WEEFC FAQs

The Weston Education Enrichment Fund Committee is a sub-committee of the Weston School Committee. Formed in 1985, WEEFC solicits tax-deductible donations to support innovative and creative projects that are beyond the regular school budget. The WEEFC board is tasked with overseeing fundraising strategy, grant-making, and community engagement for the district’s enrichment fund. Contributions to the fund are tax-deductible under the Internal Revenue Code as gifts to the Town of Weston. While WEEFC is not organized as a 501(c)(3) organization, it functions similarly to the education foundations in other towns.

Since its inception, WEEFC has awarded nearly $9 million in grants inspired and submitted by Weston teachers, administrators, and students. These grants support innovative programs, curriculum enhancements, social-emotional learning, and professional development opportunities that fall outside the District’s annual operating budget. WEEFC’s mission is to raise funds and invest them in enrichment initiatives that benefit students across every grade level and every school.

WEEFC supports a balanced mix of innovative grants and mainstays of our curriculum. Grants fund classroom programming, equipment, supplies, and larger project-based initiatives that advance district-wide educational goals. Every Weston Public Schools student, from Pre-K through grade 12, benefits from WEEFC-funded programming.

The committee is made up of parent board members and a member of the School Committee who serves as a liaison between the two groups. WEEFC board candidates are chosen by the School Committee based on a recommended list of nominees brought forward by the WEEFC Nominating Committee, and positions are filled each spring on a rolling basis.

Contributions are solicited throughout the year via email, online fundraising initiatives, and in-person events. WEEFC’s goal is to have 100% of parents supporting 100% of Weston students. 

Annual fundraising initiatives include: 

– Our annual Fall Fundraiser in October, featuring an online auction and an in-person parent event designed to engage the entire WPS community 

– STAR (Staff and Teacher Achievement Recognition) award offerings in December and June (link to STAR info page)

– Annual Winter Appeal

– Field School Art Framing Fundraiser

– Other opportunities that may arise throughout the school year, such as the Playground Fundraiser in Spring 2025 and the Grand Piano Fundraiser in 2026

WEEFC accepts donations via Venmo, check, MySchoolBucks, and Donor-Advised Funds. Please click here for details on the 4 Ways to Give.

There are two types of grants available. Mini-grants, averaging $500, provide funding for materials and equipment for classroom projects. Larger project grants range from $1,000 to $100,000+ and support more extensive interdisciplinary projects, the purchase of costly equipment, or the creation of learning spaces.  WEEFC also funds grants that are sourced by parent volunteers from PTO’s STEAM subcommittee in collaboration with WPS faculty.  Additionally, WEEFC supports unique professional development opportunities for teachers.

WEEFC funds approximately 40 grants each year, averaging over $100,000. In its 40-year history, WEEFC has awarded nearly $9 million in grants across the entire district.

During the 2025-2026 school year, WEEFC awarded 44 grants totaling approximately $190,000 across all five schools, covering science, social studies, math, engineering, technology, ELA, creative arts, performing arts, visual arts, physical education, DEI, and social-emotional education.

Teachers, administrators, and students can submit their innovative ideas for consideration. The WEEFC Board meets monthly throughout the school year to allow for quick response time and ongoing interaction. 

The grant process begins with an idea, which may arise from innovation, an identified gap, or a newfound need. 

 Successful enrichment programming heavily relies on the curiosity and engagement of our WPS teachers, administrators, and students. We have been fortunate to receive numerous outstanding and innovative proposals from our teachers and students, and we are excited to see the creativity and new ideas that each year brings!

WEEFC reviews grant applications on a monthly basis and can provide support throughout the school year when needs arise or when ideas require funding to become a reality. The process of reviewing and approving grants includes several steps and typically takes about 3 to 6 weeks from the initial idea to funding.

The grant process is collaborative. Students must connect and work with a faculty advisor, building principal, or other administrators to share their ideas and navigate the grant process. Similarly, teachers must coordinate with curriculum heads, colleagues, curriculum coordinators, or other department specialists to explore cross-curricular opportunities.

 To be considered for funding, all grants must first be reviewed and approved by the building principal and a department head or curriculum leader. Additionally, grants may be evaluated by the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, the District Superintendent, and the Directors of Finance and Technology and/or Facilities, as needed.

 Once a grant has completed the required reviews at the building level, it moves to the WEEFC Board for further discussion and evaluation. Grant writers are often invited to attend monthly WEEFC board meetings to present their applications and answer questions. After a grant receives a majority vote of approval at a WEEFC board meeting, it is forwarded to the School Committee for a vote as part of their meeting agenda.

