Frequently Asked Questions

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.

When can I submit an application to the Hipp Foundation?

The Foundation accepts applications startomg July 1, up through March 1* of each year. Applications are reviewed once annually. Applicants are notified of their application status by the end of April.

If my Project Timeline begins before the school year (because of groundwork that needs to be done over the summer, and/or equipment purchases, etc.) will my application be disqualified?

No. Your application will be considered as long as your timeline begins no earlier than July 1 and ends by July 31 of the target school year.

When do I receive the grant money?

You will receive up to half of your grant funds, once the required initial paperwork is received, after the Grant Coordinators’ Training meeting in June. If you need additional grant funds upfront to get your grant started, you can request more at that time. You may begin spending the funds immediately after the training meeting. Note: Stipend funds are held by NJEA and not distributed in the awarded funds.

Do I turn the grant money over to my school district?

No. The Grant Project Coordinator named in the application is financially responsible for the grant. By signing the application, the district superintendent /county college president and board of education offer their support to the project and agree to its implementation in the district by the Project Coordinator should funds be awarded.

Is the grant money considered taxable income for the Grant Coordinator?

No. The Foundation structures the grant disbursement and financial reporting procedure in such a way as to relieve the Grant Coordinator of the burden of I.R.S. reporting requirements. However, if you or someone on your Project Team receives a stipend payment for work performed, that would be considered taxable income and an I.R.S. Form 1099 will be issued from NJEA acordingly. All of this is explained in more detail during the Grant Coordinators’ Training in June.

Do you have to be a teacher to apply for a Hipp grant?

No. However, an applicant must be a New Jersey public school employee to qualify for a Hipp grant.

Do you have descriptions of previous grant recipients?

YES! Project descriptions are available here. Former Hipp grant recipients' contact information can be found there as well and they can answer many of your questions. In addition, the Hipp Expo in the Communications Booth at the NJEA Convention in November is staffed with grant recipients who are eager to share their projects and knowledge about the Hipp grant process.

*If March 1 falls on a Sunday, the deadline will be moved to Monday, March 2.

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