Friends of the Marblehead Public Schools (FMPS)

Friends of the Marblehead Public Schools (FMPS) is an independent, all-volunteer nonprofit that raises money for educational grants across Marblehead’s public schools. Grants are meant to complement the existing curriculum rather than replace town funding, paying for enrichment such as hands-on learning tools, coding robots at Glover School and Inchy the Bookworm, a book vending machine at Brown School that second and third graders wrote a grant to get.

Founded in 1990, the Friends have raised more than $2.5 million over 35 years, reaching more than 15,000 children across six schools. Fundraising centers on a fall donation drive, a Principal for a Day raffle for Brown and Glover students, and the annual Summer Soiree held each June at a local family’s home. The organization stresses that it is not a PTO; its grants tend to be broader, longer lasting and more innovative.

What to Know

• Friends funds never go toward salaries or core educational materials.
• The board has about 15 members, most of them parents of current students.
• Teachers and staff apply for grants by submitting an idea for enriching the curriculum.
• The organization is a 501(c)(3), so donations are tax deductible.