Westerly Education Endowment Fund

The Westerly Education Endowment Fund (WEEF) was established in 2001 by a group of Westerly citizens who wanted to provide enhanced educational experiences to Westerly students. WEEF funding augments the educational experience of children beyond that which is provided by state and local taxes. Each year, people who work with Westerly students are g... iven the opportunity to submit grant requests to the Endowment. WEEF's grant committee then selects the grants it feels will have the greatest impact and sustainability potential for Westerly Public School students. WEEF's goal is to provide the seed money for programs which will have a lasting impact on students, and which may eventually be adopted by the district or sustained by other means for long-term success. WEEF supports a wide array of programs, in many aspects of education, and has established funds that can specifically be directed to grants relating to Science & Technology, Literacy, Performing Arts, Business & Professional Development, and Student Initiatives [such as Project T.G.I.F. (Turn Grease Into Fuel)]. WEEF works closely with Westerly Public Schools to offer a "focus grant" each year, which is a pre-funded grant that aligns with district needs and priorities. WEEF also supports programs which concentrate on the emotional well-being and physical safety of students, such as Rachel's Challenge. To date, the Endowment has provided over $190,000 to benefit the students of Westerly Public Schools. Additionally, it has over $500,000 in investments. Our goal is to grow these investments to $750,000 by our 15th anniversary in 2016. This will significantly increase the amount of funding which can be disbursed to grant recipients each year. WEEF founders established an endowment at the Rhode Island Foundation with an eye to the future-so that the principal of funds could be invested and set aside for the long term. Therefore, when you donate to WEEF, your contributions have an impact not only on students currently within the school district, but also on ...Read More