■ Grants · Fall 2026 Cycle
Got an idea? We want to fund it.
Twice a year, we fund the resources, programs and professional enrichment that the district budget can’t cover. It’s how we educate, enrich and empower every PK–8 student in our district. Every MERS teacher, administrator and staff member can apply.
Questions? grants@foundation4mers.org
How it works
From idea to classroom
01
Shape your idea
Resources, programs or professional enrichment that would reach a significant number of students, and that your school or district budget doesn’t cover.
02
Get your sign-offs
Your principal or department head approves every application first. Technology, curriculum and special education requests need one more sign-off.
03
Apply online
Complete the Fall 2026 application by Monday, November 2.
04
Hear from us
We review every proposal for its measurable benefit to students, its merits and available funds. Awards are announced in December 2026.
Why we fund grants
Educate. Enrich. Empower!
Our Mission
To educate, enrich, and empower every PK–8 student in our district by partnering with families, educators, and the community to expand access to opportunities that support academic, emotional, and social growth—both in and beyond the classroom.
Our Vision
We are building a future where every student has equitable access to opportunities, resources, and support that prepare them to learn, grow, and lead today and into the future.
Every grant puts that mission to work: an educator’s idea, funded by our community, for MERS students. More about us
Recently funded
Ideas like yours, already at work
Hate Ends Now
Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School
The Cattle Car Exhibit brings Holocaust lessons to life for the entire 8th-grade cohort through survivor testimony and authentic artifacts.
530
Students reached
$5,000
Awarded
WIN Bins for All
All Elementary Schools, Districtwide
Grade-level bins of games and puzzles bring hands-on critical thinking to every K–5 classroom during the WIN (What I Need) period.
~3,000
Students reached
$5,300
Awarded
Percussion Playground
Wemrock Brook School
Outdoor musical play equipment built so every student, regardless of ability, can explore rhythm, creativity, and play together.
~500
Students reached
$5,409
Awarded
Who can apply?
Any employee of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District: teachers, administrators and staff at all eight MERS schools.
What kinds of requests do you fund?
Educational resources, programs and professional enrichment courses that aren’t provided through the school or district budget. Every grant must enhance students’ education and benefit a significant number of students in a school or across the district.
Whose approval do I need before I apply?
Your principal or department head must approve every application before it comes to us. Some requests need one more sign-off:
- Technology: Director of Technology
- Changes to curriculum: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Human Resources
- Special Education: Director of Special Education
How are grants chosen?
We look at how well your proposal shows a measurable benefit for students, the merits of the project, and the funds available this cycle.
I received a grant. What happens next?
Use the funds exactly as described in your approved application. Grants can’t financially benefit the people who apply. When your project is complete, send us a final grant report.
Who do I contact with questions?
Email us at grants@foundation4mers.org and we’ll get back to you.
Every grant, every cycle
Since 2009–10, The Foundation for MERS has awarded more than $1 million in grants to our schools. Open any cycle for the full list.