Education foundations help schools offer more services.

Education foundations help schools offer more services. IF THE WALNUT CREEK Walnut Creek,residential city (1990 pop. 60,569), Contra Costa co., W Calif., in the San Francisco Bay area; inc. 1914. It is the trade and shipping center of an extensive agricultural area where walnuts are among the major product. SCHOOL District needs extra funding, it turnsto the Walnut Creek Education Foundation (www.wcefkl2.org). Luckily for the families in this district, the nonprofitorganization Nonprofit OrganizationAn association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well.Notes:Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. is available to provide extra services. When it began 27years ago, the foundation raised around $20,000 each year. In 2002, whenCalifornia's budget problems started to trickle down to theschools, the Walnut Creek Education Foundation merged with anotherfoundation, adding a high school from the neighboring Acalanes UnionHigh School District Acalanes Union High School District is a district in southwest/central Contra Costa County in California. It currently has five schools: Acalanes High School in Lafayette, Campolindo High School in Moraga, Las Lomas High School and Del Oro High School in Walnut Creek, and to its roster, and upped the ante to raise$300,000. A good chunk of the money the Foundation collects pays for the art,music and physical education teachers at Walnut Creek's fiveelementary schools. "We had to pay for staff members' salaries," saysElizabeth Davis, WCEF WCEF World Cultural Economic Forum president. "People were relying on us." Nuts and Bolts nuts and boltspl.n. SlangThe basic working components or practical aspects: "[proposing] Each year, the Walnut Creek superintendent meets with her budgetteam of teachers, principals, staff and parents to ask what thefoundation should raise money for. If the district requests somethingthe foundation knows parents won't be able to get on board with, itcan push back. "We know what we'll have success fundraisingfor," says Davis. Next, the foundation asks families for donations. There are threefocused donor campaigns. For the spring campaign in May, solicitationsare sent to parents, alumni and community, who can mail back a check, goonline to contribute, or hand a check to a volunteer at the Donor Daycollection sites on campus. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During registration in August, the foundation has a table toeducate families and collect donations via check or credit card, inperson or online. The fall campaign, in October, is similar to the spring campaignbut is directed toward people who haven't yet donated. "Weoffer plans of one, two, four or 10 payments to assist anyone who isstruggling due to the economy," says Davis. "We also offer amatching gift fund with employers that is very helpful and has reallygrown in the last two years." The local business community alsogets involved. This year, the suggested contribution level was $500; next year itwill be $600. Fifty-two percent of the families contribute, but the goalis to get to 100 percent. "We spent our strategic planning Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. sessionsthis spring focusing on how to target the other 48 percent," saysDavis. What Gets Funded The foundation raises $230,000 for art, music and physicaleducation teachers at the elementary schools. It also pays forsubstitutes to take the elementary children to these classes so theirteachers can participate in grade-level professional development."WCEF is incredibly important," says Patty Wool,superintendent of Walnut Creek School District. "Without it,district coaching and collaboration would not take place." At the middle school, the foundation covers the costs of acounselor, a campus supervisor, homework help, and extra library hours.It also funds a visiting artist program, which Davis says is a terrificenhancement to what students learn. "The students get to work withartists, drama coaches, scientists, naturalists and other experts." As the state budget continues to decline, WCEF must raise moremoney. Davis is thrilled the foundation has reached its goal six weeksearly this year, and she hopes to do even better next year."We've been asked to fund a similar budget, around $725,000.However, I'd like to see us come closer to $800,000," shesays. WALNUT CREEK (CALIF.) SCHOOL DISTRICT Superintendent: Patty Wool, since July 2007 Number of students: 3,200 Number of staff: 331 Number of schools: 5 elementary, 1 middle Percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-pricelunches: 31 Per-pupil expenditure: Less than $5,000 Web site: www.walnutcreeksd.org/wcsd/site Ellen Ullman Ellen Ullman is an American computer programmer and author. She has written novels as well as articles for various publications, including Harper's, Wired, the New York Times and Salon. is a freelance writer based in Connecticut.