Salem Education Foundation

The Salem Education Foundation is a nonprofit that builds community involvement in, and investment in, Salem’s public schools. Its main tool is grants to teachers for projects that broaden what students experience across the curriculum, funded by the foundation’s fundraising events and donations. Teachers can apply for grants through the foundation, and it publishes a full list of past awards, which have supported classroom projects and school events alike.

The foundation runs entirely on volunteers, with no paid staff, so community members handle all of its fundraising and administration. It also organizes volunteers to help inside the Salem Public Schools, building a network of parents and residents who support teachers and students. Its stated aim is to support teachers and students, connect them with the wider community and work together to sustain strong local schools.

What to Know

• The foundation typically awards more than $20,000 in teacher grants.
• Its grants have supported Special Olympics events at Bertram Field, with funding in 2019 and 2022.
• The organization is known locally as SEF.
• Its motto is “Cultivate a Love of Learning across the Community.”