Founded in 1994, The Salem Education Foundation (SEF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting community involvement and financial investment in the public schools of Salem, Massachusetts. The Foundation is the only vehicle for private sector investment in public education in Salem and the third most generous Salem-based donor to Salem Public Schools (after READ Trust and Dominion).
SEF is comprised of a fifteen-member board, a dedicated group of volunteers, an unpaid Executive Director and one very part-time paid administrative assistant. All members of SEF share a passion for education that advances all children and are incredibly dedicated to finding ways to support public education in Salem.
For the past 15 years SEF has promoted innovation at the classroom level by providing competitively selected micro-grants to teachers awarding over $480K to classroom-focused projects in the areas of sciences, math, the arts and humanities. These projects went beyond the scope of school department funding and expanded partnerships with Salem’s expansive cultural, civic and commercial organizations. This support for teachers continues today.
In 2011, in response to persistently poor student outcomes and in light of the district’s new efforts to find solutions to address such outcomes, the Foundation introduced a systems approach to supporting education reform in Salem public schools. This Fall (2011) the Foundation will announce several new grants to the Salem Public Schools that have been developed in collaboration with district and school leadership; these efforts are designed to support school leaders across all schools, and enhance the district’s ability to implement and meet the goals set forth in its strategic plan.
