“The Marblehead community is incredibly fortunate to have the generous support of the Friends of Marblehead.  The unique and exciting learning opportunities that Friends of Marblehead have provided for our students throughout the years are an extraordinary educational gift.” - Lindsay Willard, 3rd grade teacher and grant recipient.

Friends FAQ’s

WHY DOES MARBLEHEAD NEED Friends?

The operating budget for our schools is level funded, meaning that to cover basic salary increases for inflation, there is a squeeze on everything else. It’s important to realize that money raised by Friends does not reduce or otherwise impact the town’s responsibility to support its public schools — Friends funds do not go toward salaries or core educational materials. Instead, the money Friends raises is used to enhance existing school programs, and fund new programs and activities for students

HOW IS Friends DIFFERENT FROM THE PTO?

Friends is an independent 100% volunteer run 501(c)(3) non profit organization made up of about 15 Board members, most of whom are parents with kids enrolled in Marblehead’s public schools. We are not a PTO and while there are some areas of overlap in terms of the types of grants we may fund, in general, Friends grants are broader in scope, are more sustainable over long term, and are typically more innovative in nature.  School PTOs tend to fund more immediate needs for schools, so it’s important to support both Friends and your school’s PTO.

HOW DOES Friends RAISE MONEY?

We have 3 main fundraising efforts:

• Our Fall Donation Drive - we kick off the school year with our Fall Donation drive (look for us at your school’s Open House and check your mailbox!) but we are ALWAYS open to donations

• Principal For A Day Raffle - Each Fall we have a raffle for the younger elementary schools, Brown and Glover, for a student to become Principal for the day!

• Summer Soiree - this is an annual event held every June at a generous local family’s home and is always such a fun time! The Soiree is our main source of fundraising with the help of corporate and individual sponsors as well as ticket sales. In June 2024, we raised over $50,000 where every dollar raised is used to fulfill grants. Our mission to support, supplement and enrich our schools would not be possible without the generosity of our community. More information about our Summer Soiree

WHAT IS THE GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS?

To start, all you need is an idea, one that you believe can enrich the curriculum and/or educational experience for the students at a particular school, or even all of them! Anyone in the community can write a grant whether you are (but not limited to) a teacher, administrator, parent or student.  

• The grant application window begins in October and runs through the end of January. All grants need to have approval from the building principal and once your idea has been researched and approved by the building-level administration, simply fill out our grant application. 

• Each school has a Friends board member that will work with you through the entire process - so don’t worry if it seems overwhelming, we are here to help every step of the way!

In April, the board will vote on which grants will be funded, and the approved grants are implemented in the following school year. Friends gives priority to grants that will have longevity, seek to impact the most students, or grants that pilot promising new programs. Visit the Grants section of our site to read about the grants we’ve funded.

I’m interested!  How do I get involved?

There are many options! Friends is completely supported by individual and corporate sponsorships and donations, so we welcome and appreciate your contributions to our Fall Drive, Principal For A Day Raffle and Summer Soiree. 

• To really see the benefit and impact of Friends, you can write or help write a grant! Remember, each school has a Friends liaison who can help you through the process.

• Want to get more involved? Please feel free to reach out about joining our board!