2026

Dear Applicant(s),

Pleasantville Fund for Learning Excellence in Education Grants are awarded to promote the enrichment of the educational experience of students in all three Pleasantville public schools.  Teachers and administrators in the school district and students in Pleasantville High School may apply for grants.  As a general policy, the Pleasantville Fund for Learning seeks to fund new and innovative projects that enhance curricula, offer hands-on experiential learning, and are financially and programmically sustainable.

Some important things to consider when preparing your grant for application:

• A grant request for technology (i.e., laptops/carts, tablets, whiteboards/smartboards, software) must be signed off by Michael Sammartano in addition to your building principal.
• A grant request pertaining to the needs of special education students must be signed off by Rukmini Bhalla in addition to your building principal.
• A grant request related to curriculum materials must be signed off by the curriculum coordinator of your building in addition to your building principal.
• Please work with your department chair, curriculum coordinators, and building principal as you develop your grant, as they may see areas of cross-department cooperation, or know of history that may affect your application.
• The Fund generally will not consider grants for after-school clubs/programs, travel/field trips, teacher stipends, and incidental supplies for general classroom use.
• The mission of the Fund is to fund new and innovative grants. The Fund will prioritize grants that provide a new initiative or pilot program. If a similar grant has been funded in the past, please explain what makes this program new or innovative.

Your completed application must be submitted to your building principal for his or her comments.  Applications will be reviewed by the PFFL Grants Committee, the District Superintendent, Building Principals, and the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services.  Grant Awards will be announced at the Pleasantville Board of Education meeting.

The PFFL Grants Committee encourages applicants to request help in preparing Grant Applications.  We are eager to do whatever we can to clarify the application process for you, assist you with determining if your project is suitable for consideration by the Fund, or answer any questions that you might have.  Please feel free to contact us.

Andi Busch (914-466-1667)  abusch720@gmail.com

Danielle Kaley (914-260-8016)   danielle56@msn.com 

Co-Chairs, Pleasantville Fund for Learning Grants Committee

60 Romer Avenue

Pleasantville, New York 10570

Note: Grant approval is discretionary, and the PFFL Board reserves the right to deviate from the guidelines based on need and yearly resources.

For instructions on how to fill out the form, see below:

1. Open the application form on your computer and download it.
2. Fill in the applicable questions, and save the document. Share via email with your principal in order to complete the Principal’s Comment form.
3. When all the questions are complete, print out one copy of the entire application and obtain the required signatures.
4. Submit the full proposal to the PFFL Grants Committee via email by April 17, 2026 (see below).

Please use the following checklist to be sure your proposal is complete and submitted on time:

1. Reach out to the PFFL Grants Committee with any questions about the proposal or the submission process.
2. Share your proposal with the appropriate principal with plenty of time for review and comments (see below) prior to the April 17, 2026 deadline.
3. Ensure the Principal’s Comment Form and the Signature Page are complete and included in the final submission.
4. Print only one (1) copy of the full proposal, including:

1. Application Form
2. Principal’s Comment Form (signed)
3. Signatory Page (signed)
4. Any additional attachments

5. Please scan and submit one (1) copy of the full proposal to the PFFL Grants Committee by emailing Danielle Kaley at danielle56@msn.com.

Remember:

Excellence in Education Grants Application

Grant Deadline April 17, 2026

Name of Applicant(s):                                                                ___Student

1.____________________________________________________        ___Teacher

                                                                                        ___Administrator

___Student

2.____________________________________________________        ___Teacher

                                                                                        ___Administrator

___Student

3.____________________________________________________        ___Teacher

                                                                                        ___Administrator

Students Only:

Address of Applicant:  ________________________________________________

Name of Parent/Guardian: _____________________________________________

Primary Contact:

Telephone Number: __________________________________________________

E-Mail: ____________________________________________________________

Name of Project:  ____________________________________________________

Content Area of Project:_______________________________________________

School: ____________________________________________________________

Amount Requested (Do not include shipping and handling):  $___________________________

Students Who Will Benefit:

                Grade Level(s):                    _________

                Number Directly Involved: _________

Description: Explain your project, including the area(s) it will affect or change. Please also describe this project's coordination with, or impact on, any other school departments.

Project Objectives: The Pleasantville Fund for Learning seeks to fund innovative programs that enrich the educational experience of students. Please describe how the project is innovative and would enrich curriculum, as well as how it would be sustained in years to come.

Project Plan of Action: List specific activities and timelines for completing project objectives.

Evaluation: Explain how completion of the objectives will be measured and what criteria will be used to determine the success of the project.

Please fill out all applicable sections. Do not include shipping and handling fees.

Purchased Services Costs

Supplies and Miscellaneous Costs

Equipment

Note: This grant request total should match the Amount Requested on page 1.

Please attach any additional materials (product specifications, especially for technology; documentation supporting project’s benefits, etc.) to the email submission with this proposal. Confirm below what, if any, attachments are included.

        No Attachments

        Attachment 1:  ________________________________________________

        Attachment 2:  ________________________________________________

        Attachment 3:  ________________________________________________

Building Principals: Please work with the Applicant to submit one printed copy of the complete proposal to the PFFL Grants Committee Co-Chairs.

Principal’s Name: ___________________________________________________

Application Submitted By: ____________________________________________

Name of Project: ____________________________________________________

Amount Requested: __________________________________________________

Do you believe this project should be funded at this time?        Yes                  No

If yes, in what specific way(s) do you believe that the project will enhance the curriculum in your school?

If no, why do you recommend the proposal be declined or deferred for consideration? Is there an alternative way to accomplish this project through inter-department cooperation (i.e. sharing resources, or adding curricula components)?

One of the main goals of the Pleasantville Fund for Learning is to provide seed money for projects that will continue for many years.  Do you think this project is sustainable?  If this project were granted, how would it be funded in future years?

Please include any additional information, not explained above, that is important in the Grants Committee’s consideration of this request.

Principal Signature: _________________________________________________

Signature of Grant Applicant(s):

For Student Grants: Faculty Advisor Commitment of Support

I certify that this application was substantially completed by the student(s) applicant(s) and I agree to provide support if the application is granted.  

_________________________________

                                Faculty Advisor’s Signature

For Technology Grants: A grant request for standard technology equipment such as computers, smartboards, software, etc., must be signed off by Michael Sammartano to ensure it is compatible with District technology. 

_________________________________

Mr. Michael Sammartano

Director of Technology

For Special Education Grants: Dr. Rukmini Bhalla must sign off on a grant request involving the Special Education Department.

                                        __________________________________

                                        Dr. Rukmini Bhalla

                                        Director of Special Education

For Curriculum related grants: A building curriculum coordinator must sign off on a grant request to encourage cross-department coordination.

                                                        ________________________

                                                        Curriculum Coordinator