The WEEFC Board works closely with the Office of Teaching and Learning to ensure that grant requests are aligned with curriculum and district goals. The Office of Teaching and Learning reviews each grant application to ensure appropriate alignment, at which time a given application may move forward in the process for review by the WEEFC Board at the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

The process of reviewing and approving grants is an established process that includes several steps and typically takes about 4 to 6 weeks from the initial idea to funding.

To be considered for funding, all grants must first be reviewed and approved by the building principal and a department head or curriculum leader.  The WEEFC Board works closely with the Office of Teaching and Learning to ensure that grant requests are aligned with curriculum and district goals, and all grants that come before the WEEFC Board must first receive approval from the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. Additionally, grants may be reviewed by the Superintendent, Director of Finance, and the Directors of Technology and/or Facilities, as needed.

Once the Office of Teaching and Learning elects to move the grant forward, the WEEFC Board will review the application at the next regularly scheduled Board Meeting for further discussion and evaluation. Grant writers are often invited to attend monthly WEEFC board meetings to present their applications and answer questions. After a grant receives a majority vote of approval at a WEEFC board meeting, it is forwarded to the School Committee for a vote as part of their meeting agenda.

he entire WPS community, including students, teachers, and administrators, is positively impacted by WEEFC-funded grants and enrichment programming. All grades, all schools, all students, as well as all student-facing faculty. 

How does WEEFC impact my student? 

The district theme of the Weston Public Schools is “A District Designed for All”, emphasizing inclusive education, community commitment, and equitable learning environments for every student from Pre-K through grade 12.

As a sub-committee of the Weston School Committee, WEEFC prioritizes alignment with this theme, and WEEFC-funded programming benefits all students, all schools, and all curriculum content areas. 

Every Weston Public School student in grades Pre-K through grade 12 benefits from WEEFC-funded programming. In the last two years alone, WEEFC has funded over $270,000 in enrichment grants across the district, in addition to nearly $250,000 in enhancements to the four new playgrounds at Country and Woodland Schools. 

WEEFC Supports

WPS Teaching & Learning

Academic Enrichment

Innovation in the Classroom

Experiential Learning & Augmented Classroom Experiences

Unique Teacher Development Opportunities

Social-Emotional Programming and Learning

Classroom Resources 

Curricular Support and Enhancement For All Academic Disciplines

➔ Math & science 

➔ Technology & engineering 

➔ Performing & visual arts 

➔ Language & creative arts 

➔ Robotics 

How does WEEFC impact WPS faculty and staff? 

Successful enrichment programming is driven by the curiosity, creativity, and engagement of our WPS teachers, administrators, and students. Over the years, WEEFC has been fortunate to receive exciting and innovative proposals from our educators, and the WEEFC Board looks forward to seeing new and creative grant requests each school year!

For district educators, a WEEFC grant is an excellent opportunity to bring greater autonomy to your role, while building connections with Department Specialists and fellow faculty members with whom you may not regularly interact. The WEEFC Board reviews grant applications monthly from September through June and can provide support throughout the school year as needs arise or as unique ideas emerge that require funding to become a reality.

Enrichment is at the core of the Weston Education Enrichment Fund Committee’s (WEEFC) mission. “Enrichment” refers to creative, innovative programming across all five Weston Public Schools. It includes classroom equipment and resources designed to enhance the learning experience of every student from Pre-K through grade 12. Because these projects fall outside the standard school operating budget, WEEFC funds directly supplement and elevate the district’s core curriculum.

The annual operating budget covers core academic curriculum needs. Prepared by the Superintendent and approved by the School Committee, this budget is voted on by residents at the annual Town Meeting in May. When innovative ideas or programming needs arise during the school year that fall outside this budget, teachers, administrators, and students are able to use the WEEFC grant process to bring those ideas to life. 

With your support, WEEFC-funded enrichment programming supplements and enhances the WPS curriculum by funding a balanced mix of innovative grants and mainstays of our curriculum, including: 

WEEFC Supports

WPS Teaching & Learning

Academic Enrichment

Innovation in the Classroom

Experiential Learning & Augmented Classroom Experiences

Teacher Development (add to this?)

