Steamboat Education Fund

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

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Grant Process

Grants are awarded to public schools and nonprofits in Routt County through a competitive grant process managed by the SSEF Board through its Grants Committee. Grants must benefit K-12 public education in Routt County and be in line with the Fund’s mission.

Award Acceptance:

  1. Approval of Grants by the Steamboat Springs Education Fund Board (Board) in May meeting.
  2. Notice of Award
    • The administrator sends out a letter/contract signed by the Board president to notify the grantee that an award has been made. The letter includes all applicable terms of the award and provides Education Fund contact information.
    • Recipient reviews and accepts by signing and including their federal employer identification number (FEIN). The grantee must scan and email the signed contract to educationfundboard@gmail.com. A signed letter must be emailed to the administrator in order for the grant award to become official.
    • Grant is for funds spent (expenses incurred) during the school year that begins the summer immediately after the May board meeting (i.e., July 1 – June 30)
    • Any unspent monies will be rescinded to SSEF unless authorized by the Board

Post-Awards School District Grants:

  1. Recipients of school district grants keep track over the school year of how funds were spent within each of the categories listed in the application template: student-facing staff, technology, curriculum/materials, special project/programs, and capital projects.
  2. Payments are made to the school districts in three or four installments over the course of the fiscal year according to a calendar set by the SSEF Board.
  3. Accountability Report templates and Spending Report templates are sent out to the districts in September and returned to the SSEF in October. These reports provide detailed information on how the SSEF grant funds were spent within each category. The districts report on the outcomes of individual programs and purchases funded with SSEF funds.

Post-Award Community Group Grants:

  1. Recipients of community group grants have the school year to fulfill the grant per submitted budget from July 1-June 30 (July of the same year the grant is awarded through the end of June the following year.)
  2. The accountant keeps track of any unspent monies. These are rescinded to SSEF unless authorized by the board.
  3. Invoicing and Financial Reporting
    • Invoices are based on cost reimbursement.
      Submitted materials should match the project budget exactly.
    • Documentation should be scanned and submitted via email to educationfundboard@gmail.com. Include: grant identification number, the organization’s name, and the organization’s FEIN.
    • Purchase of equipment or materials: scan and submit the original receipts showing items purchased
    • Payment of personnel: submit documentation demonstrating that these payments have been made (e.g. canceled payroll check and/or QuickBooks report). Documentation must include to whom and for what (an accounting of hours and rate for specific services provided)
    • All emailed documentation received by the administrator is forwarded to the accountant.
    • Accountant matches all invoices and documentation to monies granted and prepares reimbursement check and money transfer.
    • Board president and treasurer meet with the accountant.
      • Check documentation: If no questions, check is signed. If further verification is needed, the accountant goes back to the grantee.
      • Sign transfer of funds from COLOTRUST to Alpine Bank
    • The accountant submits transfer instructions and mails checks once the transfer of funds is complete.
    • Grantees should expect payment 2-3 months after submitting all documentation.
    • Accountability reports

The Steamboat Springs Education Fund (SSEF) is a nonprofit, independent corporation that administers the proceeds of the half-cent sales tax—five cents on a $10 purchase. The half-cent city sales tax was originally approved by Steamboat voters in 1993 to fund “public K-12 educational purposes.” The tax was extended by voter approval in three subsequent elections. In 2009, voters extended the tax and expanded the purpose to share a portion of the proceeds of the tax with other Routt County public schools. Since 1993, more than $67M has been granted directly for public K-12 education in Routt County.

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