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Directions and Submission Details
Eligibility Rule
Article V, Section 5 of the By-laws of the NJEA Frederick L. Hipp Foundation for Excellence in Education, the following eligibility exclusions apply: "No member of the Board of Trustees, the Advisory Committee or the Grant Selection Committee shall have or obtain a financial interest in any contract, grant or award made by the Foundation to any person or entity." The Hipp Board of Trustees consists of the individuals who comprise the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Education Association.
The Hipp grant application consists of two parts.
Coversheet & Sections 1–6
A complete explanation of your project summary, objectives, timeline, assessment, and detailed budget — and how they coordinate.
Final Steps
Review, proof, and edit your application. Download and save a PDF copy. Answer the confirmation question and the signature section will reveal. Request and receive electronic signatures through the application portal, then Save and Finalize your grant application.
Important: After you have completed the Cover Sheet and Sections 1–6, have someone unfamiliar with the project and application proof it for grammar, spelling, and adherence to the directions for each section. Save a PDF copy.
Follow These Directions to Complete Each Section
Cover Sheet
- All sections of the cover sheet must be completed.
- All cover sheet information, except the project title, is excluded from the judge's view.
- Project Title: List the complete title of your project. (Do not include identifying information.)
- Enter your personal email address.
- Complete all portions of the cover sheet and upload a photo.
- Category: Choose Initial or Continuation Grant Request.
- Continuation Grant: A one-time Continuation Grant application may be submitted for one additional year of funding within a 24-month period.
Continuation Grant
- Previous grant recipients may apply for one additional year of funding within a 24-month period.
- Provide feedback on the initial grant and its potential for continued success.
- Be specific in identifying your plan to change or improve upon your original grant project, based on your reflections and assessment.
- Existing grantees compete against new applicants, as well as other competing continuation applications.
- Continued funding is not guaranteed.
Sections 1 Through 6 — General Instructions Disqualification Risk
- The application is only available at njea.org/hipp.
- Each section of the application should be concisely and grammatically written.
- Your project should NOT underwrite programs and materials that are the general responsibility of the school district.
- Your grant application will be judged on the clarity of your grant, on the connection between the needs assessment and the objectives, and the way you present your project.
1 Section 1 — Project Summary Sheet
- 1a. Target School Population: Provide an overview of the student population your project is designed to serve (how many students, what age, grade level, etc., within the school building/district/college).
- 1b. Community/Town Description: Include a short description of where the school/college is located — its size and demographics. Include statistical information about the community (size, social, racial, and economic factors; urban, suburban, or rural designation; or other relevant information). Use sources such as census.gov and the New Jersey Department of Education — please don't just copy and paste. Do not specifically name the school, district, college, town, or county. Inclusion of any identifying information will result in automatic disqualification.
- 1c. Special Factors: Does the project address multicultural issues or diversity (ethnic cultures, religion, sexual orientation, special needs, multi-grade classrooms, or intergenerational projects)?
- 1d. Needs Assessment: Briefly describe the need for the project and what's been done to date to assist the target population.
- Grant Amount Requested: State the amount needed, from $500 to $10,000 — must equal the total detailed in Section 6 – Budget. Round up to the nearest whole dollar.
- Project Timeline: State when you expect to begin and conclude. Do not start before July 1; conclude no later than June 30 of the following year.
2 Section 2 — Objectives
- List the specific objectives you plan to accomplish in measurable terms. The project's focus should underwrite programs and materials that are outside the standard expectation of what the district/college can provide.
- Objectives must match your Needs Assessment and present a clear connection between what you hope to achieve and how you hope to achieve it.
3 Section 3 — Project Plan
- The project should be innovative, creative, and exploratory by nature.
- Identify and explain the activities you propose and describe how they fulfill the project's objectives.
- Describe any products or materials that will result.
- Explain how you'll collaborate with others in the school and community on planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the project.
- Describe any professional development or collegial experiences the project may require.
- Explain how the project will continue in the future, including potential school/community collaborations and funding. You're encouraged to seek additional funding sources (local education association, school district, college/university, community organizations, businesses) — describe them generally, e.g. "PTO" or "Pizza Parlor." Do not list any specific names or locations of individuals or local businesses.
- Explain how this project can be replicated or adapted by others.
- If this is a continuation grant, illustrate how it builds on the original grant and how it will continue after the second year of funding.
4 Section 4 — Timeline
- Construct a project timeline.
- Explain your timeline for the project in detail.
- Demonstrate reasonable expectations for accomplishing your project objectives.
- Provide sufficient detail to demonstrate implementation through the course of the grant.
- Timeline must begin no sooner than July 1 and conclude no later than June 30 of the following year.
5 Section 5 — Assessment
- Explain how you will measure the success of your project, using measurable criteria such as meeting logs, journal entries, rubrics, test scores, or other scientifically based measurements.
- Describe a plan to assess the project's effectiveness — what information will be collected and how it will be analyzed.
- Explain how this project could be replicated or adapted by others.
- Surveys are not an assessment tool.
6 Section 6 — Budget
- Provide a specific line-item budget detailing project expenses (release time, supplies, transportation, speakers, printing, postage, etc.).
- Your budget needs to directly connect to your needs assessment, objectives, and project plan.
- Gift cards are not allowed for any project expense.
- If requesting stipends, they must align with your district's negotiated contracts.
- Make sure your budget total matches the requested grant amount in Section 1.
- If you have additional funding sources, describe them generally, e.g. "PTO," "Pizza Parlor," or "Big Box Store."
- Consider a contingency line for price increases, bank fees, and postage.
- Applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding (local PTA, education association, school system, college/university, community organizations, private businesses). Do not list any specific names or locations of individuals or local businesses.
Important: The total of the specific expenditures detailed in Section 6 – Budget must equal the Grant Amount Requested in Section 1 – Project Summary. Round up to the nearest whole dollar, between $500 and $10,000.
When You're Ready to Submit Your Application
Submission Steps
Have someone unfamiliar with the application and project proof it for correct grammar and formatting, and for adherence to the directions and guidelines for each section. Read carefully.
Download and save a PDF copy of your application.
Email a copy of the application to the local association president and your superintendent/college president, explaining the grant opportunity, asking them to review and support the application, and letting them know they'll receive an email request from NJEA Hipp Foundation for their electronic signature.
Once completed and proofed, Save and Finalize your application. It locks from editing and is reviewed by the Foundation.
Request your own signature as project coordinator first, so you're familiar with the process before sending the other two requests.
Electronic signatures must be received through the portal on or before March 1*.
You'll get an email notification as each requested signature is received.
An email notification of your funding status will be sent by April 16, 2027. Notifications will also be posted on the Hipp Foundation webpage and the Hipp Foundation Facebook page.
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