GFFE and TGF Join Forces to Support Educational Innovation

Aside from noble missions that benefit the local community, The Guilford Foundation (TGF) and the Guilford Fund for Education (GFFE) share a linked past. TGF, the epicenter of local philanthropy for over 50 years, awarded seed money to start the Guilford Fund for Education nearly 20 years ago to support its focus on education and enrichment for children.

This past year, GFFE officially partnered with TGF as a donor-advised fund managed administratively by TGF. GFFE continues to maintain autonomy over its grantmaking and fundraising. The fund is a part of the TGF endowment, which investment professionals at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven manage.

With its volunteer board of directors and low operating costs, it organizes fundraising and community-building events. The famously fun Spelling Bee for Adults draws cleverly named squads wearing colorful team shirts and creative accessories for an evening of competitive wordplay. A more serious spelling bee for children and the BeeBall youth basketball tournament are also held.

Established in 2006, The Guilford Fund for Education recently distributed its 200th grant. In total, the organization has awarded $660,000 to teachers and students.

“We work together with Guilford Public Schools. All the grant applications come through the assistant superintendent of schools,” explains Jennifer Scoggin, co-chairman with Meg Teape of the GFFE board of directors. “The grants are for projects that align with the curriculum. We want our teachers to be innovative, but the discretionary budget of any school district is very small.”  

The board selects grants using a rubric that rates applications on innovation, sustainability, and community impact. Many of the grant projects have been incorporated into the school budget and curriculum, including the Maker Spaces at each elementary school, the Witness Stones Project at Adams Middle School, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma program offered at Guilford High School.

There are also mini-grants (less than $1,000) for smaller projects, grants for students who need funds to complete their Mastery-Based Diploma Assessment, and scholarships for some graduating seniors.

Among Scoggin’s favorite grants is one given to A.W. Cox music teacher Russell Kleiner to start a steel drum band, the Howlers Ensemble. The grant purchased all the instruments and music stands for the upper elementary students to perform at events around town. It’s a win-win that allows students to perform for a wider audience and for the community to see talent develop firsthand within the public school system.

GFFE is also the driving force behind the STAR Awards. Parents and students can recognize individual educators twice yearly — during the holiday season and Teacher Appreciation Week. The awards are for teachers, coaches, administrators, or support staff who have personally impacted a student. 

The partnership with TGF will allow GFFE to focus on its mission and increase its impact exponentially.

“We are fortunate to have grown as an all-volunteer organization. It says a lot about the spirit of the people of Guilford,” Scoggin says. The GFFE hopes to continue the tradition of the last 20 years while expanding the concept of education to the larger community and diversifying how it supports education.

“It was important for us to retain our autonomy and our mission,” Scoggin says, “but we are already benefitting from the experience and reach of TGF. They ensure that our organization is sustainable by helping streamline the back-office processes. They’ve been very generous with their time and expertise.”