Grants & Initiatives

The Dobbs Ferry Schools Foundation has awarded hundreds of grants totaling more than $4 million since its inception in 1994. This funding has helped to accelerate innovation, inspire new thinking, awaken passions, and enhance education across all three schools in our district.

Funds raised through our Annual Appeal fund the faculty- and administration-led grant proposals across all three schools in our District that are submitted throughout our yearly grants cycles. Funds raised at the Gala support the larger initiatives presented by our District administration. Our Board votes on all grant requests and funding proposals.

An FAQ and grant applications can be found below, as well as additional information about how the DFSF’s grants process works as well as list of grants and initiatives that we have funded over the years.

The Grants Process:

1. Teachers submit a completed grant application to their building principal for approval.

2. Once approved by the building principal, the grant application is submitted to the District Superintendent for approval. 

3. After being approved by the Superintendent, the grant application is then submitted by the applicant to the DFSF Board.

   Our Grants Committee appoints a Grant Manager to work directly with the faculty or staff who submitted the application and to advocate for the grant during the review process. 

4. If approved by the DFSF Board, the grant is submitted to the DF Board of Education for final approval.  

Grant Application

We accept grant applications from District staff and administrators to fund projects, professional development and initiatives that will enhance the quality of education in our schools that go beyond the district’s budget. We fund professional development grants for teachers as well as general curriculum-based grants for the classroom, grade, school or district.

To learn more about applying for a DFSF grant, please download our FAQ and step-by-step toolkit.

If you would like to apply for a grant, you may do so through our online grant application or by downloading one of the applications below and returning it to grants@dfsfoundation.org.

• Curriculum Grant Application

• Professional Development Grant Application

We look forward to partnering with you!

Grant History

2022-2023

• Sensory swing for occupational and physical therapy

• Rye Nature Center visit for Springhurst kindergartners 

• Bike program for Springhurst kindergartners

• Makerspace in a Springhurst 3rd grade classroom

2020-2021

• Partnership with the Dobbs Ferry PTSA to provide clear masks for every teacher in the district

• Classroom instruments for a Springhurst music teacher

• New kindergarten playground for Springhurst

• Workshops for middle school parents to help them understand and respond to their child's mental health needs, in partnership with Westchester Anxiety Treatment

• Professional development opportunities for the district's teachers and staff, including:

• Training for administrators with the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools Program

• Science of Reading workshop for Springhurst's academic intervention specialist

• Workshop for all middle school staff on supporting LGBT students

• Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy professional development workshop 

2018-2019

• Qball for increased class participation at Springhurst

• Word Heroes literacy program for English language learners at Springhurst

• License for Learning Ally for the special education department at Springhurst

• Yoga Mindfulness in kindergarten classes

• Sound field amplification systems in kindergarten classes

• Flexible seating options for Springhurst grades 2 and 3

• Mindfulness program for Springhurst 3rd grade

• DynaMath Scholastic Magazine for Springhurst 3rd grade

• Adafruit Circuit Playground Express for middle school computer science program

• Sphero Sprk Robotics for middle school library

• Drone education in middle school

• MoMath National Museum trip for 10th grade math students