FAQ Page

The WEBF raises funds by hosting events and soliciting donations from parents and the community to provide enrichment and resources for Waltham Public Schools. WEBF encourages teachers to be innovative, provide enhancements to existing curriculum, enrich the learning environment and provide additional resources for all schools across all disciplines.

Any parent, student, or employee (including teachers, professional aides, administrators, and non-teaching staff) of the Waltham Public Schools is encouraged to submit grant requests for funding consideration.

WEBF finances projects that are beyond the scope of the regular school budget.

The WEBF is independent of the Waltham Public Schools, but works closely with the school department to ensure that WEBF grants further its mission and reflect school system goals.

WEBF considers grant applications from all eligible applicants. A grant committee of volunteers evaluate each grant application to determine that it meets the WEBF funding criteria and is an effective use of WEBFís funds. Grants are approved and awarded based on merit and availability of funds by the WEBF.

Projects range from small initiatives involving a single teacher in a classroom to major programs which benefit the students in every grade across the school system. Grants cover all academic areas, as well as technology, art, physical education, and music. While the subject areas in which grants are awarded can vary, the Foundationís basic mission remains the same: to enhance educational excellence in the Waltham Public Schools.

The Foundation is only as strong as its supporters, and there are many ways to support the mission: through financial contributions; by participating in Foundation-sponsored events; and by volunteering time in support of our efforts.

The WEBF has a fiduciary responsibility to use donors money in compliance with its mission. To that end, the WEBF has established a rigorous system to ensure that it funds only those proposals that meet its grant criteria, show a logical relationship between budget and planning, and have educational merit. The WEBF engages in an ongoing dialogue with administrators and teachers to better understand the needs of the system, and works with teachers to help with the crafting of their proposals.

WEBF’s efforts will focus on raising funds to support enrichment projects not covered by the regular school budget. Historically, PTOs are a membership group which provide volunteer support in the schools, foster school spirit and provide varying levels of support with visiting artists, field trips and new books. It is the hope of the WEBF to help ease fundraising efforts of the PTOs and more importantly, support city-wide enrichment projects that benefit a larger number of students.

The primary purpose of the WEBF is to provide private funding for innovative and challenging programs that will enhance public education in Waltham. The mission of the Waltham Partnership for Youth is to initiate and strengthen relationships between community organizations and the youth of the City.

It is the intent of the WEBF to insure 90% of funds raised go directly towards grants.

Yes, all donations made to the WEBF are tax deductible and donors will receive EIN number.

Once a year, the WEBF will publish the names only of all donors, unless otherwise stated. No other private information is released to the public.

Yes, and we encourage people to take advantage of employee/employer donation programs.