The 19 grants that have been awarded over the past three years demonstrate the impact the program has made. 

"We're hoping that the April 2 workshop will get people thinking and actually gathering the information needed to meet the May 1 application deadline," Earls says. "We'll be awarding the grants in early June. They will be chosen based on innovation, impact on the community and alignment with our mission statement."

Earls also notes that the grants timeline has shifted in order to better accommodate things like school vacations and municipal and organizational budgeting cycles. "We want to give everyone a chance to find out if getting a CVEF grant can assist their organization and, consequently, help our community," she stresses.

So, who exactly can attend the April 2 workshop and apply for a CVEF grant? That answer is simple: any community organization, community member, school or group with an innovative idea and a plan to achieve it. Of course, Earls notes, the workshop is not required as part of the process. "It is totally to help answer questions."

Earls says Grants Committee members are looking forward to reading and reviewing this year’s submissions. “It’s amazing to see the kinds of projects and ideas that are out there in our towns,” she admits. “Knowing that we can help make them happen is a great feeling.”

Again, the deadline for CVEF grants applications is May 1, 2012. Grants will be awarded in June. Applications are available at CVEF's website, or you may email Nancy Earls at cvefgrants@gmail.com. CVEF has awarded 19 grants, totaling almost $30,000 over the past three years.