Social-Emotional Programming and Learning

Supplies (need more robust word/phrase)

Curricular Support and Enhancement For All Academic Disciplines

➔ Math & science 

➔ Technology & engineering 

➔ Performing & visual arts 

➔ Language & creative arts 

➔ Robotics 

The Weston Education Enrichment Fund was established in 1985 at Weston Town Meeting as an annual fund, in the belief that parents would prefer to support a fund that would provide immediate benefits to their children. There is an endowment fund in memory of student Ben Sandalls that was established as a separate account. WEEFC oversees the expenditure of its income each year to support a program which enriches the creative writing curriculum in the schools. 

The Weston Education Enrichment Fund Committee (WEEFC) solicits tax-deductible donations to support innovative and creative projects that are beyond the regular school budget. The WEEFC board is tasked with overseeing fundraising strategy, grant-making, and community engagement for the district’s enrichment fund. Contributions to the fund are tax-deductible under the Internal Revenue Code as gifts to the Town of Weston. While WEEFC is not organized as a 501(c)(3) organization, it functions similarly to the education foundations in other towns. 

Unrestricted funds allow the committee to work with the administration to identify the areas of greatest need and to direct grant money to those areas, in accordance with system-wide goals. If a donor has a particular area of interest or concern that he or she would like to see addressed, it is recommended that the donor talk with the Superintendent or the WEEFC Chair about their intentions before earmarking funds.

Unrestricted funds are essential in allowing WEEFC to work with the Office of Teaching and Learning to best respond to district needs in alignment with curriculum standards, and to direct resources to areas where they will have the most significant impact on all Weston Public School students. The collaborative WEEFC grant process ensures that all funded grants bring exciting and innovative programming to all five schools that directly supports Weston’s educational goals.

While unrestricted giving provides the highest utility, WEEFC welcomes collaboration with donors who have a specific passion or educational area they wish to support. If you have a particular interest or project in mind, please reach out to the Superintendent and WEEFC Chair before earmarking your gift to ensure that your philanthropic goals match the needs and curriculum of Weston Public Schools.

Weston is fortunate to have two outstanding organizations dedicated to supporting our public schools: the Weston Education Enrichment Fund Committee (WEEFC) and the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). While they share a common commitment to enhancing the educational experience for Weston students, each serves a distinct role.

• WEEFC is the fundraising arm of the school community. A subcommittee of the Weston School Committee, WEEFC raises tax-deductible donations from the community to fund enrichment opportunities across grades Pre-K–12. 
• The PTO, by contrast, is a volunteer network of parents that strengthens the connection between home and school, enhances communication, and fosters a strong sense of community throughout the district.

How WEEFC and PTO Work Together

Although WEEFC and the PTO are separate organizations, they work closely together in many areas with the shared goal of supporting the Weston Public Schools. For example, the PTO’s STEAM Committee identifies visiting artists, authors, scientists, and performers for students in grades Pre-K–12, and then submits those enrichment opportunities to WEEFC for grant funding. 

How WEEFC and PTO Work Independently:

While WEEFC and the PTO support and collaborate, many WEEFC-funded grants and events are developed independently of the PTO, just as the PTO sponsors numerous community-building programs and activities supported solely through PTO membership dues.

WEEFC and the PTO each play a distinct role in supporting Weston Public Schools. By focusing on their respective missions—WEEFC as the district’s enrichment fundraising organization and the PTO as its parent volunteer and community engagement organization—the two organizations work collaboratively to enhance the educational experience for all Weston students.

WEEFC is unique in that it is formally structured as an official, permanent subcommittee of the Weston School Committee, rather than as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Established by a Town Meeting vote in 1985, the WEEFC Board is composed of parent volunteers, appointed by the School Committee. As a district entity, WEEFC works directly with the Office of Teaching and Learning to ensure that all WEEFC-funded programming aligns with and enriches the district curriculum.

WEEFC also differs from many educational foundations in its ongoing commitment to supporting innovation and enrichment throughout the school year. The WEEFC Board meets monthly from September through June to both inspire and support the continued innovation of Weston Public Schools teachers, administrators, and students, while helping provide the consistent enrichment programming that distinguishes Weston Public Schools.

WEEFC relies on the generous financial support of our community and is deeply grateful to the many donors who support us each year. There are also many ways to stay connected with WPS and WEEFC, including reading our newsletters and email updates, attending events, and following us on social media. These communications help families connect to their child(ren)’s learning experience and encourage continued engagement with the schools and a deeper understanding of the curriculum.

Beyond financial contributions, volunteering is another meaningful way to give back to our schools. Throughout the school year, there are many opportunities to support WEEFC’s fundraising efforts and other initiatives. Parents who are interested in becoming more involved can also volunteer to serve on the WEEFC Board when vacancies are announced.