School District Considers Its Own Foundation
Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) is exploring the potential for establishing a School District Foundation, but it will likely take at least a year to get something up and running.
At its regular Board Meeting on January 22, the Trustees were presented with an overview of the idea of creating its own Foundation, how it would compare to other Castro Valley-based Foundations, and options for administering the foundation.
According to the presentation, the School District Foundation would be a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on seeking endowments or bequests through donations, a will, or an estate plan to generate ongoing income. The Foundation could also provide long-term sustainability and a legacy of support for those who might want to leave a long-term contribution to education by creating a named fund or scholarship in their honor.
“We are in the very early stages of this process,” CVUSD Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi told the Forum. “This would operate separately from the district and help raise additional funds to support key educational initiatives, student programs, and district-wide innovations.”
Superintendent Ahmadi said the district conducted research that found school district foundations can provide funding for programs beyond the district's core budget but noted that any funds from this School District Foundation would not be mixed in with its operating budget or the funds CVUSD gets from the federal, state, or county government, or any other voter-approved bond measure.
“We’re not sure entirely what this Foundation might help fund at this time, but it does need to be used for educational programs,” Superintendent Ahmadi said.
The Board considered three administration options: creating its own Fundraising Organization, creating a District Committee, Subcommittee, or Department within the Alameda County Board of Education, or joining an existing outside fundraising organization with an established foundation.
The Board asked staff to pursue the third option as it would allow CVUSD to access different investment strategies, minimize operational fees to no more than 8 percent, and the ability to connect with potential donors and marketing support.
The proposed School District Foundation would vastly differ from Castro Valley’s two other school-oriented Foundations, the Castro Valley Education Foundation (CVEF) and the Castro Valley Arts Foundation (CVAF).
CVEF raised more than $20,000 for school art and music programs across the various CVUSD schools during its Spring for Education 2024 event. The Foundation has a popular scholarship program that awarded 76 scholarships, totaling $121,000, last year. Students can apply for memorial scholarships, including the “Oh the Places You’ll Go!” Scholarship in honor of Amanda Korbas or the Nicholas “Dubb” Whitaker Memorial Scholarship. There is also the Dr. Mary Jane Stamm $20,000 scholarship, which is awarded to a student based on merit and maintaining specific academic targets. These awards are distributed on Senior Night each spring.
CVEF also sponsors an Innovation Grant program for teachers, staff, students, and parents who promote academic excellence in the district. Grants, up to a maximum of $1,500 per grant, are awarded once each year in the fall.
CV Arts Foundation provides students and the community with artistic experiences that educate, enrich and entertain by securing resources for the Castro Valley Center for the Arts. The volunteer-run organization raises and donates approximately $100,000 annually, which is used exclusively for operational expenses. CV Arts has donated $1,000,000 to the Center for the Arts. In addition to an annual fundraising campaign, the Castro Valley Arts Foundation produces a Series with performers from around the Bay Area and beyond. Concession proceeds from these shows help fund scholarships for college-bound CVHS seniors who contribute their time and talents to the Center.
“The School District Foundation would not compete for funds with these two important district partners, but instead may help augment the programs they support,” Superintendent Ahmadi said.
The CVUSD Board of Education is expected to revisit the topic at a meeting before the end of the school year.