YEF Grants

The Yarmouth Education Foundation’s (YEF) mission is to promote and enhance educational excellence by generating independent funding for innovative educational projects, enrichment programs and other creative educational initiatives that fall outside the standard budget and support the curriculum. The Foundation will allocate funds during two grant cycles (fall and spring) each year.

YEF has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to provide innovative programs impacting each school and thousands of students in Yarmouth.

2025–2026 Grant Application Deadlines

FALL 2025

  • October 17:  Applications due

  • November 3–7:  Grant presentations and committee voting (1–2 evening meetings)

  • Mid-November:  Grant Winner Announcements 

SPRING 2026

  • March 20:  Applications due

  • April 6–10:  Grant presentations and committee voting (1–2 evening meetings)

  • Mid-April: Grant Winner Announcements

PREVIOUS GRANTS

STEAM Family Night

With support from YEF, Nicole Colfer launched the inaugural STEAM Family Night in 2024 at Yarmouth Elementary School—a dynamic evening filled with engineering design challenges, science experiments, math activities, programming and robotics games, and team-building exercises. Now a part of the school’s curriculum, STEAM Night continues to inspire curiosity and hands-on learning for students and families alike.


Stereo Microscopes for Pre-K to 5th

With magnification 20-80 times that of the naked eye these microscopes enable students to observe the world in stunning detail. Students looked at insects, pollen cells, frog and fish eggs, small crustaceans, and a slew of non-living things to foster a love of science.

eDNA Testing for Threatened Species

Students can investigate the presence of both invasive and threatened species in aquatic environments by testing for the presence of eDNA (environmental DNA). The technology will allow students to explore water samples from Casco Bay, the Royal River and other locations to detect the presence of native fish like alewives, brook trout and brown trout, and also look for the presence of European green crabs, a non-native invasive species.

Building Leaders With Outdoor Adventure

Third grade students were able to spend a day on Mackworth Island with Rippleffect, a Maine outdoor education-based organization. They participated in outdoor activities designed to promote critical thinking and cognitive reasoning, build confidence, develop leadership skills, strengthen peer relationships, and foster appreciation for the outdoors.

Additional YEF Grants

  • Electric Car Project – Yarmouth High School

  • Printmaking Press– Yarmouth High School

  • Biology Biotechnology – Yarmouth High School

  • Shellfish Nursery – Harrison Middle School

  • Digital Microscopes – Harrison Middle School

  • Standup & Pedal Desks – Harrison Middle School

  • Water Bottle Filling Stations – Harrison Middle School

  • Salmon Hatchery – Yarmouth Elementary School

  • Girls As Engineers – Yarmouth Elementary School

  • Butterfly & Vegetable Garden – Harrison Middle School

  • Wakami Gatherers– Yarmouth Elementary School

  • Le FloFranco Concert – Yarmouth High School

  • Starry Night Event – Harrison Middle School

  • Non-Fiction in Middle School – Harrison Middle School

  • Solar Eclipse Glasses – District Wide

  • Mathematics Flip Charts – Harrison Middle School

  • Defining Place: Personal Narratives in Clay – Yarmouth High School

This application is accessible only to Yarmouth School Department employees on the district intranet. Yarmouth students should visit the student intranet page for resources and information relevant to them.

In addition to our traditional grant cycles, the YEF Board of Directors is excited to share that we have awarded more than $30,000 in professional development scholarships. We are pleased to give Yarmouth teachers the opportunity to attend the innovative and world-renowned Learning & The Brain Conferences. Educators attend these programs and return to share their knowledge with YEF, with their peers, and in their classrooms. These educators come home with excitement and inspiration. This partnership has been a huge success, and YEF is proud to help Yarmouth classrooms meet their continuing education needs.

How do I apply for a Professional Development Grant?

  1. Prepare proposal and work with your school leadership as needed to align your proposal with school and district priorities.

  2.  If approved by school leadership, district office manages the granting and implementation of funds.

Note: YEF funds Professional Development Grants through the district office, which manages distribution. Professional Development Grants are not accepted directly from individual teachers.

Professional Development